Category: Washington

Lower Lena Lake is a delightful large and very popular alpine lake on the Olympic Peninsula. This crowd pleasing hike makes for a wonderful day trip or backpacking trip. With plenty of opportunities to explore trails beyond, Lena Lake is perfect for beginners and experienced hikers and backpackers alike!...

Lake Wenatchee is a large alpine lake fed by Cascade mountain snow and glacier melt. Sunny and warm in summer and cold and snowy in winter (with a lot more sun than the west side of the state!) it’s an ideal year round family getaway. Every type of mountain...

Camping in the San Juan Islands is amazing! Nothing beats the epic sunsets, beautiful beaches, madrona trees and the marine wildlife! Not only is camping in the San Juans beautiful and fun, it is also an affordable way to visit the San Juan Islands, where hotels and vacation rentals...

This article was originally written in 2020 but was extensively updated in December 2024 to reflect the new parking options which change the location and distance of this winter adventure. If you visited this area prior to December 2024 – things have changed! Franklin Falls is one of the...

Whidbey Island is a short distance from the cities of Western Washington but feels a world away with it’s sweeping mountain and water views, open farmland and many parks and beaches. Whidbey Island hikes are perfect destinations all year round in just about any weather! Add to that lots...

Bainbridge Island is just a 35 minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle across Puget Sound and yet feels a world away from the hustle of the city. There are plenty of wonderful hikes on Bainbridge Island to include in a day trip from Seattle or weekend getaway. In addition...

Mt Rainier National Park is one of our earliest national parks and is famous for the massive volcano right in the middle of the park, Tahoma, or Mt Rainier. Visiting Mt Rainier National Park has so much more to offer that just views of “the mountain”. Mt Rainier waterfalls...

Comet Falls is one of the most dramatic and beautiful waterfalls in Mt Rainier National Park. It’s also on a trail with multiple waterfalls to see along the way, not just one! You can extend the hike further to a wildflower meadow. A steep hike with up to 1500...

One of the most fantastic things about living in Seattle is that you can hike all year long. Sure, we have dark, short days and lots of clouds and rain, but you can still get outside and enjoy winter hikes near Seattle. There are lots of reasons to get...

The Boulder River Trail is a magical Pacific Northwest forest fairyland along a rushing river that makes for a wonderful hike all year. You can amble along this delightful trail through the Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest for up to almost 5 miles. You also can go a shorter...