Diablo Lake, North Cascades National Park

Our hiking trip vacations started about a year ago. Previously, we were a beach and lake family, spending most of our vacations in Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee. These destinations were easier with younger children because they were in the same time zone, and drivable or a direct flight away. As the children have gotten older, we have switched gears to more active family vacations. I’m not saying it still isn’t without challenges, but we are taking advantage of our kids not being little kids and not being teenagers either. We got our toes wet, more like jumped in, visiting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, The Grand Canyon, and Sedona. For more about this itinerary click here. For our next vacation, we decided to head back to Utah to finish off “The Mighty Five” (the five national parks in Utah) Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park along with a stop at the Colorado National Monument and skiing in Breckenridge. For more about this itinerary, click here.

This article is all about our trip to the state of Washington visiting Olympic National Park, Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Seattle. We covered a lot of territory by car (driving over 1800 miles) and by foot (walking over 80 miles) and it was all amazing! Here are the details of our trip along with some tips.

Timing

The timing of this trip was the beginning of August 2021. Keep in mind the COVID pandemic was still in full force with mask mandates and closures still in place. I will be detailing out trip and tips from our experience visiting at this time. As you can imagine, during summer, the weather, attire, and the gear needed is much different than other times of the year. Since this was during the pandemic, many restaurants were closed or had limited hours. We also avoided going to restaurants whenever possible due to the pandemic. Crowds at National Parks have been breaking records as things begin to open back up. I would recommend planning on everything being crowded and booked way in advance especially if you would like to stay at the lodging in the parks. Be safe, not sorry. Plan in advance, book your lodging as soon as you can and stay up to date with crowds and timing by visiting the National Parks Websites as well as follow their Instagram accounts.

Hiking Vacation and Park Tips

My family has been on many hiking trips and I put together a list of things that we use regularly on our hiking vacations. I have also included some crucial tips on how to navigate the parks and other tips on how to have a safe and enjoyable hiking vacation. These are things that we have learned along the way that might make things easier for you on your next trip no matter where your next hiking destination will be. This information is just as important as figuring out your itinerary. Be sure to read this article (click the button below) that I put together with all of these tips!

National Park and hiking tips

Trail Descriptions and Details

**Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mount Angeles, Olympic National Park**

In this article I list the trail names but I do not go into a lot of detail regarding the trails because trail conditions can change. I do a lot of research on trails in the areas we visit, and I choose the trails that I think are best. We do not do hikes longer than 9 miles total and the difficulty of our hikes can be easy-difficult. All of the hikes we do are top rated hikes and are some the best in the area, but they are not ALL of the hikes in the area. Some hikes that are on our itinerary may not be appropriate for you and your family so be sure to view details of each trail. As I mention in the “hiking and park tips article” (posted above), it is best to look at the All Trails App and the National Park’s websites for detailed descriptions of the trails. This way, you have up to date information regarding trail conditions, closures, etc. so you can make an informed decision on which trails you would like to hike and things you would like to see.

Flight

With our flight arriving in Seattle arriving so late, we arrived and stayed in a hotel near the airport in Seattle. The next morning we were up and rolling west, through Seattle and toward Olympic National Park.

Day 1- Olympic National Park, Hurricane Ridge

Our first destination was the north side of Olympic National Park and we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Sequim, Washington. We checked into the hotel and went straight to the Hurricane Ridge area of the park.

Hurricane Ridge

At the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, there is a cafe, gift shop, a variety of exhibits, restrooms, and well-maintained nature trails nearby. From here you head up 5.000 feet to Hurricane Ridge which offers amazing views. On a clear summer day, you can enjoy views of the interior Olympic Mountains, subalpine meadows, and Strait of Juan De Fuca.

Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mount Angeles

From Sunrise Point we hiked the Klahhane Ridge trail to Mount Angeles. This is about a 6.5 mile hike there and back with views of this side of the mountain the whole way up and back. There is a difficult scramble to the top of Mount Angeles for panoramic views. We did not make it all the way to the top. We turned around at the beginning of the difficult rock scramble near the top. We had a late start and we wanted ensure we had daylight the whole way back so we missed the 360 degree views at the top of the mountain. The views the whole way there and back are worth it so you can basically go as far as you want and then turn around. You will have views the entire way. In the summer there are wildflowers everywhere and a lot of wildlife to see. We returned to Hurricane Ridge just in time to see the sunset on the Olympic Mountains.

Day 2 Port Townsend, Port Angeles, La Push

On our second day in the area we had booked a whale watching excursion so our day was planned around that. We visited areas on the way to Port Townsend.

