Exploring the national parks of Washington state

Known as the ‘Evergreen State’, Washington is famous for the forests of fir trees that dominate its landscape.

Still, the Pacific west coast state is home to a lot more.

Visitors will discover rainforests, volcanoes, beaches, waterfalls, mountains, islands and glaciers across diverse landscapes.

The state is home to three national parks; North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park, with each unique in its landscape.

Check out where visitors should head and when.

Olympic National Park

The state’s most iconic national park sits to the far west of Washington, surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. The park covers nearly one million acres and has been designated as a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve by the UN. It features everything from mountain peaks and old-growth temperate rain forests to more than 70 miles of rugged coastline. Thanks to the park’s diverse landscape, the opportunities for outdoor activities are endless. There are beaches, scenic hikes for every level, and unique wildlife spotting. Olympic National Park is home to bald eagles, northern pygmy owls, Roosevelt elk, rare black bears and even whales which can be seen off the coast.

When to visit: During the shoulder seasons, spring and fall, when the park is less crowded.

North Cascades National Park

To the Northwest of the State, North Cascades National Park is often described as the American Alps. It includes more than 300 glaciers and a seemingly endless number of waterfalls from which the Cascade Range gets its name. As one of the lesser-visited national parks in the country, the North Cascades is the perfect peaceful escape.  For visitors driving to the park, the North Cascades Scenic Highway spans 140 miles, running from Twisp in the Methow Valley to Sedro-Woolley in the Skagit Valley. It winds its way through jagged mountain peaks and past rushing waterfalls. The park is also renowned for its climbing terrain, which offers routes of various difficulty, from classic mixed mountaineering routes to technical rock climbing and scrambling. Popular routes include Mount Shuksan, Eldorado and the Boston Basin area.

When to visit: As one of the lesser visited national parks, head here during the summer months to enjoy water sports and wildlife spotting.

Mount Rainier National Park

Home to Washington’s highest peak, the active volcano Mount Rainier is also the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, located south of Seattle. Mount Rainier draws thousands of people each year who hope to ascend the volcano. For visitors keen to explore but less keen to reach the mountain’s peak, there are more than 260 miles of maintained trails winding through everything from old-growth forests to high subalpine meadows. There are short family friendly trails to strenuous hikes leading to waterfall views. For those looking for a longer adventure, the popular Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile trail that encircles the mountain, offers 18 trailside camps and three non-wilderness camps.

When to visit: Visitors to the park during the winter will enjoy a variety of winter activities, from snowshoe walks and sledding to snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling and more.

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