Unique, calming, and scenic place - Hoh Rainforest, Forks

Unique, calming, and scenic place - excellent for a short day trip! It's about two hours from Port Angeles.

We came during the summer and there wasn't any rain, just some clouds. There are two main trails, Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail (empty, very little people). We hiked the Spruce Nature Trail first and had lunch next to the Hoh River on some fallen trees, a nice and memorable experience! After lunch, we walked the Hall of Mosses, where you can spot trees and organisms that are literally covered in mosses, nice for photos.

I guess for us, it was a lot more fun hiking and walking through the temperate rain forest than taking photos - everything starts looking the same (green) after a few photos. Hall of Moss area of this park was a easy hike which is kids friendly . It took about an hour, but my kid age 3.5 was able to do it without problem. 

Kudos as well to the staff in the visitor center -- they were friendly, informative, and helpful. Even more informative was the antiquated display/exhibit on the history of the area, which also explained how and why the total rainfall was near 6 feet (who knew climatology and meteorology could be so much fun?).

Special note: the road from 101 into Hoh is about 17-18 miles of beautiful scenery -- be sure to stop along the Hoh River and check out the steel-gray waters as the waterway cuts through the Hoh valley

Be warned, Highway 101 is where the Police Academy trains their rookies - the speed limit is strictly enforced and we almost got a ticket.... we were warned by our hotel staff as well. 

Snowlake Trail, Northbend

Snow lake was a beautiful 2.5 mile hike,we went for a nice hike to snow lake today. Its about 40 miles east on i90. take exit 53 and hang a right and another right. then drive down a little bit and you'll see a small group of service stations, ski lodges, etc. you should be able to find the visitor center on your right. you have to go there no matter what, b/c you need to buy a parking pass for $5. from there they can tell you exactly how to get to the snow creek trail.

we started the hike at 11:10am and it was already crowded.The parking lot was jam packed with around 100+ cars. Lots of passing and being passed, but then also the sign of a nice trail.  I saw lots of families with kids of all ages and dogs too, so it seems pretty friendly for families.

We spent a wonderful afternoon at this place, beautiful sunny mid 70 degree weather and a wonderful hike up to snow lake. The trail is well maintained but it's still relatively rocky and uneven so hiking shoes are helpful. sunblock/hat/glasses are helpful especially on a sunny day because this trail has lots of unshaded portions. near the lake the temperature is noticeably cooler, so i was glad we wore layers and brought track jackets.

the trail winds its way up several switchbacks of the crest of a ridge and then down into the snow lake basin. It took around 2.5 hours to reach the lake. We did saw iceberg on the other side of the shore, left over from the previous winter. The lake is beautiful and once you get down into the basin there are lots of little trails to go exploring on. The lake has a big shoreline so every one can get their own space. If somebody is intrested in bird watching this is a very nice place too. We had our lunch there. Be carefull of eating the food in open as birds might fly over and snatch the food as it did for us :)

Mailbox Peak Trail - BE PREPARED

As all reviews say, Mailbox Peak is really no joke. It is a 2.5 mile Death March for the unprepared, and an ass kicking workout for the prepared. Don't let the mere 2.5 miles fool you.

You walk up the forest service road about 1/2 mile until you get to the official entrance to Mailbox Peak trail head next to the notice board. Be very carefull to take the entry immediately from the notice board, as once i(and many others) went straight and wondered in the forest for 1.5 hrs trying to find the trail head.  The first 1/4 mile of trail you are meandering in a forested area with a few nice cold creeks running through. You will find these useful to soak your tired feet when you get back down. This little jaunt doesn't last long as the trail goes into full business mode with the quickness. No transition, no feeling out process, just you looking at this straight up, root stepped, steep as hell thing saying "DAMN!"

Welcome to Mailbox Peak.

This part of the trail you are under the tree canopy and more often than not you will run into some serious mud, roots, logs and assorted things you have to climb over or around. The switchbacks are more like s-turns as they seem to not want to give you much of a break and just push you up up up the hill. If anyone says "it gets easier" or "you're almost there"...they are lying :)

After what seems to be an eternity, eventually you will break out of the tree line and will finally have some nice scenery with lots of flowers and big views, but the most apparent view will be the huge boulder field in front of you. If you are not up to the scramble challenge, just follow the left edge of it, the trail will be apparent. Plenty of false summits, but I do think once you are out of the tree canopy, the going gets much easier and even if it is muddy, it seems there is more rock mixed in for better grip. Eventually you will reach the mailbox.

Twin Falls, Northbend

From where I live in Tukwilla, it took less than 45min to travel from the 'hood to the trailhead...pretty quick!  Twin Falls by itself is nothing to write home about.  This was a fun, easy hike with family with a nice water feature! It's a quick, cute hike and there are nice views of the river and waterfalls. There's even a "secret" path where you can climb all the way down to the banks, where you can make your way to the boulder in the middle of the river. It's a great place to break, sunbathe, snack, enjoy the rush of the water around you. 

The natural beauty in the Cascades is lush, wet and green: it is impressive to see fallen trees on the forest floor, almost completely grown over by moss and new plants.  There are some old growth trees which tower above everything else and their trunks provide excellent perspective on what it takes to hold up a huge-ass tree for hundreds of years.  In the forest, moss and vines are everywhere and lend a creepy quality to some of the dark scenery seen beyond the trail. If you go past the falls all the way to the top you just reach a gravel road and a dead tree.Kind of anti-cilmactic.

