Washington State

Leavenworth was outstanding when we were there. Awesome beauty and marvelous little shops. Food was not s good. I highly recommend going for a couple of days.

Actually, rarintogo, let me suggest a friendly amendment -- there's water, forest, desert, and MOUNTAINS! This is Mt. Shuksan, near Mt. Baker:


Click For Full-Size Image.

Those little bushes near our feet are wild mountain blueberries -- loaded with sweet, intensely flavorful fruit in September. You have to sit down to get low enough to pick them. Things I learned: Bring a couple of small ziplock bags. Leave some berries for the bears. Don't eat too many at once. Don't.

Depending on what time of the year you are traveling, there are lots of options. Our favorite is Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. If coming in the summer, reservations are a must. It's a very popular park. If you are going to eastern Washington in the summer, remember it is hot. Other than that there are too many places to name. Just decide what part of the state your want. Water, forest or desert.

Sounds like there's plenty to choose from in WA.

jamesu wrote:
West of the mountains: Long Beach Peninsula, Whidbey Island (Ft. Casey SP, Ft. Casey SP), Mts. Rainier/St. Helens/Adams: camp around Packwood/Randle. Birch Bay SP, Padilla Bay SP, Moran SP

East of the mountains: Wenatchee-Confluence SP, Lincoln Rock SP, Pearrygin Lake SP, Riverside SP, Hells Gate SP In Lewiston, Yakima Sportsman SP. Palouse Falls, Republic.

That’s a pretty good start.

Delete 1 of the Ft. Casey’s and add “Ft. Ebey SP”

Pt. Townsend and Ft. Worden SP is another good west of the Mts.

West of the mountains: Long Beach Peninsula, Whidbey Island (Ft. Casey SP, Ft. Casey SP), Mts. Rainier/St. Helens/Adams: camp around Packwood/Randle. Birch Bay SP, Padilla Bay SP, Moran SP

East of the mountains: Wenatchee-Confluence SP, Lincoln Rock SP, Pearrygin Lake SP, Riverside SP, Hells Gate SP In Lewiston, Yakima Sportsman SP. Palouse Falls, Republic.

That’s a pretty good start.

What time of year, and what sorts of things do you like to do? And how much time do you have? Do you boondock?

We have spent the month of September -- twice! -- in the North Cascades. Heaven on Earth, in our opinion.

Baker Lake is another really nice getaway.

I like the East Side of the Cascades. Route 20 has it all.

We like Steamboat Rock. It's near the Grand Coulee Dam. There is Lincoln Rock too. It's near Wenatchee. Been to Wenatchee Confluence a lot too and really like it. We seem to go to the Eastern side of the state in the summer anymore. We do like Pacific Beach on the coast too, but it's always raining there... Well, at least all the times we go!

All these are state parks, so if in the summer and over a weekend, you will need to make reservations well in advance..

Good luck!

Mitch