Seattle, WA

Diablo Lake, North Cascades National Park.

August 21st - September 25th, 2022

The "Emerald City", immersed in nature

Seattle is situated with Mount Rainer National Park to the south and North Cascades National Park to the north. The North Cascades is often referred to as “The American Swiss Alps” for it’s towering, jagged peaks and beautiful glacier fed lakes.

Seattle is also surrounded by a number of amazing state parks including Wallace Falls State Park and Olallie State Park, which both feature amazing forests and waterfalls.

Our Airbnb was located in the University District. While we were here, we did all the Seattle city things, such as Pike’s Place, the space needle, the Seattle Aquarium, going to a Mariner’s game, and much more.

We loved how many great places there was nearby for hiking while still offering a great city life. Our neighborhood was cute and we really enjoyed our stay.

We took an indirect route on our way home from Seattle to Utah to visit Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Lassen Volcanic National Park in California.

North Cascades National Park

"The American Swiss Alps" holds up to it's name, this is one of our favorite national parks we've been to. The towering jagged peaks, the beautiful bright blue glacier fed lakes, it was all so amazing. We came here for a weekend and stayed in a cute little Airbnb airstream trailer, it was a really fun experience.

Natalie standing in front of Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake at North Cascades NP has a brilliant teal color caused by glaciers feeding the lake.

Diablo Lake, North Cascades NP.

Natalie sitting in front of Blue Lake in North Cascades NP.

We hiked up to Blue Lake in North Cascades NP, which is one of the prettiest lake hikes we've ever done.

Blue Lake, North Cascades NP

Natalie and Trevor standing in front of Blue Lake in North Cascades NP

Had a good time relaxing by the lake for an hour

Views of Blue Lake, North Cascades NP.

A view from Washington Pass in North Cascades

There's an overlook in North Cascades called Washington Pass that gives you great panorama views of the park.

A view from Washington Pass in North Cascades NP.

Another view from Washington Pass.

View from Washington Pass, North Cascades NP.

Natalie standing on the bridge at Ladder Creek falls with the power house behind her

We did an interesting hike here called Ladder Creek Falls that took you over bridges and around an old powerhouse.

The power house at Ladder Creek Falls.

We did an awesome hike called Gorge Creek Falls which takes you alongside a beautiful gulch with waterfalls. It felt similar to a Utah slot canyon but with bright teal water.

Gorge Creek Falls, North Cascades NP.

Though you can't quite tell in this picture, the color of the water in these falls was a beautiful teal color.

Our adorable Airbnb for the weekend, a cozy airstream trailer in the backyard of some really cool local artists.

An artwork of a metal head posted on a metal pole.

The Airbnb owner's were local artists who made cute creations out of metal and other found materials.

Natalie and Trevor at the top of the Cascade Pass trail, overlooking the valley below.

We hiked the Cascade Pass trail, a 7.0 mile hike that takes you high into the mountains to an overlook of the valley.

Views from the top of Cascade Pass.

Views up the Cascade Pass trail, surrounded by towering peaks.

The view of a mountain from the Cascade Pass trail.

It's difficult to tell from the picture, but we saw (and heard!) an avalanche occur on the snow shelf on this mountain. It was incredibly loud and fun to watch from a safe distance.

Views from the top of the Cascade Pass trail.

Views going up the Cascade Pass trail.

The path up the Cascade Pass trail, which weaved in and out of scree fields.

There were lots of cute marmots hanging out in the rock fields on the Cascade Pass trail.

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier is an incredible national park. We did a number of hikes along the base of Mount Rainier that provided amazing views of the mountain, as well as some hikes to stunning alpine lakes in the area.

Mount Rainier as seen from the Skyline Loop

We did the Skyline Loop trail which got you up close and personal with Mount Rainier, the views were epic.

Trevor standing in front of Mount Rainier on the Skyline Loop.

Mount Rainier as seen from the Skyline Loop.

The day we came to Mount Rainier there were wildfires in the area so our views were obscured by smoke, but still awesome nonetheless.

Cute marmot along the Skyline Trail.

Hiking the Skyline Loop.

A small waterfall along the Skyline Trail.

Lots of mini waterfalls along the Skyline Trail.

Scenery along the Skyline Trail.

View of Mount Rainier

Scenery from the Skyline Loop Trail.

View from Panorama Point along the Skyline Trail.

