Tide Pool Party: Where to Spot Cool Marine Life Near Seattle
Grab your rubber boots and low tide field guide–there are some fantastic minus tides in the Pacific Northwest the summer.
How to Explore Nature Without Leaving Your Neighborhood
Nature is all around us, right outside our doors and windows for us to enjoy, if only we take the time to look, and listen, and smell, and learn.
Columbia River Gorge: Cheap Sleeps and Wildflower Hikes
In search of sunshine, open vistas and fields of wildflowers? Don’t wait for summer–find these adventures now on the sunny Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.
STAY & PLAY: Spring Desert Hikes in Washington’s Canyon Country
Head to Washington’s desert canyons for colorful blooming wildflowers, musical birds and mild springtime temps.
Five Great Urban Paddles
One of the coolest things about living near the water? Getting out into it. In much of the Pacific Northwest, our cities and neighborhoods are literally surrounded by sparkling bodies of water—rivers, small lakes, large lakes and even a big,
Road Trip: Olympic National Park
One of the nation’s most-visited natural treasures, Olympic National Park is a place of great beauty, mystery and intrigue. Ancient trees stand like giants, tall enough to pierce the sky. Chartreuse moss drapes across the canopy. The forest floor is
Q: How to Visit the Rain Forest from Seattle?
Dear TripFinder, I’ve got friends coming in from Belgium in 2 weeks. They wanted to tour the Olympic Rain Forest. What can I tell them they can do when they arrive in Seattle (headed ultimately for Yakima)? -Karen in Yakima
Destination: Oceanside
Looking for a place on the northern Oregon Coast off the beaten path? Go to Oceanside, a quaint little beach town eight miles west of Tillamook. In summer, Oceanside makes a terrific home base for exploring the greater Tillamook area’s
State Park Cabins in Oregon, from Rustic to Deluxe
Picture this. After an unexpectedly chilly night spent sleeping on the hard, bumpy ground at a local state park, you skip your morning shower (too cold!) only to get rained on from the sky while eating instant oatmeal, shivering in
GO: Fort Stevens State Park Campground and Yurts
Get splashed! Fort Stevens State Park is your front-row seat for watching the Columbia River join the Pacific Ocean. Its offerings to campers are unique, diverse and fun. Where else can you swim in a freshwater lake in the morning, then while
GO: Yurts at Tolt MacDonald Park & Campground
Rent a yurt in a county park just outside of Seattle.
My new book, 52 Ways to Nature, Washington: Your Seasonal Guide to a Wilder Year, is now available!
Northwest Notes
52 Ways to Nature: Washington – Your Seasonal Guide to a Wilder Year
Bring more nature into your life year-round! 52 Ways to Nature is your new seasonal guide to a wilder year in Washington.
The Perfect New Guidebooks for Finding Trails Close to Your Home
There’s an Urban Trails Guidebook for nearly every city in the Pacific Northwest packed with close-to-home hiking and walking trails, from inner-city ravines to suburban woods.
CAMP & HIKE: Steamboat Rock State Park
In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is an outdoor lover’s paradise. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground.
STAY & PLAY: Hiking Lake Quinault on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula
Spring is a favorite season to visit Lake Quinault on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s not crowded. You have miles of trails all to yourself. Wildlife are becoming more active. And everything is green, green, green.
CAMP & HIKE: Fort Flagler State Park
How about a hike with a history lesson? Fort Flagler was a military installation established to protect Puget Sound from invaders during World War II. Now it’s a waterfront state park.
Q: Old Growth Forest Hikes Near Seattle?
Dear TripFinder,
My son is five and a bit obsessed with walking in the woods. I’d love to take him on some local hikes through old-growth forests. Can you recommend some old-growth hikes near Seattle?
Waterfall Weekend: Columbia River Gorge
When the mighty Columbia River cut a deep canyon through the Cascades, it just wanted to get to the ocean. But hikers have been reaping the benefits for years, as the river’s urgency gave us dramatic scenery with a plethora of cascading waterfalls enveloped by mossy canyons.
