An absolute masterpiece in the mountains! On a nice day, there are few more beautiful spots in the…read moreworld. The hike is a little over 4 miles each way and the parking lot fills up quick! Like, we got there at 5 am and had to park a 1/4 mile down the road, quick. So worth it though! The trail is well worn and requires a headlamp if you're going early. There are a handful of good picture spots along the hike and you cover a lot of ground, so being water. This is a must do for anyone in the PNW!

This is an amazing lake in the National Forest near Leavenworth Washington. You have to take a 9…read moremile trail out and back, but it's worth the view if you're physically able.

Indeed very enchanting place. We did backpacking 3 nights 4…read moredays to experience the core zone as much as possible including off-trail scrambles for Little Annapurna and Enchantment Peak. We went Colchuck to Viviane and traced back since not much to see beyond Viviane. Really nice backpacking. My detailed mileage etc is below blog post. https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-enchantments-washington.html

I've done this a couple of times so I'll give you the different perspectives…read more The first time I did it as a one-day hike because I did not have a permit. The second time I did it as a three night hike because it was after October 15th and I still didn't have a permit. Since that time, the permit season has been extended to October 30th. Either way, I suggest that hiking in the fall is the prettiest time due to the larch trees colors. Both times we started at the Stuart Lake trailhead (recommended due to reduced overall elevation gain) and ended at the Snow Lake trailhead. Now at the risk of offending someone I will say that hiking through the Enchantments in one day is like watching a porn movie on fast forward. You miss most of the scenery. My suggestion is to either get a permit, or hike outside of season, preferably in the fall, but stay at least two nights. Given that the hike up Aasgard Pass has an elevation gain of 1900 feet in about a mile, I can attest that it can be quite dangerous when raining. On the East side there will be mud & rock slides and in our case we had to duck out of the way of several large, (18 or so inch diameter) Rocks that came bouncing down the boulders with unpredictable direction at a very high rate of speed. Risks early in the season are snow slides and avalanches, so be very aware of the conditions when you are there. All that said, anyone who does not give this a five and tell you that it's absolutely one of the most beautiful hikes you'll ever take on must know something I don't, and I've hiked the Himalayas. Remember that goats are dangerous. Pee on rocks, not soil because the goats will dig it up for the salt. Try not to let a goat see you peeing or it will run towards you. Try fishing in the lakes; the trout are great for dinner up there. You should also know that when coming down toward the Snow Lake trailhead there are a large number of switchbacks and when you see the cars just down the hill, it will likely be another hour before you get there, and if you did it as a day hike, your feet may not be happy when you finally arrive. If you are a hiker, you must find a way to get this one done before you hang up your boots.

I liked this river front park. It offers great scenery, a path for walking, running, and biking,…read moreand several areas to relax and enjoy the view. Safety signs are posted along the parks trail, especially for bikers regarding speed and notifying pedestrians when one is nearby by or coming up from behind. Most adhered to the rules but a few riders went wizzing by me and frankly scared the $@&# out of me. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful park and worthy of a stop when in the area. Its path runs very near the Pybus Public Market, so eats and drinks are near by. Big plus for me.

This is one of the few parks in downtown Wenatchee and is right by the water. I enjoyed the trail…read morealong the waterfront, and there were a few people riding their bike and walking outside during the evening when I was on it. It's a short trail, so not much of a walk (about a mile). But really what you come here for is the view of the Columbia River, which is beautiful. Some amenities include a restroom, water fountain, some picnic benches and tables, and there was a boat moorage and a two-lane boat launch. During my visit there wasn't anyone in the water, and when I walked on the boat moorage, there were a few people laying out on it. If you're staying in downtown Wenatchee - it's conveniently located to all businesses, including the Pybus Market. I also liked that it was close to the walking bridge where my hotel was by, to get a view over the railway of Wenatchee. Overall, visit for a brief stroll along the Columbia.

We have hiked this trail many times. This last weekend we enjoyed warm weather with a cool breeze,…read moretalk about perfection! The views from the top are gorgeous, it's such a rewarding climb. Straight up on an incline, rough on the knees coming back down. Just take your time and BRING WATER! Great workout with a beautiful view. My family of 4 (2 adults 2 kids 6/8yo) hiked the entire thing in 1 hour and 10 minutes. We did NOT take any side trails and stayed on the main trail to preserve the natural habitat. Dog friendly, wear appropriate shoes for when you get to the top it's rocky in the area where the saddle rock is. Continue on past that area for a great viewing area with benches and safer photo opp areas.

