Washington

The nine primitive campsites and one Cascadia Marine Trail campsite of Obstruction Pass State Park are the only first come, first serve campsites available on Orcas Island. The campsites themselves overlook a fantastic (and accessible beach) and Obstruction Pass itself. There are four composting toi...

If you have a whole day, then this trip is for you. Being three hours from Seattle has its perks. You get the views without the crowds. This hike is perfect for snowshoeing while the road remains open. Once closed it becomes extremely hard to get to, so make sure you get there while you can. Being t...

Liberty Bell is just one mile south of Washington Pass. This peak is part of a group of spires, which include North and South Early Winters Spires, Concord Tower, and Lexington Tower. If you’ve decided to take in the viewpoints driving Hwy 20 through the park, be sure to check out Diablo Lake as wel...

Have you ever dreamed of snow skiing and water skiing in the same day? This March, plan your adventure of a lifetime to Stevens Pass and Lake Stevens, Washington. You will need a winter coat, a wet suit, and a heart made of love for the outdoors. Keep an eye on mountain and lake weather conditions a...

The McNary Wildlife refuge is broken into multiple sub-parks as they are spread out along the Columbia River near Burbank, WA. The Burbank Slough is a bird watchers paradise, offering a photography bird blind right on the shore. The Bird blind is only about a hundred yards from the parking at the Mc...

You'll start the approach to this climb at the Sloan Peak trailhead at 1800ft elevation. Moving south along the trail, you'll begin with a traverse through some marshlands and several water crossings along the Sauk River and its tributaries for the first mile and before gaining any elevation. It is ...

Disclaimer: Canyoneering is a dangerous and technical activity. Don’t enter any canyon without the skills to match it, or the knowledge to navigate it. Be sure to check the flow of Olallie creek to ensure that it's safe. In an area where canyoneering isn’t hugely popular, here lies a canyon that is ...

Starting at the restored mission, this gentle trail ambles through pine tree stands, stopping to acknowledge the different points of interest along the way. Look out at the original location of the Fort Colville trading post, view the sleeping place of the Kettle Falls - inundated by Lake Roosevelt,...

From Tacoma, Wa. take Hwy 167 to Hwy 410 and follow that until you get to the Chinook Pass Hwy. Then from there follow this road and take the second Service Road on the right and follow this road until it dead ends. The trail starts on NF-7315. You have to walk this road until you reach the first fo...

Obstruction Pass State Park is something of a hidden gem on Orcas Island given that its nearby neighbor, Moran State Park , gets most of the tourist attention. What this means is that you can find solitude and quiet, *and* make a visit to the only publicly owned beach on the island. There are severa...

Turn left off of the Grandy-Baker Lake Road onto FS RD 1130 just past the Boulder Creek Campground. Stay right at the first fork in the road. At 3.9 miles go right towards Rainbow Falls. The falls are located at a large bend in the road at approximately 4.5 miles. I have never found a good safe way ...

The Owhi Campground on Cooper Lake is tucked away in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Salmon La Sac. It sits at 2,788 feet and has views of Chikamin Peak (6960') and Lemah Mountain (7480'). The lake is quiet, very photogenic, and easily accessible. The campground is on the north side of t...

It's an easy day hike to the Ridge of only 2.5 miles. On the ridge you can relax and enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and a view of Leavenworth. I went into the Rangers office to ask for a good spot to take night time photos and this is one of the areas they suggested. Make sure you get a...

Obstruction Pass State Park is something of a hidden gem on Orcas Island given that its nearby neighbor, Moran State Park , gets most of the tourist attention. What this means is that you can find solitude and quiet, *and* make a visit to the only publicly owned beach on the island. There are severa...

The Lakes Trail Loop can be accessed two ways. You can either start in Paradise and find one of the multiple points along the Skyline Trail or you can begin at Reflection Lake. My recommendation for a nice day hike is to begin at Reflection Lake. If you arrive by 8am you should have an easy time fin...

The trail to Locust Beach is very easy to find. Parking on Locust Avenue is available from dawn to dusk on the side of the road, and in a small gravel lot. Follow the road towards the water, and continue right on a small but well-marked trail down to the beach. Be careful - the stairs are kind of st...