Blue Mountain/Blue Mountain Trail

First thing in the morning we drove up Blue Mountain (about 9 miles up a one lane gravel road) and did the Blue Mountain Trail which is near Port Angeles. You basically drive all the way up the mountain and then at the top of Blue Mountain, there is a 0.4 mile loop trail that takes you to the summit. It’s a long drive but not much physical effort to get stunning 360 degree views. It was very buggy when we were there in August but the views were worth it.

Port Townsend

Before our whale watching excursion, we visited Fort Worden State Park. 100 years ago this was home to a thousand troops and officers and is now a historical state park. It was neat to drive through, see the Victorian homes and old barracks, and there is also a beach and lighthouse here.

Whale Watching Excursion

For our whale watching excursion, we chose to go with the Puget Sound Express whale watching tour leaving from Port Townsend. This was 3-4 hours and the boat has a heated interior cabin (which was much needed) where you sit at your own table if you want to stay indoors and go outside whenever you wish. Due to pandemic restrictions, there were less people on the boat and we were assigned tables. They serve beverages (we brought our own) and some amazing warm Blueberry Buckle (be sure to get some). We spent most of the time outside at the front of the boat (bring warm layers). We headed out and saw a pod of Orcas (with a little guy) which were feeding. It was surreal to see them in the wild. They got really close to our boat and swam right under! We also saw seals, puffins, and bald eagles. I highly recommend this tour if you are thinking about doing some whale watching. After our tour we headed toward LaPush, Washington.

La Push, Washington

We were fortunate enough to be able to book a cabin at the Quileute Oceanside Resort we stayed here for 2 nights. The Quileute Indian Reservation had just opened up after the pandemic and we were able to cancel one night in Sequim and stay here instead. This property is located on First Beach on the Pacific Ocean with amazing views!

Day 3- Olympic National Park, Pacific Coast

Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park

There are a lot of beaches along the Pacific Coast in Olympic National Park to visit. Shi Shi beach is a top rated beach to visit on the Makah Indian Reservation but all of their property was closed to the public during the pandemic. Rialto Beach is just north of First Beach but you have to drive back and around to cross the river from the Quileute Oceanside resort. We got here early, as it gets pretty crowded, and we did the hike (walk on the beach) to the hole in the wall which is a natural hole in the sea stacks on the coast. The walk is about 3.3 miles with views the whole way there and back of the ocean and sea stacks. We saw some sea otters and crabs along the way. Near the hole in the wall there are lots of tide pools in the rocks with sea life. It is best to time your visit at low tide so you can experience the tide pools and it is much safer to walk on the rocks at low tide. After our visit at Rialto Beach we headed back north to the Sol Duc Area in the park.

Solduc Falls and Solduc Hot Springs

We drove to the Solduc Falls Trailhead and hiked the Solduc Falls trail which is a 1.6 mile there and back easy trail through the rain forest to the falls. There are a lot of viewpoints upstream and downstream. This is a good place to check out on a rainy or cloudy day. After we hit the falls we headed to the Solduc Hot Springs for some relaxation. There are a few different pools that are different temperatures so you can pick whatever temp you would like. It was pretty neat and the kids were happy to hit the “pool.” They do have a larger regular pool to swim in as well as the 3 hot pools. When we were there during the pandemic, they had limited the capacity and you had to make a reservation (first come first served) for a certain time slot. We did not have any issues getting a last minute reservation.

Merymere Falls

This trail leaves from Lake Crescent Lodge and is a 2 mile there and back easy trail to Merymere Falls. This is another area that would be good for a cloudy day since you are walking through the forest surrounded by moss covered trees to the waterfall. If I were to compare Solduc to Merymere, I would say that Merymere was better (the kids agree). This also gives you the opportunity to visit Lake Crescent.

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is worth a stop. The views are outstanding… brilliant blue, crystal clear lake surrounded by mountains. There are several hiking trails in this area which we did not have time to conquer. We were able to take a dip in the lake behind the Lake Crescent Lodge where there is a little beach there. We were too late to rent paddle boards and I would really have enjoyed paddling around this pristine lake. If you have time you should also take a peek in the lodge. It was built in 1915 and when you walk in, it’s like going back in time.

Day 4- Olympic National Park, Pacific Coast, Hoh Rainforest, Lake Quinault

Second Beach

After checking out of the Quileute Oceanside Resort we headed to Second Beach. To get to the beach it requires about a mile hike through the forest to the beach and then back. It was very foggy and unfortunately the tide was still too high so we could not take advantage of the tide pools (which are pretty awesome in this area) to view sea life, etc. There are a lot of people who camp overnight on this beach, which is pretty cool! We walked around a bit and even with the clouds and fog, it’s still beautiful.

