6 minute read
Great Outdoors
he Seattle area enjoys a national reputation for
Tits outdoor lifestyle. Residents are blessed with beautiful waters to sail, mountains to climb, trails to ride and parks to explore—all in a climate that allows year-round enjoyment.
Advertisement
An afternoon trail ride
Bicycling
Pedal the Burke-Gilman trail, ride the Redmond Velodrome, race the annual Seattle-to-Portland, or hit the trails on Tiger Mountain. Named the 13th Most Bike-Friendly City in the U.S. by Forbes in 2015, Seattle is perfect for all biking personalities. There are dozens of local and statewide clubs. The Bicycle Alliance of Washington offers links to some of them at www.wabikes.org. Click on the “Resources” tab. For trail maps and other biking resources, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike.
British Columbia
Travel out of the country to nearby Canada. Visit the charming cities of Victoria and Vancouver (named the Top Destination in Canada in TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travelers’ Choice awards), or the beautiful Canadian Gulf Islands. Contact Tourism BC Travel for information www.hellobc.com.
Camping
From tents to yurts to RV’s, whatever your camping style, you’ll find it here. • Washington State Parks: Information at (360) 902-8844, www.parks.wa.gov. Reservations at (888) 226-7688, www.washington.goingtocamp.com. • National Forests in the Pacific Northwest: www.fs.usda.gov/r6.
Fishing and Hunting
Washington’s lakes, reservoirs, streams and the nearby waters of Puget Sound create a year-round fishing passion. Contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) at (360) 902-2700, www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing for regulations or licenses. For openings call the Fishing Hotline, (360) 902-2500. Before harvesting shellfish, call the Red Tide Hotline at (800) 562-5632 and the Shellfish Rule Change Hotline at (866) 880-5431. For hunting regulations, contact (360) 902-2515, www.wdfw.wa.gov/hunting.
Golfing in the Greater Seattle Area
The Puget Sound area is home to more than 100 public golf courses. Mild winters allow most to remain open throughout the year. Numerous covered driving ranges offer rainy day alternatives. Visit www.golflink.com to find a course near you. Hiking
With the Cascade Range and the Olympic Mountains so near, hiking is a popular weekend activity. Buy a hiking guide at a local bookstore or visit the Washington Trails Association at www.wta. org for trail suggestions. Contact area hiking organizations like The Mountaineers Club, (206) 521-6000, www.mountaineers.org or The Pacific Northwest Trail Association, (360) 854-9415, www.pnt.org. For trail maps and information, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Walk/Hike.
Mount Rainier National Park
Ninety miles south of Seattle, Mount Rainier at 14,410 feet, is the tallest volcano and one of the highest mountains in the country. Located in Mount Rainier National Park, over 1.7 million people come here each year to hike, bike, camp, climb, fish, snowshoe, cross country ski or just to enjoy the beauty. For information about Visitor Centers, food, lodging, road conditions, fees & permits contact (360) 569-2211, www.nps.gov/mora or www.visitrainier.com.
Mount St. Helens
After the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 over 110,000 acres of devastated land were set aside as a national monument. Today, plants and animals are returning and seismic activity is still being recorded. Several visitor centers allow travelers within a few miles of the crater. Contact: Mount St. Helens National Monument Headquarters, (360) 449-7800, www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens.
North Central Washington
The sun shines on outdoor activities year-round at Lake Chelan, about 180 miles from Seattle. Swimming, waterskiing, fishing, parasailing, and golfing are popular pastimes. Each winter, urban
residents escape to Lake Chelan resorts for snowmobiling and skiing. (800) 4-CHELAN, www.lakechelan.com.
To the northeast is Grand Coulee Dam, North America’s largest concrete dam. Free dam tours are offered and a free laser light show depicting the history of the dam is held nightly starting Memorial Day Weekend through September 30. Contact the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center at (509) 633-9265, www.usbr.gov/pn/ grandcoulee.
