Tide Pool Party: Where to Spot Cool Marine Life Near Seattle
Grab your rubber boots and low tide field guide–there are some fantastic minus tides in the Pacific Northwest the summer.
National Parks Fee-Free Days for 2025
On a budget? Our National Parks offer free admission days for 2025. Mark your calendars!
Go Stargazing
Behold the night sky! See a meteor shower, view the full moon, piece together constellations and spot the Northern Lights–all in the Pacific Northwest.
Find Cool Geology at Mount St. Helens
Hiking the trails on this active volcano is like stepping into an outdoor classroom, where geologic forces of the past teach us about nature’s recovery and renewal.
CAMP & HIKE: Icicle Creek Canyon
An outdoor playground in autumn, this little valley stretches like a finger into the North Cascades from Leavenworth and is lined with trailheads and campgrounds.
CAMP & HIKE: Steamboat Rock State Park
In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is an outdoor lover’s paradise. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground. Cool rocks and unusual birds. Hikes
Columbia River Gorge: Cheap Sleeps and Wildflower Hikes
In search of sunshine, open vistas and fields of wildflowers? Don’t wait for summer–find these adventures now on the sunny Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.
Waterfall Weekend: Columbia River Gorge
When the mighty Columbia River cut a deep canyon through the Cascades, it just wanted to get to the ocean. But hikers have been reaping the benefits for years, as the river’s urgency gave us dramatic scenery with a plethora of cascading waterfalls enveloped by mossy canyons.
CAMP & HIKE: Trillium Lake, Mount Hood
On the south side of Mt. Hood at 3,600 feet elevation is Trillium Lake, ringed with fragrant conifers, flower-filled boggy meadows, and a flat, family-friendly, barrier-free loop trail. If you’re looking for a late summer or early autumn overnight camping
52 Ways to Nature: Washington – Your Seasonal Guide to a Wilder Year
Bring more nature into your life year-round! 52 Ways to Nature is your new seasonal guide to a wilder year in Washington.
The Perfect New Guidebooks for Finding Trails Close to Your Home
There’s an Urban Trails Guidebook for nearly every city in the Pacific Northwest packed with close-to-home hiking and walking trails, from inner-city ravines to suburban woods.
CAMP & HIKE: Steamboat Rock State Park
In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is an outdoor lover’s paradise. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground.
STAY & PLAY: Hiking Lake Quinault on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula
Spring is a favorite season to visit Lake Quinault on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s not crowded. You have miles of trails all to yourself. Wildlife are becoming more active. And everything is green, green, green.
CAMP & HIKE: Fort Flagler State Park
How about a hike with a history lesson? Fort Flagler was a military installation established to protect Puget Sound from invaders during World War II. Now it’s a waterfront state park.
Q: Old Growth Forest Hikes Near Seattle?
Dear TripFinder,
My son is five and a bit obsessed with walking in the woods. I’d love to take him on some local hikes through old-growth forests. Can you recommend some old-growth hikes near Seattle?
Waterfall Weekend: Columbia River Gorge
When the mighty Columbia River cut a deep canyon through the Cascades, it just wanted to get to the ocean. But hikers have been reaping the benefits for years, as the river’s urgency gave us dramatic scenery with a plethora of cascading waterfalls enveloped by mossy canyons.