Hoh Rainforest

We headed next to the Hoh Rainforest area. We arrived at this area around 10 am and it was very crowded. We drove toward the entrance and by the time we arrived at the line to get in, it was over an hour to get into this area of the park. We turned around since we had planned to another area of the Olympic Rain Forest rainforest if this area was to crowded. Before we headed to the Quinault rainforest we headed to another area on the coast, Ruby Beach.

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach was crowded but the good thing about this beach is that the parking lot is right by the beach. It is just a short walk down and you are at the water’s edge. The marine layer was finally lifting by this time and we had fun climbing on the large sea stacks here.

Lake Quinault

Lake Quinault is at the southern edge of Olympic National Park and is located in the Quinault Rain Forest. Since we could not make it to the Hoh Rainforest, we decided to get the experience in a less crowded area. The kids went swimming in the lake at the Lake Quinault Lodge which is a historic hotel built in 1926. This is another building where you walk in and are transported back in time to the early 1900’s. Nearby is the world’s largest Sitka Spruce tree and a nice nature trail, the Quinault Rain Forest Nature trail. So many HUGE trees here and fun for the kids to climb all over the place.

We drove around the lake and visited two waterfalls, Merriman Falls and Bunch Falls. We climbed on the rocks all the way to the falls which is always fun. We spent some time at the Quinault River splashing around and skipping rocks. It is so serene here and worth it to sit and listen to the water rushing by. We ordered take out dinner from the Salmon House (which was amazing) and watched the sunset over Lake Quinault.

Next stop was Mount St. Helens so we drove to Rochester, Washington (on the way) to stay one night at the Fairfield Inn.

Day 5- Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens was about a 90 minute drive from Rochester. We headed out early and our first stop was the Johnson Ridge Observatory which is located in the center of the 1980 blast zone (about 5 miles north of the summit). It was named after a volcanologist who was on duty and perished in the eruption of Mount St. Helens. There is usually a movie and exhibits to see here but these areas were closed due to the pandemic. We did use the restrooms here and the gift shop was open. There was also a food truck in the parking lot selling food and drinks.

Harry’s Ridge Trail

This trail starts at the Johnson Ridge Observatory and will get you away from the crowds. You will pass all the tourists at the observatory and the viewpoints here and head out on the Boundary Trail which descends away from the crowds and out into the wilderness. Note, this trail is long and exposed. They say its about 8 miles there and back but by my GPS it was longer and you are basically hiking through the blast zone so there are no trees or shelter from the wind and sun. You might be able to shelter in the shade of a huge boulder blown from the mountain to rest a for a little bit out of the sun (This is what we were able to do for lunch.). Be sure to have plenty of supplies for this hike. We had 8 liters of water and my husband and I had to stop drinking water on the way back to leave enough for the kids (It was sunny and 85 degrees).

That being said, this was an AMAZING hike. You are hiking through the blast zone of the 1980 eruption. It is surreal to see the devastation surrounding you. The work pays off at the end with amazing views and (depending on season) with the sweet treat of wild strawberries and huckleberries at the top. The sweet smell of the berries after walking straight up is so refreshing after walking through the dust for 4 miles. At the top you are also rewarded with awesome views of Spirit Lake, the crater, and the surrounding mountains. It is crazy to look down onto Spirit Lake and to see floating in the lake what looks like toothpicks, but in reality, are huge trees that were blown in the blast and are still floating around in the lake today. It was hazy due to wildfires in the area but the views were still spectacular. We headed back and it was nice to use the restrooms and get some popsicles from the food truck as our reward for this long, but rewarding hike.

A cool story… as we were hiking we were passed by a woman and a younger lady. We met them at the summit of Harry’s Ridge and talked to them for awhile. It turns out that the woman was a senior in high school in 1980 and lived in a town a couple hours away from Mount St. Helens. She told us her story about the day of the eruption. She said that 2 hours after the blast, the ash started to fall in her town and did not stop for days. No one had experienced anything like this and no one knew what to do. They could not leave their homes, open their windows, or use any air-conditioning, etc. The ash was 6 inches deep where she lived. She basically graduated from high school that day since they cancelled school for the rest of the year. Our kids were mesmerized. We were sitting there, in the blast zone, looking at the crater of the volcano that made ash fall in this lady’s town hours away from where we were.

After Mount St. Helens, we headed to another volcano, Mount Rainier.

