Amazing, breathtaking, incredible - words cannot describe the beauty of the PNW…read more How lucky are we that we get to live in a world with such wonders? Pictures are from the Maple Pass Loop during larch season :)

I Just returned from another incredible adventure exploring the Pacific Northwest with a couple of…read moreunforgettable days in North Cascades National Park! I'm currently on a mission to visit all 63 designated National Parks in the United States and this trip marked Park #61 for me - only two more to go! After flying into Seattle, I picked up a rental car, picked up a friend, and headed straight for the North Cascades. First stop: the Wilderness Information Center just before the official park entrance. We browsed the exhibits, picked up passport stamps and Junior Ranger books (a must!), and chatted with some friendly and helpful rangers before continuing on to our campsite at Newhalem Campground. Once we set up camp, we made our way to the main Visitor Center, which was well worth the stop. It had a newly updated park film, an informative mini museum, a decent gift shop, and of course more amazing rangers. Although it was a bit crowded, it's great to see people out and about exploring nature. I originally planned to hike the Skagit River Loop but one of the rangers recommended Ross Lake Dam Trail instead. Despite it being a little bit of a detour, I pivoted, and it was worth it! The hike down to the dam was serene, scenic, and less crowded. For dinner, we tried to get into the restaurant next to Mondo Restaurant, but it was packed!!! Luckily, Mondo came through with great food and hectic yet welcoming service. We wrapped up the evening back at Newhalem Campground. There was a fire ban in place during our visit (no campfires!) but otherwise, the campground was peaceful and perfect for me for a good night's rest. The next morning, we woke up really early to tackle the iconic Maple Pass Loop and WOW. From start to finish, the hike was epic. The wildflowers were blooming, the views were jaw-dropping, and we lucked out with light crowds. Although it's rated hard on AllTrails, I'd say it leans more moderate if you're an experienced hiker. Either way, it's a can't miss trail and an absolute highlight of the trip for me. After our hike, we headed over to Mazama (remote and worth the visit!) before continuing our journey via ferry to Stehekin. One note: the NPS Visitor Center in Stehekin is completely closed for the 2025 season, which was a letdown but it didn't take away from the beauty of the area. I'll be posting separate reviews for the rest of our trip! All in all, North Cascades lives up to the hype and then some. It's wild, remote, and breathtakingly beautiful. The National Parks truly are America's Best Idea, and I hope everyone gets a chance to experience their awe-inspiring landscapes, rich history, and cultural significance. Onward to parks #62 and #63!!!

Spontaneous Saturday trip to Diablo Lake in Northern Washington but we parked and stayed in Thunder…read moreKnob Trailhead. We drove for almost 3 hours, but when we were looking for a place to park, I lost my signal sevice! Diablo Lake is big and long! We found a spot to relax and swim, but the water was 10°C (so cold, hahaha!). It's still a gorgeous place to visit! Remember, it's better with chairs, snacks, kayaks, paddleboards, and drinks! It's so nice to set aside city and technology life! Just for sure, we are looking to rest and swim and not to hike! But still it is a beautiful nature to see

A vibrant trail with some sensational views! The Thunder Knob trail is a short but moderate 3.5…read moremile out and back trail that's located within North Cascades National Park. The trail begins just behind Diablo Lake and crosses over the beautiful rushing waters of Colonial Creek. It then begins to gently switchback through a lush forest that's filled with beautiful Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock trees. The trail is mostly shaded but features a few breaks within the trees that will reveal some amazing glimpses of the snowcapped mountaintops. As you ascend up the trail, you're rewarded with gorgeous views of the forest and mountains. The forest vegetation is super versatile. I was able to spot daisies, ferns, Western Hemlocks, Douglas Firs, an array of different wildflowers, and so on. The views are the best at the top, of course. There's this stunning vista point that features an aerial view of Diablo Lake with the striking North Cascades Mountain Range in the background. If there was ever a time to get a photo while on this hike, THIS is where you need to do it. It's simply breathtaking to witness. This is also a great spot to bring a picnic and/or take a lunch or snack break for heading back down to finish the second half of the hike. What I genuinely loved about this trail (aside from the views) was how incredibly green it is. The vibrancy is out of this world. Also, to see how clear Diablo Lake is from the top is just insane. It doesn't even look real, but it definitely is! The best part about hiking this trail is being able to literally walk right down to lake to relax after you've finished your hike. It's the perfect reward, and hiking this trail was truly a wonderful experience.

Arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday and the parking lot was mostly empty (less than 10 cars). Bathrooms…read moredon't lock but I was still able to use it by having someone stand in front of it for me. Trail is rocky, muddy and there are many stream crossings. Crampons/micro-spikes are needed if you want to walk around the lake, the snow is compact and icy too.

