“I just can’t wait to get on the road again”, is the tune I’ve been singing for over a year now. I had three different trips planned pre-COVID but those plans, as I’m sure we all experienced, were thrown out the window. After watching all of the shows and movies Netflix has to offer I’ve been eager to get out of my house and have a true vacation. My mom and I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) at the end of May and luckily things started to open back up and restrictions loosened so we were able to enjoy ourselves.
We visited Washington, Oregon and California and I was able to bump my US state count up to 46 states visited. Our focus for this trip was to explore the Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California and Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state. I was a little hesitant at first to have a trip fully consumed with national parks because I’m not much of an outdoorsy person but after watching a few YouTube videos on exploring these two parks, I was sold!
There were two creators who shared tons of great information about these parks that we felt prepared on what to expect and had a healthy list of places to see. I will link their videos and accounts here because they truly made our planning in the parks easy and we were able see so much, thanks to them!
36 Hours in Redwood National Park: Exploring the Best Hikes, Groves and Trees by California Through My Lens
24 Hours at Mount Rainier: Mount Fremont Lookout, Grove of the Patriarchs, waterfalls, & snow! by Adventures of A+K
Stout Memorial Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Carter Falls in Mount Rainier National Park
Here is a snapshot of all the trails and places we visited while in each park and I would recommend every single one of them. Each one offered different sights and landmarks from the other, it felt like we were able to view so much of the park without setting foot in every square inch. During our time there we discovered a lot of nuances and information about the parks so I will be providing everything we learned along the way in subsequent posts to share how we maximized our week and a half in the PNW.
REDWOOD NATIONAL AND STATE PARKS
- Stout Memorial Grove
- Trillium Falls Trail
- Prairie Creek/Foothills Trail Loop
- Big Tree Wayside
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail
- Fern Canyon
- Gold Bluffs Beach
- Klamath River Overlook
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK
- Grove of the Patriarchs
- Silver Falls Loop
- Paradise Inn
- Trail of Shadows
- Carter Falls Trail
Lookout near the Paradise area in Mount Rainier National Park
Fern Canyon Loop Trail in Redwood National and State Parks
This area of the US was truly beautiful, even driving on the highways and interstates was a sight to see because of the vegetation, hills, mountains and lakes along the roadside. We also got a chance to stop by Multnomah Falls which is a picturesque waterfall in Oregon with great views and a small walking trail. Even though we were able to see a lot, I will definitely be going back to the PNW to explore more.
These days, with everything going on, having a relaxing vacation where you are able travel at your own pace and the day isn’t chalked full of plans is the way to go. It truly was incredible to be able to put my phone away, get some fresh air and see God’ creation.
What about you! Do you have a trip planned this year? Or a must see place for us to add to the travel list? Let me know!
