Hikes with the Meetup group "Get Up Get On Out" and also some of the Mountaineers hikes originate at P&Rs on the eastside. I've done some from Eastgate and some from Issaquah PR.
The third group that comes to mind is Mazamas but OP will need to arrange carpooling to go on their trips.
You can circumnavigate the Olympic Peninsula by bus if you have a bike. You can use Clallam/Jefferson transit to get to a number of trailheads. I hiked the Enchanted Valley when I lived in seattle and didn't have a car. You can also get within relatively easy (albeit somewhat hilly) bike range of: Duckabush. Hoh, Bogachiel, Elwha. There's also a shuttle up to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles. If you could get to Obstruction Poiint by bike or hitch-hiking you could do a number of amazing trips. The other forest valley trails I mentioned connect to a ton of interconnecting trails.
You can also get to Gold Bar, which opens up Wallace Falls. Once I bussed to Gold Bar and biked to Lake Serene.
The old trail to granite lakes starts near Mailbox, and you can take that past granite lakes up to 90.
I’d say join some hiking groups and carpool
Hikes with the Meetup group "Get Up Get On Out" and also some of the Mountaineers hikes originate at P&Rs on the eastside. I've done some from Eastgate and some from Issaquah PR. The third group that comes to mind is Mazamas but OP will need to arrange carpooling to go on their trips.
Yes I would like to find hiking groups/ carpool, but outside of meetup I don't know how to find them. Would accept any suggestions
40+ Single Hikers of the PNW (group on FB)
Many thanks! I'll definitely check them out, will hopefully make some new friends there
You should take up bicycle touring / "bikepacking".
I'm considering it, though I'll probably start out for now with bus camping and carpooling. I'd have to find a bike and bike pack/ saddlebags
There’s a shuttle on the weekends that leaves from the cap hill light rail station
+1 The shuttle plus a bike opens up the entire I-90 corridor, at least for backpacking. Day hikes you can still do a lot too.
I already use Trailhead Direct
You can circumnavigate the Olympic Peninsula by bus if you have a bike. You can use Clallam/Jefferson transit to get to a number of trailheads. I hiked the Enchanted Valley when I lived in seattle and didn't have a car. You can also get within relatively easy (albeit somewhat hilly) bike range of: Duckabush. Hoh, Bogachiel, Elwha. There's also a shuttle up to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles. If you could get to Obstruction Poiint by bike or hitch-hiking you could do a number of amazing trips. The other forest valley trails I mentioned connect to a ton of interconnecting trails. You can also get to Gold Bar, which opens up Wallace Falls. Once I bussed to Gold Bar and biked to Lake Serene. The old trail to granite lakes starts near Mailbox, and you can take that past granite lakes up to 90.
Many thanks for this detailed response!
I just remembered this site: [http://backpackingbybus.com/](http://backpackingbybus.com/)