You could do a lot worse than to contact one of your local hiking clubs/associations - I'm from the Northeast, but at first glance the Washington Trail Associat

You could do a lot worse than to contact one of your local hiking clubs/associations - I'm from the Northeast, but at first glance the Washington Trail Association seems similar in scope to the Appalachian Mountain Club with which I'm familiar. You should be able to find everything from simple trail lists/maps to classes to already-planned trips with trained leaders etc. It's a fantastic way to learn about the area, learn new skills, and meet people.