A gorgeous lake hike during any season :) Come in the winter for some amazing snow, or the summer…read morefor an amazing shimmery lake and a backdrop. This hike is pretty moderate - so maximum reward for not much effort :D

This hike is very intense but very pretty. The beginning part of the hike is full of switchbacks in…read morea wooded area. Then, you cross through an overgrown thicket that may contain stinging nettles. There are lots of files and bugs during this part. After the thicket is another wooded area with a couple of streams running through the path (but there are bridges so you're shoes probably won't get wet). Towards the end of this section, there is a fork in the road that is kind of hard to see. One path takes you to the lookout tower and the other takes you to mirror lake, where you can call overnight with a permit. If you're going to the tower, the next area you'll walk through is the spectacular Alpine meadow full of flowers and the beginnings of views of the surrounding mountains. After that the remainder of the hike until the top is relatively short. There is a lookout tour at the top that you can climb and view all the surrounding mountains and foothills, such as Mt Baker and Mt pilchuck. The hike took me (a semi novice hiker) and my friends 4 hours to get to the top and 3 hours getting down (going downhill is tricky because it's very steep, and you'll probably be tired). This hike is super hard and long but worth it for the view, at least for me.

Nice little waterfall in North Cascades with great views of the water…read more The water here is unlike anything I've ever seen. Super green and beautiful. We walked to the overlook, and it had a decent view of the waterfall. Much better views if you walk over to the bridge and look from the walkway there. If you want, there's also a trail that walks along the water. We didn't take it, so can't vouch for it. Overall, it's worth a quick stop to take in the surrounding beauty.

One more great spot to admire the fabulous beauty as you travel through North Cascades National…read morePark. There's plenty of parking at the trailhead, and another lot on the other side of the bridge. They have great pedestrian walks on either side of the bridge from which to admire the falls and the gorge. Once you've finished there head to the trail from the parking lot. There are fabulous viewpoints along the paved section of the trail from which to take in the crazy blue waters of the Gorge Lake below. The paved section is short (.3 mile) but very pretty and ends at the dam viewpoint. You can continue on, however, onto the unpaved path for 1/2 a mile through the trees and loop back to the lot. The unpaved section is still very easy and quite lovely...so why not loop! I found this short trail, coupled with the falls, to be a great stop. Don't miss it as you pass through!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15 minutes…read more Gear: Nike free runs, North face backpack Group: 3 People Temp: 85F (+/-) Bear lake (summer): So obviously a car full of grown men got lost and stumbled up on this trailhead instead of Pilchuck. The road to this trailhead gets very rocky with a lot of pot holes so please be careful. I don't advise bringing a nice car - use a car that's meant for these dirt, rough terrain roads. The drive there is deep as you ascend up the mountain by car and park on the side of the road. Immediately you'll see a large sign to help guide you. The hike is very fun with mild elevation gain and a lot of flat ground and natural terrain. You can tell not many people come here. its a very quick 15 minute hike till you get to this beautiful open source lake. Its absolutely gorgeous. There's a spot for a campfire as well. I highly recommend coming here. The trail also splits into a fork; one going to bear lake and the other pinnacle lake. Pinnacle lake is just roughly an hour to an hour thirty minute hike. Do not attempt when it just rained because the trail is muddy and all dirt. Both places are beautiful and a must for anyone that loves hiking There are ALOT of mosquitoes at this time so wear repellant. I would also reccomend some real hiking shoes if you're attempting pinnacle. Its an ankle breaker at some points

Completed this hike on a sunny Saturday in June. Arrived at the trailhead at 8:30am and the tiny…read morelot was already full but there was still plenty of parking on the street. I took the lower Elliot loop to the Lake and the upper loop back to the parking lot. Definitely recommend doing it this way because the lower loop has a steady incline and many viewpoints & streams on the way up. The upper loop had more forest & foliage.

Came here on a Sunday morning, arriving to the parking lot around 8:30AM, parking lot was pretty…read morefull but there was plenty of parking space on the road. There's a bathroom at the trailhead. We took upper and came back down on lower, and the trail wasn't too steep either way. The path is pretty much fully under the shade from trees, and there are some views of the mountains here and there. The lake is beautiful with lots of spots to sit, and there were a lot of people camping there. Passed a lot of backpackers with big packs on the way up, saw some hikers as well. Stayed at the lake for a bit of time, and weather was beautiful. Not many bugs around which was good, water wasn't too cold either. Highly recommend, this is one of my favorite lakes in WA so far!

Beautiful park, trails, and scenery !…read more Kid, stroller, and dog friendly Being wet gear because there's multiple areas where you can get in the water . Definitely going back

Beautiful park with waterfalls and accessible trails to enjoy alone or with family and friends. I…read moreloved walking beneath the trees and along the water. It feels like a safe area with lots of people enjoying the outdoors in the summertime.

Didn't go to Lake Serene - just to Bridal Veil Falls. About 4 miles RT and it worth it…read more Going up - lots of steps and rocks. Muddy in certain places. Definitely would go again.

The payoff is definitely worth it for this hike. It gets relatively steep and definitely isn't for…read moreall fitness levels, but the end result is quite nice. Plenty of spots to sit by the water and enjoy lunch. 4 miles roundtrip with 1000 feet of elevation gain.