The Pacific Crest Trail winds along Okanogan County's western border and can be reached from a variety of points in the county.
     The U.S. Forest Service and other state and federal agencies maintain a variety of trails. A good place to start is with any office of the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests or the Colville National Forest.
     Both offer Web sites, www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka or www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville.
     Okanogan Country offers a wealth of hiking opportunities, from easy, paved trails that are accessible to wheelchairs, to exhaustingly steep paths that lead to soaring summits.
     The Forest Service offers a variety of maps, pamphlets and books detailing one-day and longer hikes. Some pamphlets are free.
     Guidebooks are available at Forest Service offices, visitor centers and stores in the area.
     A sampling of easy one-day hikes:
     - Lake Ann/Maple Pass - Suitable for families, the somewhat steep trail offers tremendous views. Lake Ann is stocked with cutthroat trout and is a good destination for those seeking a short, easy trip.
     Experienced hikers can follow cross country routes from Heather Pass to Lewis Lake and from Maple Pass along the ridge to Frisco Mountain.
     One-way length: Lake Ann, 1.9 miles; Maple Pass, 3.1 miles.
     Location: Off Highway 20 just west of Rainy Pass.
     - Rainy Lake - The pleasant walk to glacier-fed Rainy Lake is an easy one along a paved, level path that is is suitable for wheelchairs. It winds through trees and over small streams, ending at an observation deck at the water's edge.
     Interpretive signs along the path explain interesting features of the surrounding forest.
     One-way length: .9 mile.
     Location: Off Highway 20 just west of Rainy Pass.
     - Blue Lake - The turquoise pool is tucked against towering rock walls. The trail climbs easily through dense forest and skirts just below the massive granite faces of Liberty Bell Mountain and Early Winters Spires.
     The trail goes to the left at the trailhead information sign and parallels the highway for about a quarter-mile before beginning a slow, steady climb up the lower slopes of Liberty Bell Mountain.
     One-way length: 2.2 miles.
     Location: Off Highway 20 west of Liberty Bell Mountain.
     - Foggy Dew Falls - The mostly level trail follows the shady north side of Foggy Dew Creek through heavy forest. Views are limited, but the cool forest is pleasant.
     Foggy Dew Falls is at three miles; be careful around the falls.
     The trail continues two more miles to Martin Creek Trail.
     One-way length (to falls): 3 miles.
     Location: Take Gold Creek Road south of Carlton to Forest Service Road No. 200.
     - Big Tree Trail - The trail starts across the road from the Lost Lake guardhouse at the entrance to the campground. Look for the sign to the Big Tree Botanical Area.
     The trail connects with a loop trail that highlights two 600-year-old western larch trees.
     A hike suitable for all ages, it's particularly beautiful in June when the wildflowers are out.
     Loop length: .7 mile.
     Location: Take Highway 20 east from Tonasket for 24 miles to Bonaparte Recreation Area exit on County Road No. 4953, which turns into Forest Service Road No. 32.
     Continue to Forest Service Road No. 33, then to a four-corner junction; take Forest Service Road No. 33050 for one mile to Lost Lake Campground.