Washington

Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), is a state to escape to the outdoors. The Cascade and Olympic Mountains blend into the lush rainforests and coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Travel south of these to view Mount Rainier, an active volcano with the most glaciated peak in the continental US. Head north to explore the San Juan Islands and go whale watching. Head east to view desert plains and sand dunes, and to enjoy Washington wines.

Seattle, the largest metropolitan city in Washington, is known best for it’s music and coffee scenes. Explore landmarks like the Space Needle or Pike Place market, or head into a neighborhood for a local experience.

Recommendations

Cities

  • Seattle

  • Walla Walla

National Parks

  • Cascades National Park

  • Mount Rainer National Park

  • Olympic National Park

Cascades National Park

Cascades National Park showcases the raw beauty of rugged mountains, pristine lakes, and lush forests, making it a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. The surrounding Okanogan-Wenatachee National Forest is where we chose to hike here, as it offers panoramic views of the cascade mountain range with dog friendly trails.

Hikes:

Maple Pass Trail (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest)

  • Distance: 6.5 mi

  • Elevation: 2,162 ft

  • Route Type: loop

  • Difficulty: hard

  • Highlights: a popular, challenging route. Hike this route in the fall to experience a burst of autumn colors. We hiked counter clockwise, but if we had to again we’d do clockwise to get the elevation over with

Maple Pass Trail

Blue Lake Trail (Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest)

  • Distance: 4.6 mi

  • Elevation: 915 ft

  • Route Type: out and back

  • Difficulty: moderate

  • Highlights: another popular route, this hike is a more accommodating to new hikers or those who’d like moderate hike with picturesque views. The hike brings you to Blue Lake with an option to add small loop with a mountain viewpoint

  • Note: you can overnight in the trailhead lot!

Blue Lake Trail

Points of Interest:

Mazama (East of Cascades National Park)

  • Mazama Store - known for their fresh baked baguettes and baked goods!

Winthrop (East of Cascades National Park)

  • Known for its Old West-style architecture, this is a great place to walk around to shop stores and have a bite to eat

Wildlife Outside of Winthrop, WA

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park looms as a majestic sentinel over the landscape, its imposing glacier-clad peak casting an enigmatic shadow across dense forests and rugged terrain. With its ever-changing weather, this park offers a raw, untamed beauty that invites reflection and awe.

Hikes:

Skyline Loop

  • Distance: 5.6 mi

  • Elevation: 1,771 ft

  • Route Type: loop

  • Difficulty: moderate to hard

  • Highlights: a popular trail in the park for a reason, hike this loop clockwise for breathtaking views of Mount Rainer climbing up, with a leisurely walk down through subalpine meadows. You. may encounter mountain goats, ptarmigans, and black bears

Mount Rainier - active volcano with glacier peaks

Sheep Lake and Sourdough Gap Trail

  • Distance: 6.1 mi

  • Elevation: 1,243 ft

  • Route Type: out & back

  • Difficulty: moderate

  • Highlights: beautiful hike just outside Mount Rainier National Park, dog friendly with light trail traffic, great hike to experience the fall colors

  • Note: you can overnight in the trailhead lot!

Sheep Lake

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