Wide open spaces: a guide to Washington State’s most magnificent parks

05.04.2024 - 21:09 / lonelyplanet.com

If you've grown weary of the urban rat race and yearn for stunning wide-open spaces, it's time to grab your bags and head to Washington State. 

Scattered with incredible landscapes carved out by nature, the state takes the protection of its parks for future generations seriously. Home to three stupendous national parks that boast a volcano, wild roadless interiors and part of the Cascade mountain range among their many attractions, Washington is also a heavy hitter when it comes to state and historical green spaces.

With so many options, it can be difficult to know where to start. Don't worry – we've selected six of our favorite parks in Washington State to help you finalize your shortlist.

One of the country’s most emblematic national parks, Rainier is anchored by a huge, glacier-encrusted stratovolcano that stands sentinel over the city of Seattle, 70 miles away. While commonly known as Mt Rainier, it’s also called Tahoma by the area’s Indigenous Puyallup people.

US park pioneers recognized the area’s beauty and environmental importance early on – Rainier was the nation’s fourth national park when it was created in 1899 by President William McKinley. A strong historical element remains in the form of several old buildings: the handsome Paradise Inn, the “parkitecture”-style Longmire buildings, and the Camp Muir Mountain Refuge, all constructed between 1916 and 1929 and designated National Historic Landmarks.

The park is famed for its glaciers (it has 25), subalpine flower meadows, tracts of old-growth forest and – most of all – the dazzling 14,417ft mountain that sits in their midst. Mt Rainier is the fifth-tallest peak in the Lower 48, and the highest by prominence.

Hiking is the way most visitors experience Rainier. A well-marked web of trails ranges from the mega-adventurous (the 93-mile Wonderland Trail completely circumnavigates the mountain); the accessible (the 0.7-mile Trail of the Shadows loop); and the eye-poppingly beautiful (the 5.5-mile Skyline Trail, which meanders through gorgeous flower meadows).

Camping and wildlife watching are enduringly popular. At several drive-in campgrounds, you might spot some of the abundance of fauna, including black bears, elk and mountain goats. The park is also an important nexus for mountaineering: some 8000 climbers attempt to ascend Rainier yearly, with about half successfully summiting.   

Visiting Mt Rainier National Park: A 2-hour drive from downtown Seattle, Rainier is easily accessible by car and has a basic network of roads, climbing to 6400ft at Sunrise, the highest point. Of four main entrances, Nisqually in the southwest is the most used. While there’s little in the way of public transport, it’s possible to see the park’s highlights on a day-long bus