Day 6- Mount Rainier National Park

For the next few days (nights 5,6, and 7), we stayed in a 2 bedroom cottage through Rainer Cottages. Our first day at Mount Rainier National park was spent in the Paradise area (south side) of the park which is one of my favorite areas out of the many parks we have visited. This is one of the most popular areas of the park and can be crowded.

Skyline Loop Trail

This hike is probably the most popular in the park, for good reason. It gives you the opportunity experience Mount Rainier on a grand scale. We were able to optimize this area in peak season with wildlife, waterfalls, and meadows full of wildflowers to boot!

This hike starts right behind the Jackson Visitor Center and there are two ways you can go, clockwise or counter clockwise. I would recommend going clockwise. This gives you longer and better views of the mountain with all the meadows below. As we came back down the other side, I was glad we went clockwise. This is around 6.2 miles for the loop not counting anything you might do on the side.

We saw a family of marmots playing around in the meadow and watched them for awhile which was fun. If you are there in high season, be sure to get a plant guide so you can identify all of the different wildflowers. It makes it fun for the kids find all these different species. Our favorites were the subalpine daisies and broadleaf lupine. We had lunch at the top of the trail overlooking Mount Rainier and all the waterfalls from the snow melting from the glaciers. We also visited the pit toilet at Panorama Point which is the highest pit toilet in Washington.

On the way back down we hiked through some snowfields (hiking poles help you here) and across some snow melt streams and falls. Toward the bottom be sure to check out Myrtle Falls, a 72 foot waterfall into a gorge with Mount Rainier in the background. Beauty at it’s finest.

Nisquilly Vista Trail

The Nisquilly Vista Trail is close to the Skyline Loop Trail. This is a 1.1 mile round trip paved path that takes you to a great view of the Nisqually Glacier on Mount Rainier. There are some great views of Mount Rainier from here as well (one of my favorite photos was taken here). It has receded over the years leaving a long gravel covered mound in it’s wake and it’s mind boggling to imagine this whole area used to be covered with a glacier.

Reflection Lake

If you want another picturesque view of Mount Rainier, stop at Reflection Lake. Just a short walk and you will be on the banks of a pristine lake with Mount Rainier in the background reflecting on the lake. Be prepared to wait a bit for a photo here. If you have littles, PLEASE do not let them throw rocks in the lake here. The whole point of this lake is to see the reflection of the mountain in the calm water of the lake. Rock throwing kind of defeats the purpose and don’t be surprised if you get some looks if you let your kids go crazy here. There is a hike you can do around this lake.

Narada Falls

Narada Falls is a great place to stop. You only need to walk a short distance down to see the falls at the viewpoint. There are other hikes in the area but if you don’t have time, it is a short walk to see a great waterfall.

Day 7- Mount Rainier National Park

Bench and Snow Lakes Trail

This 2.5 mile round trip hike takes you to two pristine, clear alpine lakes. There are blueberries and huckleberries along this trail in late summer and when we were there, it was pretty buggy along the way. If you want, you can easily go swimming in these clear lakes.

Grove of the Patriarchs

The Grove of the Patriarchs is a good trail for little kiddos. The trail goes upstream through the forest and leads to a suspension bridge over the Ohanapecosh River (single file, one person at a time). After you cross the river it is a small loop trail and takes you through a grove of trees that are more than 25 ft in circumference and over 1.000 years old.

Naches Peak Loop Trail

The Naches Peak Loop Trail is a popular hike because it provides a range of views in a small loop. It is best done clockwise for better views of Mount Rainier. On this 3.2 mile loop you will see some alpine lakes, wild flowers, and huckleberries (in season). It loops around Naches Peak and comes to a viewpoint overlooking Dewey Lake. We stopped here to have a snack and take a photo.

Here is a cool story… We ran into a gentleman at this viewpoint who was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) which crosses this trail further ahead. He said that he started hiking the PCT in April near the Mexican Border and we ran into him here, in Washington, in August!

Once you follow the trail along the southern side, you get some stunning views of Mount Rainier.

Day 8- Mount Rainier National Park

On this day, we checked out of our cottage (Rainier Cottages). For the past couple days we were back and forth across the south side and east side of the park, staying in this area. On this day we drove counterclockwise around the park to the northeast side of the park, the sunrise area.

Mount Fremont Lookout Trail

The Mount Fremont Lookout Trail is a 5.6 mile there and back hike to a 2 story cabin on Mount Fremont that served as a wildfire lookout tower. This trial leaves from the Sunrise Visitors Center and you hike west on the Sourdough Ridge Trail to Frozen Lake. I may or may not have been singing Frozen songs much to the dismay of my kids. You then head straight up hill along the ridge overlooking the valley and Mount Rainier the entire way up. We saw lots of wildflowers, some mountain goats, and chipmunks along this trail. Note, this hike is all exposed to the sun and wind so be sure to use the facilities before you leave, bring sun protection, and plenty of water.

