Washington State National Parks- Hiking TrailsMount Rainier National ParkEstablished in 1899. 235,625 acres (97% is designated Wilderness). Includes Mount Rainier (14,410'), an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice. The park contains outstanding examples of old growth forests and subalpine meadows. Mount Rainier National Park offers excellent opportunities for scenic drives, hiking, and mountain climbing. Most roads are open from late May to early October--all provide stunning views and access to a variety of hiking trails and other sites. Lots of campgrounds, great drives through the area and plenty of places to stay the night. It will be crowded on the weekends, so be prepared. North Cascades National ParkNorth Cascades National Park is located on highway 20 along the Canadian border.About 2 hours north of Seattle. It is an incredible sight. The mountains are spectacular. There are some great hiking trails to explore. But the area is better explored with a backpack. It is a great drive over the cascades to the sunny town of Winthrop. One of the best drives in the state. There are a few good day hikes to try at the park. Check out the webcam view. On a clear day, they are great. Several campgrounds in the area, set up camp and explore for a couple days. North Cascades – jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 700 glaciers. There are three different areas -- North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake and Lake Chelan National Recreation Areas. Each area offers different experiences and contains wilderness. Over 93%, is managed as the Stephen T. Mather Wilderness. 386 miles of maintained trails in the park. Fantastic Area to explore in the summer.
Olympic National ParkOlympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula, west of Seattle. It is a great place to visit. Lots of hiking trails and scenery. Plenty of campgrounds. Try hurricane ridge for a great area to start. It is a bit of a drive from Seattle but you can have a great day trip. A couple days would be more enjoyable.The Pacific Ocean beach trails are excellent hiking. Ninety-five percent of Olympic National Park is designated wilderness. Over 600 miles of trails provide access to these wild areas. The largest remaining undisturbed old-growth and temperate rain forests in the Northwest are found in Olympic National Park. Salmon still migrate seasonally to spawn in the clean, clear water of many Olympic rivers and streams. Jagged, glacier- capped peaks rise nearly 8,000 feet above sea level. Over 200 inches of precipitation falls annually on some of the higher peaks. Olympic National Park contains over 60 miles of wild Pacific coast--the largest section of wilderness coast in the lower 48 states. Archeological and historical records reveal clues about people who have lived here for the past 12,000 years. Very diverse, Rain Forest, Old Growth, mountains and the Pacific Coast.
Detailed information on the National Parks in Washington State. Where to hike, camp and backpack in Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks.
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