CAMP & HIKE: Silver Falls State Park
At Silver Falls State Park, you’re in the best of both worlds–a stone’s throw from Willamette Valley wine country, and inching up the west slope of the Oregon Cascades. And by “cascades” we mean mountains… and waterfalls. Lots of waterfalls. We are spoiled rotten. In the Pacific Northwest where huge swaths of land are protected […]
Six Great Camping Getaways from Portland
We paired six fabulous campgrounds near Portland, Oregon with great nearby hiking trails and post-hike eateries. Keep your camping gear at-the-ready all summer long as you camp your way through these campgrounds near Portland, one sunny getaway at a time. And just so you can make a full trip out of your excursion, we’ve included […]
CAMP: White River Campground at Mount Rainier
At 4,400 feet elevation, the White River Campground melts out a bit later than other Mount Rainier campgrounds, but that’s okay. You’ll want to save your trip here for late July or early August anyway when the wildflowers that carpet subalpine meadows 12 miles up the road at Sunrise are in full bloom. Campsites directly […]
On the Mountain with Jack Kerouac
In 1956, twelve years before the land under his boots would become North Cascades National Park, Jack Kerouac spent 63 days in the deep, craggy wilderness of Washington state. It was a year before the publication of On The Road, a year before Jack Kerouac would become a household name and a beat generation icon. […]
Hiking after the Rain
The sun is out today, and it’s time to get outside! When the rain returns, keep hiking with these suggestions from Washington Trails Association.
Explore Saltwater State Park on Puget Sound
Where is the closest public campground from downtown Seattle? I’d have to pull out a map to know for sure, but I’ll bet it is Saltwater State Park, a Puget Sound waterfront and forested oasis exactly half-way between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. In fact, this park marked a symbolic turning point in […]
HIKE & CAMP: Obstruction Pass State Park on Orcas Island
Location: Southeast corner of Orcas Island, Washington. If ever there was a downside to beautiful Orcas Island, it is the dearth of public saltwater beaches. For this reason alone, we generally prefer San Juan and Lopez over Orcas when we want quality beach time. But now, we know about Obstruction Pass State Park! This 80-acre waterfront parcel just past […]
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.
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.
Take a Volunteer Vacation, and Be Outside
Have you ever been on a hiking trail and thought, “I wonder how this got here?” Look at the trail the next time you go on a hike–really look at it, and notice the footbridges, boardwalk, rock steps, and switchbacks. Whether you’re at Mount Rainier or the Hoh rainforest, that trail under your boots was […]