A 6-mile roundtrip hike of 1800 ft elevation gain that rewards you with an aerial view of…read moreLeavenworth! The hike is of a moderate level and took us about three hours including resting time at the top. Make sure to wear shoes with grip to prevent slipping on the dirt trail. No restrooms are available at the trailhead. The beginning and end of the trail is primarily a walk through a forest, while the middle section is out in the open showing a different view of Leavenworth. Not much wildlife was seen besides a couple of birds. The flowers weren't in season and we mostly saw dandelions. Once you reach the peak, there is a clearing to enjoy the mountains and village view. No parking pass or fee is required. The parking lot is the small loop encountered after turning in from Icicle Road. A No Parking sign upon entry had confused us, but it refers to the road itself so as to not block the entryway and leave way. If you continue along the loop, there is a sign for parallel parking on the left side as well as blocks of parking lots to the side. Only two other cars were parked when we arrived at 7:20 AM on Friday, and most of the spots were filled when we returned at 10:20 AM.

Riverside Park runs alongside the Wenatchee River in Cashmere. A paved walking path extends along…read morethe river and is beautiful to walk in the autumn. I recently walked this trail with my uncle and my aunt the three mornings I was in Cashmere visiting them (the 10th, 11th, and 12th of November 2020). The leaves were various colors and had started falling over the path, the branches of the trees filtered in the sunlight in patches providing a very autumn feel while walking. Along the river the wind can be strong so if walking in cooler temperatures it is a good idea to wear multiple layers. My uncle and I walked down one of the slopes by the walking trail to the river's edge. Across the river Highway 2 was rumbling with cars and trucks on their way to somewhere. In addition to the walking trail there is a large field area, multiple playgrounds one of which in primarily devoted to swings, a paved skate park and a dirt skate park, and a large picnic area where one can sit and relax. I spotted a couple of restroom buildings but did not go over to check if they were open or closed (due to COVID-19). A cement ramp leads into the river and provides a place one could launch or remove a river rafting boat from the water. On each of our visits, the park was calm and not too busy with people.

Leavenworth Sleigh Rides at Beaver Creek Lodge was an absolute must-do during my trip and made even…read moremore special because it was my very first experience in the snow. Being from Hawaii, this was both exciting and exhilarating to say the least. The lodge is about a 30-minute drive from where we were staying at the Obertal Inn. We purchased our tickets online ahead of time, which I highly recommend since rides can sell out. Upon arrival, everything was well organized with clear signage directing us where to go. Check-in was conveniently located in the same area as the gift shop and coffee stand. Since we didn't want to hold anything during the ride, we waited to shop until afterward. After checking in, we were instructed to meet our guide out front near the fire pit. Once she arrived (I wish I remembered her name!), she walked us over to our carriage. It ended up being our lucky day because we had the carriage entirely to ourselves, which made the experience feel even more magical and intimate. Throughout the ride, our guide shared background history of the area and pointed out wildlife we might spot along the way. Sitting bundled up in the cold, surrounded by peaceful winter scenery, was such a serene and unforgettable experience. Before heading back, we stopped for hot apple cider which was absolutely delicious and exactly what we needed in the freezing temperatures. We also had the chance to take photos with the horse, who was incredibly sweet and even let us pet him. Overall, this experience exceeded all expectations. If you ever find yourself in Leavenworth, I would 100% say this is a must-do. It's a beautiful, memorable way to take in the winter magic of the area.

Every time I'm in Leavenworth, somehow I manage to find something new to do - this time, thanks to…read morefamily, we decided to go on a snowy horse-drawn sleigh ride! We arrived and immediately jumped onto the sleigh as we got there a little late (thanks to a jack knifed semi on the way there). They were nice enough to wait for us which was great. Once on, they have a blanket for you to cover up with if desired, which we did use, because it was freezing! You ride around the property/area for about 35 minutes and when it's all covered in snow, it's so picturesque and fun. Leavenworth had just got a ton of snow so we definitely went at the right time! I forget the name of the man who was operating the ride with us, but he was really kind and kept genuine conversation flowing. My only tip is try not to sit in the very front, right behind the horses. As you can imagine, the smell is NOT great LOL Once we got back from the ride they let you go warm up in a super heated tent and they have warm beverages, free of charge, for everyone. My kids took advantage of the hot cocoa real quick. If you haven't done this in Leavenworth yet, it's for sure worth the money!

Gorgeous scenery and Jake was an awesome guide!…read more We stopped to swim in two different spots along the way and they provided chips & juice at the 2nd spot. You can also bring a dry bag with your own snacks if you want.

This one was in Leavenworth an it was a ok float Not as…read morecrazy as the one from last year on the yellow stone river. That one had clad 4 water coming up at me and my girlfriend ever time we hit the rapids, this one was only class 2 rapids . So there was some water splashing . I enjoyed the rock jumping . The guide Ray was good point out some stuff like the bird and other things. Hopefully I will hit the other ride they are doing in Rainier