The trail itself is excellent: I saw people with strollers and a few frail-looking elderly folks moving along with no problem even my son of 2.5yr old didnt have much problem.  The trail is mostly packed dirt and there are a few places with wooden steps.  If you don't get out much, the trail might be tiresome; but if you are at all physically active the trail is very easy. 

It's not a steep hike, but it is uphill on the way back, which is always a little masochistic for me. If you want something with more distance, you can always park away from the traditional parking lot for Twin Falls (exit 34??) and instead east from Rattlesnake Lake on the Iron Horse Trail. Easy hiking warmup and a decent enough view.

I recommend Twin Falls to anybody who lives in Seattle...it is so close, so pretty and so fun to romp around a forest for exercise.

Rattlesnake Ridge Trail - WOW

One word -  WOW !! One of the closest and most easily accessible trails you could possibly get to offers the biggest pay-off at summit-  stunning 360 degree VIEWS!!This is one easy-to-reach destination trail on the east side of this city, and a lot more convenient if you come earlier during the weekends, because parking can get hectic in a hurry. 

A leisurely two-mile hike with some gradual slope brings you up to the top, where you get the prize: an open 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains, and an awesome lake backdrop at the bottom, a Kodak moment for all of us to pose to and enjoy. Score! Once you come down, the trail takes you from Rattlesnake Lake to a perfect picnic rock with the most amazing view of the Cascades.

Hiked with 3 year old son and a lovely wife so can say its very family friendly. Bring some drinks and something light to eat, because you'll be hungry by the time you get up to the summit. Most of all, bring yourself. You don't want to miss this date with nature, because this is one easy date, but is guaranteed to satisfy you for a while, will leave you tired and happy, but will also make you think about coming back again... and again.

Good for Every age, novice hiker or experienced...Rattlesnake is still one of the best around.

Here are directions from wikipedia:
To get to the more popular eastern entrance to the park (the one closest to Rattlesnake Ledge), take I-90 to Exit 32, labeled 436the Ave. Go South on 436th Ave, which passes RiverBend and Wilderness Rim subdivisions. 436th Ave becomes Cedar Falls Road. Around 2.85 miles you come to Rattlesnake Lake parking lot on the right. The road continues for a short distance where it ends at the Cedar River Watershed Education Center. The western entrance is near Exit 27 on I-90.

The below one is one of my new shots from the same place at sunset.

 

Franklin Falls, WA - Lets Hike..

Franklin Falls Trail No. 1036 begins on Denny Creek Road on the west side of Denny Creek, elevation 2,300 feet. Franklin Falls is by no means one of the tallest waterfalls I’ve come across. It sits in a canyon directly in between the east and westbound lanes of I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass. The surreal experience of standing just beneath one of the nation’s most important freeways and staring at a beautiful sight like these falls is certainly something worth the short hike required to get to them (only about 2 mile returntrip). It does, however, for all its benefits have one major downfall. It is fairly popular and you will likely be accompanied by several people while enjoying this scenic sight.

As per the recommendations from several sites, I visited this place in May with my 2.5 year old son. Park at the bridge if there is room otherwise continue a short distance to the Denny Creek/Melakwa Lake trailhead at the end of the road. Though my son very active in hiking but we carried him over as the the path was full of snow. The overall trip was about 3 hours. On the way you can see several ancient trees grace the trail, and spur trails lead to better views of Denny Creek.

I do not recommend for children, because the terrain is steep and there are no guardrails.

Official Site: http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/franklin-falls

Glacier National Park, Montana

I used to always tell people that the most beautiful place that I'd been to was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Well, after a long awaited trip to Glacier National Park in Montana, I've changed my tune. I will still tell people that they must go to Yellowstone before they die but I'll also add Glacier to that list. Without actually seeing it with one's own eyes, it's hard to simply read a description of the majestic peaks and valleys carved out by glaciers during two ice ages and understand the magnitude of the natural beauty there.

Open June through October, the spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road winds 52 miles through stunning glacial scenery, crossing the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. Hiking trails allow those who venture on them to steal glimpses of the heart of this majestic wilderness and its abundant wildlife, including bears, elk, moose and bighorn sheep. Highline Trail offers opportunities to explore deep into the park during summer.

 There are so many places to stop and get out of your car (or the red bus) to snap a photo, take a walk, or simply be overwhelmed at the spectacle before your eyes. Beautiful views although once you hit the pass, the driver cannot look at anything but the road as it is winding with construction and sheer drop-offs.Sun Point is a short walk to a fantastic view. At Hidden Lake Overlook, a short walk up wooden steps from the Logan Point parking lot leads to a gorgeous view. A bit farther on you reach snow

St. Mary Lake: On our last day in Glacier, we drove the entire Going to the Sun Road, stopping at every sight along the way. Our first stop was St. Mary Lake from the Sunrift Gorge parking lot. The lighting in the early morning produced beautiful reflections of the mountains surrounding St. Mary Lake. I must say that some of our best photographs.

Some of the most beautiful waterfalls you'll ever see can be found on the eastern side of Glacier National Park, just a short walk from Going to the Sun Road.  As you drive east across the park, the first waterfall trail you reach leads to St. Mary Falls. The picturesque trail to St. Mary Falls is very worthwhile, and the falls are beautiful. Instead of returning to the trailhead after reaching St. Mary Falls, I'd recommend going on to Virginia Falls; it has more elevation gain, but it's worth it to see both falls. Be sure to take drinking water.