National Parks and Monuments
Diablo Lake Washington: Camping and Hiking in the North Cascades
For pristine wildlife and scenery, it doesn’t get much better than the divine views of Diablo Lake in North Cascades National Park. North Cascades National Park is one of the…
Eight Hidden Gems to Discover in Washington National Parks
Here in the Evergreen State, we have a pretty great reputation for our mountains, our coffee and our rain. If that isn’t awesome enough, we are also fortunate enough to…
Spending a Weekend at Lake Quinault Washington
“The lake between two rivers,” Lake Quinault is a glacially-carved lake situated at the edge of pristine temperate rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula. Lake Quinault is the ideal jumping-off point…
Five Rustic Resorts and Lodges on the Olympic Peninsula
Planning a trip to America’s national parks usually involves camping or staying in a historic lodge. Olympic National Park is no exception, with countless campgrounds, lodges and resorts to choose…
Must-See Spots on the Olympic Peninsula
As road trips and nature have become the go-to for travel this year, Washington state offers so much to explore. The Olympic Peninsula is an incredible family escape offering something…
Spending Three Days at Mount Rainier
For a while, I lived in a van. When it was time to explore any given place I usually gave myself an unlimited time limit on my adventuring since I…
Exploring the Hoh Rain Forest
We’ve all heard the opinion that among the different locations in the United States, western Washington is almost perpetually grey and rainy. While that may be the case in winter…
Visiting Fort Worden State Park
A strategic point of view, the high bluffs just north of Port Townsend, WA, are occupied by Fort Worden State Park and Point Wilson Lighthouse and have served as both…
Spending a Weekend in Olympic National Park
Considering the seemingly never-ending natural beauty of Washington State, it is sometimes easy to forget about the wonders of the Olympic Peninsula. Sprawling nearly one million acres, Olympic National Park…
Signs of the Volcano’s Wrath
Mount Saint Helens – Johnston Ridge Observatory We reached the top of SR 504 at Johnston Ridge Observatory and saw what seemed to be an alien landscape. In the previous…
Rebirth of a Forest
Most folks who remember the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980 remember the monochrome photos of devastation; trees tossed like matchsticks and coated with gray ash, looking more like…
Remembering the Day the Mountain Blew
Where were you when the mountain blew? If you’ve lived in Washington state very long, you have no doubt been asked this question. For those of us who lived here on…