Mount Rainier in all her majesty.

Smoky views on the Skyline Trail due to wildfires.

A view into the Nisqually River from the Skyline Trail.

Myrtle Falls along the Skyline Trail.

A view of a forest from inside a hot tub.

We stayed at a cabin Airbnb that included a hot tub which Natalie loved and took full advantage of. This is her viewpoint from inside the hot tub.

The "Entering Mount Rainer National Park" sign.

Narada Falls, Mount Rainier NP.

We hiked up to Snow Lake which was an amazing alpine lake in Mount Rainier NP.

Snow Lake, Mount Rainier NP.

Natalie with a bird fluttering above her hand at Snow Lake.

Natalie the bird charmer at Snow Lake, Mount Rainier NP.

Snow Lake, Mount Rainer NP.

Olallie State Park

Olallie State Park is home to the beautiful Twin Falls that we really enjoyed doing.

Twin Falls at Olallie State Park. A really unique waterfall for the way the water divides up into stands and slides down rather than falls down.

Twin Falls from a far away vantage point as you are approaching it.

Smaller falls that you can see from the bridge

Natalie sitting on a rock with a river behind her at Twin Falls hike

Enjoying some sun by the river at the Twin Falls hike trailhead.

Wallace Falls State Park

We did the Wallace Falls trail here which features a lower, middle and upper falls. The falls were beautiful and it was a great hike.

Waterfall at Wallace Falls State Park.

Viewpoint along the Wallace Falls trail.

Natalie on a bridge along the Wallace Falls trail.

Natalie in front of a waterfall at Wallace Falls State Park.

Small waterfall along the Wallace Falls trail.

Pretty bridge along the Wallace Falls trail.

Snoqualmie Falls

We stopped here on our way to Olallie State Park and were surprised at how big and impressive these falls were.

Snoqualmie Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in Washington.

Snoqualmie Falls, the famous 270 foot waterfall.

Deception Pass State Park

The main feature of Deception Pass is a series of bridges that connects two islands together, forming a beautiful picturesque scenery. We loved walking over the bridges and exploring down below them also.

Deception Pass Bridge.

Natalie and Trevor standing on Pass Island at Deception Pass State Park.

Standing on Pass Island where the two bridges connect.

Looking out into the channel from Deception Pass Bridge.

Looking down into the beautiful teal water from Deception Pass Bridge.

A view of Deception Pass Bridge from down below.

Seattle

Seattle has so many fun things to do and we tried to pack in as much as we could. We did all the typical things like Pike's Place and Space Needle, and some less conventional things like the Beneath the Streets Tour (which we loved), the Chihuly Gardens and a ferry tour around Elliott Bay.

The Space Needle, downtown Seattle.

Natalie standing at the top of the Space Needle.

Trev in front of the iconic Pike's place public market sign.

Pike's Place Public Market

The Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle, which features awesome glass blown artworks.

Jelly fish at the Seattle Aquarium.

Natalie with a zebra fish at the Seattle Aquarium.

Natalie feeling frisky with a fish at the Seattle Aquarium.

Natalie and Trevor on a ferry tour with a ferris wheel in the background

Our ferry tour departing from Pier 55 to take us around Elliott Bay, which we did on Natalie's birthday.

The view of Seattle from our ferry tour.

A ferry tour sailing past a container ship.

Our ferry tour sailed past a container ship which was amazing to see up close.

Natalie and Trevor with drinks on a rooftop.

For Natalie's birthday we had dinner on a rooftop in downtown Seattle.

Natalie's birthday on a Seattle rooftop.

Trevor attempting to be decent at skateboarding at a Seattle skatepark.

T-Mobile Park with the Mariner's playing

We went to a Seattle Mariner's game during Ichiro Weekend

We went on a Seattle "Beneath the Streets Tour" which was super interesting, Seattle is essentially a city built on top of a city.

There are skylights throughout the streets of Seattle that let light into the underground streets.

A Seattle skylight panel from the street view.

The skylights from above just look like purple glass tiling along the sidewalks, you have no idea there is a whole underground street below you.

Crater Lake National Park & Lassen Volcanic National Park

So these are clearly not in Seattle, but I'm including them here because we visited them on our way home driving from Seattle to Utah. Both of these parks are amazing and we wish we could have spent more time here. The water at Crater Lake was incredible, it was a beautiful blue color and the surface was perfectly glass.