The American Northwest is home to some of the country’s most iconic national parks. We embarked on a two-week RV road trip from Denver to Seattle, exploring six stunning national parks in between. During the final leg of our trip, we visit all three national parks in Washington on a packed five-day itinerary.

---

Day 9: Mount Rainier National Park

We arrived at Cougar Rock Campground in Mount Rainier at night, after a long driving day from Glacier National Park. It wasn’t until driving uphill the next day that we caught a first glimpse of sunlight and majestic Mount Rainier.

We picked the Skyline Trail to bring us up-close with Mount Rainier. This popular 6-mile hike starts in the Paradise Area of Mount Rainier National Park. It’s not hard to see where this area got its name from: on one side looms majestic Mount Rainier, on the other side mountain tops rise above lush alpine meadows.

The highest point of the Skyline trail is also the start of a route to Camp Muir, the base camp for summit expeditions to the peak of 14,411 feet. If it was up to my brother, we would have made our way up instead of down.

Stay: Cougar Rock Campground, Mount Rainier National Park

After hiking above the clouds, we returned to the forest below. Cougar Rock Campground is nestled deep into the Washington forest. Our grill master turned the misty forest into a snug and savory stay for the night.

Day 10: Seattle

After four national parks and five days of hiking, my sister-in-law and I could use a little break of nature. A majority vote and two hours later, we were looking for parking in Seattle. Since our visit was short, we kept it to the essentials. Seattle stands for seafood, which we enjoyed with views of Elliot Bay in Elliot’s Oyster House. This was enough city for my brother, who picked a nap over a stroll in Seattle. We continued to Pike Place Market, Seattle’s hip farmers market.

We couldn’t leave Seattle without a picture of its famous skyline. A steep walk uphill brought us to Kerry Park, the perfect spot to watch the sun set over the Space Needle and Elliot Bay – if you are lucky enough to visit Seattle on one of the 71 sunny days a year.

Stay: Seattle / Tacoma KOA

We stayed one night at Seattle / Tacoma KOA for its location close to the airport, as my hubby was joining us again for the weekend.

Day 11: Olympic National Park

On Saturday morning, the four of us fueled up with a classic American breakfast at The Big Elk Restaurant on the way from Seattle to Olympic National Park. The park’s main visitor center is located in Port Angeles.

Most destinations in the park require a long drive deep into the Olympic Peninsula. With just one day, we got an introduction to Olympic’s fifty shades of green along the Heart O’the Forest Trail. This 4.6-mile out-and-back trail starts close to the main visitor center.

Stay: Salish Trails RV & Campground Park, Port Angeles

Since the Heart O’ the Hills Campground in Olympic National Park did not accept reservations when we visited, we opted for a guaranteed spot at Port Angeles KOA. The KOA has since been taken over by new owners and is now called Salish Trails RV & Campground Park. The campground has a beautiful location surrounded by mountains, just outside the national park.

Day 12: Drive to North Cascades

We drove to the Canadian border for the last stretch of the trip. The North Cascades make up one of the least visited national parks in the US, thanks to their ruggedness and remote location in the northwest corner of the country. After dropping off my hubby at Seattle airport, we continued to this stunning mountain range known as the “American Alps”.

Stay: Colonial Creek South Campground, North Cascades

Colonial Creek South Campground is located on Diablo Lake in an old-growth forest. It is minutes away from the Sourdough Mountain trailhead, which we intended to tackle the next day.

Day 13: North Cascades National Park

With just one full day in North Cascades National Park, we were determined to put our legs to the test one last time. The Sourdough Mountain Trail climbs an impressive 4,870 feet through forest and meadows to spectacular views of the Cascade peaks and the lakes below.

The first part of the hike is strenuous and not the most rewarding, climbing out of the forest with nothing but pine trees in sight. But our sore legs quickly revived once the forest made way for the Cascade meadows.

The last stretch of the hike is accompanied by stunning views of turquoise Diablo lake. Once at the top, Ross Lake gets added to the breathtaking 360-degree views. We took in the scenery with a snack before starting the arduous descent.

Stay: Colonial Creek South Campground, North Cascades

Day 14: Return RV in Seattle

We returned the Cruise America RV in Seattle, after two spectacular weeks in the American Northwest. Despite the extra fee, a one-way RV rental is more economical and efficient than doing the trip as a loop, saving a lot of return miles. Just like Denver Airport, Seattle-Tacoma is a hub for several airlines, making it convenient to fly out of.

---

Related Posts