Washington: North Cascades, Mount Rainier & Olympic
“Of all the fire-mountains which, like beacons, once blazed along the Pacific coast, Mount Rainier is the noblest.”
— John Muir
Well, well, well if it isn’t my eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth National Park (under work obligations) etching its way onto my 2024 itinerary. The Pacific Northwest was quietly whispering to me ever since I ventured into northern California and Oregon last June and instead of swatting it away, I decided to give in. I adhered to the advice of those who have visited when the rainy days were few and the wildflowers were in full bloom, and settled on the end of August and beginning of September. Adding to how special this trip was going to be, my two sisters joined and we were off on nine days of uninterrupted, quality time and memory making. Our immersion into nature began two hours northeast of Seattle in North Cascades.
North Cascades National Park
Often known as the American Alps and shockingly, one of the least visited National Parks, North Cascades hails pure wilderness all the way up to the Canadian border. Our accommodations were at a cedar cabin just 20 minutes from the Park entrance, and was surprisingly a feat to find when researching where to stay. There aren’t a lot of options for staying in this area, but Grace Haven had everything we needed.
Even on the first day that was misty and gloomy, Thunder Knob Trail allowed us to see the glory of the evergreen trees in the forest, weaving its way through spectacular lookouts of the surrounding mountains. Although I couldn’t get any product photos for my social media obligations on Thunder Knob, it allowed me to settle into the rhythm of the trip before diving full force into “work mode.” So many trails, including the most popular ones, were closed due to mudslides from rain, but Thunder Knob came highly recommended and didn’t disappoint. A steep hike up to get an overlooking span of Diablo Lake and the 360 degree mountain range views made the overcast weather feel charming rather than a bummer.
In contrast, the sunnier and brighter day that followed allowed us to spend more time by Diablo Lake and bask in its surreal, turquoise glacial waters. I’ve never seen so much of that color in my life. Although we encountered so much beauty here, it feels as though the deeper you go into the park, the richer the experience of North Cascades. My best piece of advice for this area would be to go to the visitor centers first as trail updates are given there before it hits the NPS website or social media. Plus, rangers always have the best insight on recommendations!
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier gave the best gift which was no clouds or fog. We saw every angle of this diva, along with clear views of the not-so-distant Mt. Adams and Mount St. Helens. I know! Unheard of! While slight chills in the morning, we quickly warmed up with our ascending elevation and solid mid-70’s temperatures. We took on the highly popular Skyline Trail that came sprinkled with marmot and chipmunk appearances, waterfall sightings on the mountain face, and a rainbow of flowers lining our path. This day ended with a beautiful sunset that was captured by my photographer sister (Mallory Madden) of my other sister surrounded by meadows and evergreens!
Paradise, indeed. Any route is scenic, but we recommend taking the Dead Horse Creek Trail for a less-crowded experience. We enjoyed the pleasant path to Myrtle Falls to top off an adventurous couple of days in Rainier. Reflection Lakes was also a great lunch spot. One of my favorite tidbits from Mount Rainier was explained in their documentary short film in the visitor center — The roads through Paradise were not built out of convenience, but rather for people who are seeing everything from inside a car to be taken on a specific visual journey through the park. It’s not just about getting from point A to point B, but the way to get to the mountain being an experience in and of itself. Our tiny house Airbnb being a few miles from the Paradise entrance gave us easy access, especially after a long day on our feet!
Olympic National Park
Olympic can be summed up in one word: serenity. All intertwined in forests hundreds of years old, beaches, and mountains. First, we explored and soaked up the sunshine in Rialto and Second Beach surrounding La Push. The second day came with a walk through every shade of green in the Hoh Rain Forest. Lastly, we did a send-off from Lake Crescent and a stop by the visitor center near Hurricane Ridge to soak up some history lessons. We were crossing our fingers to see some whales, but to no avail. I had gotten a version of what it was like for the woods to meet the ocean when I visited Redwood National Park last summer, but this was a new ballgame. Sea stacks, driftwood, and colorful, smooth stones galore, it was all pure PNW eye candy. Undoubtedly, my favorite part of the whole trip. Being close to the Quileute reservation created a sense of sovereignty and reverence for the land. The colors of the sky were unreal on Second Beach! So many campers and photographers flocked to the water’s edge to watch the sunset. It was like everyone knew there would never be anything like this scene again.
The Olympic Peninsula hails as the wettest place in the lower 48 and its graced us with Hoh Rain Forest. We arrived in the morning and still had to wait about an hour to get into the parking lot. Completely worth it for the mossy fairyland that offered two different trails to traverse. This made Olympic feel so unique and reminded me of getting into an attraction or amusement park seeing people line up like this, except this was simply to just be in nature. Funnily enough, this is often referred to as the quietest place in the U.S. Each step of the ecosystem’s life cycles here are honored as dead or fallen trees serve as a new birthplace for more to grow. It was beautiful to see up close, even with the banana slug sightings.
We would unequivocally say that our favorite moment was seeing the sunset on Second Beach in the Olympics. The coast was experiencing a day of pure sunshine, so it was extremely rare to get the sunset that we did. It felt like this (literal) golden moment in time. It was so pure and peaceful. A core memory for all three of us.
Visiting a state or National Parks that are completely different than what I’m used to seeing always leaves me inspired, invigorated, refreshed, and grounded. I look forward to disconnecting in nature every year and I was so excited and grateful to have my sisters experience this with me. It was easy to see why Washington is a popular destination for pure wilderness and wonder and I’ll forever revere this trio of gems.
