Camping and Outdoors

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 through blooming desert wildflowers. Fragrant sagebrush whipping in the wind. Sleeping under a big sky […]

Columbia River Gorge: Cheap Sleeps and Wildflower Hikes

Are you 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. Sunshine and springtime wildflowers draw adventurers to the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. The views open up and you can see for miles. Oak trees […]

STAY & PLAY: Mount Baker

There are two kinds of Northwesterners – those who know about the awesomeness of Mount Baker, and those who don’t (yet). I’m about to put you in the first camp, and once you visit Baker for the first time you will go back, again and again. The Mount Baker Highway (Hwy 542) is a spur route that […]

Winter Fun at Crater Lake National Park

The deepest lake in the United States is a pool of sapphire water ringed by sheer cliffs piled with snow. Beautiful in summer months, the lake is stunning beyond words in winter. The only catch is timing – to get the most stunning views you must hit it on a clear day. This is Oregon’s Crater […]

NORTHWEST GIFT GUIDE: The Outdoorist

Beach Bounty: Guide to Digging for Razor Clams

Where to Dig for Clams DIG DATES: Winter 2019-2020, Washington Beaches Below is the tentative schedule of proposed razor clam digs for Washington state beaches, along with evening low tides and beaches. Note: here’s the full schedule; dates are always subject to cancellation if testing shows marine toxins are high. February 6, Thursday, 4:40 […]

Ask TripFinder: How to Stay Organized for Spontaneous Camping Trips?

Dear TripFinder, Q: Hello! I want to get into camping more but my work schedule makes it difficult to plan trips in advance. I have your car camping checklist and guide to finding last-minute campgrounds, but I think I need tips for getting out the door in a hurry. A few weeks back we took […]

DAY TRIP: Hiking in Paradise at Mount Rainier

Explore the Paradise region of Mt. Rainier on one of these hikes that are bursting with wildflowers right now, plus where to stay if you make it a weekend. Do you hear a mountain calling your name? It’s the most recognizable icon of Washington state’s landscape. It has three of our state’s best campgrounds […]

Hold the S’mores! Campfire Restrictions in the Northwest – 2018

Taking a camping trip this weekend? Pack your gear using our handy Car Camping Checklist and you won’t forget anything, ever. UPDATED July 27 2018 Going camping? It’s dry out there. There are lots of campfire restrictions in place. In fact, 2018 marks the sixth summer in a row that has seen restrictions on campfires in the Northwest. […]

High Country Hikes: Epic Northwest Trails for Blooms and Views

The Pacific Northwest isn’t just a mecca for great hiking, but great year-round hiking. Even in the depths of winter when backcountry trails in the Cascades are buried under many feet of snow, there are glorious lowland trails to hike along raging rivers and through mossy green forests. But while some epic hikes can be thoroughly enjoyed year-round […]

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