Anacortes, Washington

Just over 2 hours northeast of Seattle, Baker Lake is an often overlooked gem of the North Cascades. With 8+ miles of turquoise green water to explore, Baker Lake makes for a great day trip or overnight trip, with plenty of backcountry boat-in campsites and sandy beaches along the shore. You can...

The drive up to the starting point of the trail to Anderson and Watson Lake was easy, but at the end it gets a little tricky - the service road is sharp gravel and runs for about 10 miles to the trailhead. Some spots are steep and there are large potholes, but slow and steady wins the race. There...

The hike takes off from the Artist Point parking lot at an elevation of 5,220 feett.The trail slowly meanders up for a while until reaching the final steep switchbacks where you'll have a sheer cliff to your side—don't let it distract you, and keep focused on the trail in front of you!Once you've...

The trail begins just below Artist Point and is well marked from a paved parking lot. Make sure to have a Northwest Forest Pass for your vehicle. Start your hike by descending on switchbacks through sub-alpine forest. It's a nice start, but remember, that means an uphill hike out. After entering...

Out of all of the ruggedly beautiful, non-volcanic mountains in the Pacific Northwest, Mt. Shuksan is the center piece. Rising to a height of 9,131 feet, Mt. Shuksan is one of the most photographed mountains in the world with its jagged ridges, hanging glaciers, steep rocky faces and ease of acce...

Park at Heather Meadows parking lot at Mount Baker Ski Resort and follow the Blueberry cat-track, which is actually a paved road in the summer, leading south up for 2 miles passing Austin Pass and continuing southwest on to Artist Point, gaining 1200 ft in elevation. From there, dig out your snow...

Arrive at the upper ski resort parking lot (approx. 4300 feet elev.) and snowshoe, skin, or split board up. Make your way toward Artist Point and halt at Austin Pass, gaining approximately 1200 feet of elevation over approximately 2 miles (one way). From Austin Pass, turn left (south) to take the...

You do need a Northwest Forest Pass to park in the lot overnight. You can buy a day use E-pass online here (pick Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest from the drop down menu) and print it out and it's ready to use. Or you can buy the annual pass here.The adventure to Artist Point begins in the ...

Deer Park Campground is really a hidden gem. With an elevation of 5,400 feet, the campground has amazing views of Olympic National Park, making you feel like you are camping above the clouds.There are also several hiking trails in the area that lead to even more spectacular views. Deer Park is on...

Lake Angeles is, rightfully, a popular day hike and overnight backpacking option, as its one of the larger, more accessible lakes in Olympic National Park. It can be done either as a moderate day hike with a refreshing swim and picnic lunch or a relaxing overnight with gorgeous views and reliable...