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alesis's avatar
alesis
Explorer
Jan 10, 2018

Help us plan our trip - Washington State and Idaho

After another post I started, the great members here gave me great info to make our trip the best it can be and this caused our trip to change. That said, this post is updated with our new location plans.

I'm looking for suggestions on campgrounds to stay at, and activities that are "must do" while there.

We are traveling from Michigan to Washington State, and will stop for a few nights in Idaho on our way home. Our current plan is 4 days travel to Washington, 6 nights there, then 3 nights in/near Stanley, Idaho, and then travel home.

We love scenic drives, hiking, swimming, awesome scenery, adventurous stuff, along w typical tourist traps like aquariums and such. Kids are 7, 11 and 13. Full hookup CGs are a must.

In Washington, we want to hit Olympic, North Cascades and Mt Ranier NPs. Also a day trip to Seattle. Looking for a campground that is central to all of these areas to allow for day trips. If drive times are over about 1 1/2 hours to get to all the NPs from 1 CG, we're open to staying at 2 different CGs in Washington.

In Stanley we'll just be doing day trips around the area, so we're looking for a good base camp CG there too.

Any help is truly appreciated!
  • obgraham's avatar
    obgraham
    Explorer
    Jan 10, 2018
    Indeed, your plan will not work in Washington. Places you want to see are just too far apart. The mileage may look doable, but travel times can be very long, especially on the Olympic peninsula.Much of the time you will be driving at 35-45.

    My advice is like the guy above: just head on out to the Olympic peninsula via North Cascades and ferry. There's plenty there for a couple of days.

    Skip Seattle -- too busy, not RV friendly.
    Stop near Mt Rainier (La Wis Wis is good) on the way back.
    Then carry on toward Idaho via US 12.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jan 10, 2018
    It is very difficult to do.
    I started route in Spokane, first stop Mazama on WA 20 east side of North Cascades NP. Forest service campground 1 night, travel time plus stop at Grand Coulee dam
    Continue west on WA 20 to Keystone Spit SP. 2 night do to travel time. Day trip to Seattle via Mukilteo ferry.
    Catch ferry at keystone spit to Olympic Pennisula. WA 20 to US 101 west to Elwha campground Spend 1 night, visit Hurricane Ridge near Port Angeles
    Continue west/south on US 101 to Kalaloch campgound Should visit Tatoosh Head near Neah Bay. Farthest west point in continental US.
    Proceed south to Hoquim to US 12, proceed east to La Wis wis campground east of Randall Stay two nights.
    Continue east onus 12 to Yakima, I-82 to I84 into Idaho toward Stanley
    Lot of windshield time
  • alesis's avatar
    alesis
    Explorer
    Jan 10, 2018
    enblethen wrote:
    Washington state is to large and travel times to have one central location. Olympic pennisula is a long one day and medium length two days. North Cascades is a long day. Mt. Ranier can be one to three days if you try to see the majority of it.
    You might try to route youself over US 12 to see east and south side of Ranier, then continue west oon US 12 to US 101 near Hoquim and up around the Olympics.
    Cross over to Whidbey Island to WA 20 for Cascades.
    Use some trip routing to get an estimate of time.


    Where would you suggest making base camps? We'd be willing to do 3 nights in 2 places in Washington if that makes more sense.
  • IdaD's avatar
    IdaD
    Explorer
    Jan 10, 2018
    There's an RV Park or two but most of the campgrounds around Stanley will be primitive. That being the case, you might consider just finding a primitive site of your own out in the forest. It's nice to not have neighbors. Go out in the middle of the night or very early morning and check out the stars...they're incredible.

    There's a ton of great hiking in the area. One spot you might check out is the hike into Chamberlain Basin. The views of Castle Peak and the basin below are awesome.
  • 2gypsies1's avatar
    2gypsies1
    Explorer III
    Jan 10, 2018
    There are many beautiful national forest campgrounds around Stanley, ID in the Sawtooths along with national recreational area campgrounds. We've stayed at Sunny Gulch. The kids would have fun in the river. You'd have long drives to sitesee east or west from Stanley but easily could tour south toward Sun Valley.

    https://www.forestcamping.com/dow/intermtn/saw.htm

    http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/idaho/stanley

    RV Parks:

    http://stanleycc.org/sleep/rv-parks/
  • Bob806's avatar
    Bob806
    Explorer III
    Jan 10, 2018
    I cannot help in regards to Washington, as we haven't been there (yet).

    I will say that back in 2007, after we visited Glacier NP, we had reservations at Ponderosa State Park near McCall, Idaho, and they had to be canceled due to large forest fires in the area. We ended up at a real nice CG called Canyon Pines, near Riggins, Idaho. Very nice spot, right on the river and close to the Seven Devils of Idaho, Hells Canyon NRA, etc. Very scenic area and peaceful. Our 3 boys had a blast floating in truck inner tubes down the river at Canyon Pines. I think we stayed there 3 nights, then went on to a brief stay across the state to the west entrance of Yellowstone. Did a quick drive by tour of Craters of the Moon, which was awesome.

    I'm sure you'll have fun. Seemed like Idaho is spectacular and I can't wait to get back there someday. For Washington, my first choice would be the Columbia River Gorge.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jan 10, 2018
    Washington state is to large and travel times to have one central location. Olympic pennisula is a long one day and medium length two days. North Cascades is a long day. Mt. Ranier can be one to three days if you try to see the majority of it.
    You might try to route youself over US 12 to see east and south side of Ranier, then continue west oon US 12 to US 101 near Hoquim and up around the Olympics.
    Cross over to Whidbey Island to WA 20 for Cascades.
    Use some trip routing to get an estimate of time.

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