From the top, you can see Grand Park, Redstone Peak, Skyscraper Mountain, Berkeley Park, and of course Mount Rainier. We even could see the smoke coming up from the wildfires near North Cascades National Park. 360 view all around and is obviously better on a clear day. This is another one of our favorite hikes.

We drove around Mount Rainier counterclockwise to say the night in Tacoma before heading to North Cascades National Park.

Day 9- North Cascades National Park

Initially, we were supposed to go on a white river rafting trip leaving from Leavenworth, Washington and stay on the east side of North Cascades National Park in Winthrop however we had to change plans and pivot at the last minute. There were wildfires that were not contained just outside of Winthrop and the road from the east side of the park to the park entrance was closed due to the fires. We ended up staying west of the entrance to North Cascades National Park in Sedro Wooly at the Fairfield Inn. We were also slotted to visit the park for two days but due to the wildfires and road closures, we only spent one day in the park.

White River Rafting

We booked our rafting trip with Alpine Adventures. They offer many different rafting trips in the state of Washington. The trip that we booked was The Upper Skagit River. It is located in the Ross Lake National Recreation area of the North Cascades National Park.

“This whitewater rafting trip offers astounding views of granite mountain peaks in the North Cascades National Park. The upper section of the Skagit River is rated as Class 2 – 3 and is good for ages 6 and over. A moderate amount of whitewater is enhanced by the overwhelming presence of nature on this 10 mile rafting journey.” -Alpine Adventures.

This change in location ended up being a good call. The record high temps of the summer caused the snow melt to happen more quickly and earlier so the water levels were lower and calmer in other areas of Washington (including the location were were originally planning). This location’s water is controlled by dams in the area so we were still able to get into some class 3 rapids.

The trip was mostly just floating along the river with some exciting rapids sprinkled in. It was not warm enough to swim, however my daughter took a swim (she fell out of the boat) in one of the rough areas. No harm done, I just pulled her back in and she was fine but you should know that there is a chance for anyone to fall out of the boat. In the class 3 rapids I got pummeled pretty good and got soaked. It was a great way to see the park and the water is spectacular. Our guide was awesome with the kids and she made the trip enjoyable. I highly recommend Alpine Adventures.

North Cascades Scenic Highway Lookouts

The North Cascades Scenic Highway goes through the park and has some pretty amazing lookouts where you can stop and walk a short distance for some jaw dropping views. Be sure to check out the visitors center, Gorge Creek Falls, and Gorge Creek Dam. Diablo Lake Overlook and Ross Lake Overlook are not to be missed as you can see from the pictures.

Rainy Lake Trail

Rainy Lake Trail is a 2 mile there and back trail that will take you to Rainy Lake surrounded by the mountains. The water is so clear you can see fish swimming in the lake.

Blue Lake Trail

The Blue Lake Trail is a 4.4 mile there and back trail to granite peaks, forests, meadows full of wildflowers, and Blue Lake. We explored the area around the lake and enjoyed a nice snack here. You can swim if you want to take on the cold water.

Day 10- Seattle

Due to the wildfires in the area and closures, our last day was spent being tourists in Seattle. If it wasn’t for the closures, we would have done a few more hikes in North Cascades on our last day.

We took advantage of the Seattle CityPASS which allowed us to save a lot on all the attractions we visited in Seattle. Due to the pandemic, we had to reserve times at each attraction. Since we pivoted last minute, we made all the reservations in the car that morning and we didn’t have any problems. We headed to the piers and visited the Seattle Aquarium first and rode The Seattle Great Wheel (not included in the CityPass) which was right next to the aquarium. We then did a boat tour of the harbor, with the CityPass, through Argosy Cruises. This was really neat to get up close to all the barges in the harbor and watching them get loaded and see Seattle from the water. This tour is full of facts about Seattle and the surrounding area. We headed to the Pike Place Market to see the original Starbucks and try to get a bite to eat. It is cool to see this market but it was jampacked with people so we didn’t spend much time here. On the way out of the area we stumbled upon an alley that was… interesting, The Gum Wall. Every surface in this alley is covered with used gum. It was apparently started in the 1990’s and continues to grow. Next we headed to the Seattle Space Needle and visited the Chihuly Garden and Glass which are right next to each other. Everything we visited was within walking distance but we did drive from the harbor area to the Space Needle because we were trying to fit everything in one day.

Our last night was spent at the Element Hotel near the airport and we headed home the next day.