Olympic National Park
Snow-capped mountains, lush green rainforests, moody Pacific coastline, and everything in between
Olympic National Park is truly unlike any other national park in the United States. Home to glacier-capped mountains, miles of rocky coastline, and the Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park is one of the most diverse environments.
To put that diversity into some perspective, the Hoh River Trail actually culminates at the base of Mount Olympus, a 7,890-foot tall, glacier-capped peak. So, in order to climb Mount Olympus, you need to hike through the Hoh Rain Forest, which is pretty crazy when you stop to think about it. There can’t be many glaciated mountains that are only accessed through a temperate rainforest!
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Mount Rainier National Park
An active volcano and the most glaciated peak in the lower 48, Mount Rainier dominates the skyline at this beautiful Washington National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is located in northwestern Washington and spans over 235,000 acres of old-growth forest, wildflower-filled meadows, rushing mountain streams, rocky subalpine environments, and of course, the entirety of Mount Rainier, the 14,411-foot-tall active stratovalcano.Â
Established in 1899, Mount Rainier was the fourth national park signed into law and remains a hub for awesome outdoor activities. Not only are there 260 miles of hiking trails, but Mount Rainier is one of the most popular mountaineering peaks in the contiguous United States, with roughly 10,000 annual summit attempts.Â
When we saw Mount Rainier we were left speechless. The mountain is a behemoth! There have only been a few places that truly took our breath away at first glance (the Grand Canyon, the Grand Teton, etc). Mount Rainier certainly made that list!