The West Coast’s best views don’t require a single hiking boot — they’re paved the whole way there

Not every unforgettable view on the West Coast costs you a sore knee and a pre-dawn alarm. Some of the best ones are paved from the parking lot to the payoff — the kind of access most hiking guides barely mention, because “0.2 miles, flat” doesn’t sound as impressive as “4 miles, 1,800 feet of gain.”

It should sound just as impressive. These three spots are real, full views, not consolation prizes — a wheelchair, a stroller, or a pair of regular sneakers gets you all the way to the waterfall spray, the redwood canopy, or the mountain range stacked to the horizon.

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Psst — we made you a West Coast Adventure Map. Nearly 1,900 of our favorite spots, already pinned, ready to load into Google Maps in two clicks — grab it here.

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Muir Woods, California — a boardwalk through old-growth redwoods

Muir Woods National Monument sits just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, and it holds some of the last old-growth coast redwoods this close to a major city. The main trail out of the visitor center starts as boardwalk and hard-packed path — flat, wide, and wheelchair accessible through the Cathedral Grove area.

Cross at the third bridge and loop back on the other side of the creek for an easy 1-mile accessible loop, no real elevation to speak of. The park even keeps a couple of wheelchairs and strollers on hand to borrow at the visitor center, first-come, first-served.

Every vehicle needs a parking reservation now, seven days a week, plus a $15 entrance fee per person 16 and older. An America the Beautiful Pass covers the entrance fee, just not the parking reservation — book that separately at GoMuirWoods.com before you go.

Hurricane Ridge, Washington — big mountains, minimal effort

Hurricane Ridge sits inside Olympic National Park at just over 5,200 feet, and on a clear day you’re looking at the entire spine of the Olympic Mountains — sometimes all the way to Mount Olympus. The Big Meadow Trail near the visitor area is fully paved, a gentle quarter-mile of asphalt through open meadow.

Worth knowing before you go: the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge burned down in 2023 and hasn’t been rebuilt, so there’s no indoor visitor center right now — just restroom trailers and a contact station. The view didn’t burn down with it. A seasonal shuttle runs from Port Angeles from late May through early September if you’d rather skip driving the mountain road yourself.

Bring a jacket — it’s a ridge, it’s windy, and it doesn’t care that it’s August. Standard park entrance is $30 per vehicle for seven days, or it’s covered by that same America the Beautiful Pass.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon — 620 feet, zero switchbacks required

Multnomah Falls is the one everybody already knows, and there’s a reason: 620 feet of water dropping through the Columbia River Gorge, visible from a paved plaza that’s flat from the parking area. The path keeps going, still paved, about 0.2 miles up to Benson Bridge for a view straight into the upper drop.

Confident opinion here: don’t bother pushing for the full 1.1-mile trail to the top overlook if mobility is a concern. It switches back hard past the bridge, and the bridge view is genuinely the better photo anyway.

One thing that’s changed: a $2 timed-use permit is now required for the Exit 31 parking lot between May 22 and September 7, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., booked through recreation.gov. While you’re in the area, Wahkeena Falls is an easy adjacent stop if you want a second waterfall without much extra walking.

Three states, three completely different views, and none of them require a real hike to earn. Which one’s going on the list first?

Trip tips: grab a rental car to link all three, lock in a hotel for whichever leg you’re doing first, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.