My intentions, at the beginning of this long road trip, were to cross mountains off of some list that I felt I needed to tackle. My intentions would later turn into taking advantage of the free time I had to see as much of the world as possible. It went from logging a certain number of miles to enjoying as many different places and landscapes as I passed through the Pacific Northwest. This had happened by the time I reached Rainier National Park.
I would camp at the Sunrise campground on the northeast side of Mount Rainier, which sits at a higher elevation than many of the other surrounding camps. I hiked several miles into the park and up Skyscraper Peak before running into a herd of mountain goats from afar, spoke with a park ranger (who pointed out so many places in PNW that I was missing out on if I left the state), and nearly ran into an adult female bear and her cub up close. I have footage I took of the bears after I gave them enough space, but we were all inside the campground at the same time. My heart skipped a beat when the bears crossed my path, only a few yards away. My time in the park was an exciting adventure. However, after my bear encounter, I was okay with my time in the park coming to an end.
I had planned to leave the state when I was done hiking through Rainier, but I decided to stay for a few more days in Washington to visit Olympic National Park. I was told to visit the Hoh Rainforest, where I would see a bobcat dart across the road in the middle of the night, and I ended up at a walk-in campsite in the most beautiful rainforest. Waking up to the morning light shining through the misty fog hanging between the trees felt like I was moving through a wonderful dream. Had I just tried to cross mountains off a list, I wouldn’t have had one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had, walking among the mix of tall evergreen trees, ferns, and other diverse flora and fauna.
I ended up near Seattle afterward to visit the Fremont Troll, to try some vegan restaurants, and to mostly just take a proper shower after days of camping in the outdoors. I grabbed maps, looked up other places I could stop along the way as I drove back down to Oregon, and made adaptable travel plans to amend as I drove. Washington was great. I’ve visited in the winter when it snowed, and now at the edge of summer and fall. The state’s stunning views of mountains and forests along the West Coast, and large rushing rivers, live up to its name, "Evergreen State.”
The state, home to five major volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens (which erupted with deadly force in 1980), and glacier-covered peaks (which make Washington the state with the most glaciers of any contiguous state in America), mixes dangerous and extreme outdoor pursuits with beautiful landscapes. The sheer amount of beauty tucked away in the northern U.S. state was unreal, and I’m so glad I was able to experience more nature there this time around. Pike Place Market was fun to explore, but getting lost in a beautiful rainforest near the sea was breathtaking.