On the water or on the slopes, the northwest part of Washington sparkles with recreation. Skiing, scuba diving, hiking, rafting, and skydiving are just a start! Contact Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, (800) 487-2032 or (360) 671-3990, www.bellingham.org.
For a leisurely scenic drive, the Cascade Loop is vibrant spring through fall. Each winter, usually late November to April, a section of State Route 20 closes, so always call ahead to 5-1-1 for road conditions. The 440-mile loop is the “greenest driving loop in America” with electric charging stations aong the route. Contact the Cascade Loop Association for free travel guides and event information, www.cascadeloop.com. During the summer, boat tours of Diablo Lake are popular. (360) 854-2589, www.seattle. gov/light/tours/skagit.
North Cascades National Park near the Canadian border offers over 684,000 acres of pristine high-country wilderness. It features over 300 glaciers—more that half of all the glaciers in the lower 48 states—miles of breathtaking scenery, fishing, hiking and climbing. (360) 854-7200, www.nps. gov/noca.
Ocean Beaches
The beaches of the Pacific Ocean are just two hours from Seattle. The shoreline is varied, from the high craggy cliffs of Moclips and Pacific Beach to Grayland’s wide, sandy expanses that are perfect for flying kites. Several State Parks located in the area offer camping opportunities. At Ocean Shores you can ride horses, rent mopeds, dig clams, collect shells, or golf at a PGA-rated course. (360) 2892451, www.oceanshores.org.
In the southwestern part of the state is Long Beach, North America’s longest sandy beach, offering 28 miles of recreation and beauty. (800) 451-2542, www.funbeach.com.
Olympic Peninsula
A drive around the peninsula to the west of Seattle offers a variety of scenery—from snowcapped mountains and jagged ocean coastlines, to moss-draped rain forests in the Olympic National Park. Hood Canal, on the Puget Sound inlet west of Bremerton, provides miles of beach, caches of clams and numerous state parks.
Also on the peninsula, the Makah Indian Reservation hosts Makah Days in August featuring traditional dancing, singing, Slahal games and canoe races. (360) 645-2201, www.makah.com.
For information regarding Olympic Peninsula events, activities and attractions, contact Chambers of Commerce in key cities such as Port Angeles, Bremerton, Port Townsend and Sequim, or the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau at www.olympicpeninsula.org.
Public Parks
From the conservatory and art museum in Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill to tiny, scenic Kerry Viewpoint on Queen Anne, area parks come in all shapes and sizes and offer special attractions or just a peaceful place to sit. For a free park guide or information regarding recreational and educational programs, contact Seattle Parks and Recreation, (206) 684-4075, www.seattle.gov/parks. For King County Parks and Programs contact (206) 477-4527, www. kingcounty.gov/recreation/parks.
Rain Forests
The Olympic Peninsula is home to three temperate rain forests, the Quinault, Hoh and Queets. These unique ecosystems are the product of an amazing 12 to 14 feet of annual rainfall. Visitors of all fitness levels can take short day hikes through moss-draped Sitka Spruce, some that are hundreds of years old and 250 feet tall. Contact: Olympic National Park Visitors Center, (360) 5653130, (800) 833-6388, www.nps.gov/olym.
Running
Running reigns supreme in Greater Seattle. The biggest challenge for some is finding a flat course. At the downtown waterfront during lunch time, around Green Lake after work, along Shilshole Bay at sunset—if you like to run, there’s a route that meets your training requirements.
The moderate, rarely humid summers and mild winters are wellsuited to running. A myriad of annual events include the Seattle Marathon, the Saint Patrick’s Day Dash and the Beat-the-Bridge Run—a uniquely Seattle race between two drawbridges. Visit www. nwrunner.com and click on “Resources” for a Washington Race Calendar.
Sailing/Boating
In Washington, boating is a central part of the culture. More than a quarter of all Washington households own a boat.
Whether your craft is powered by wind, motor, or muscle, you’re in the right place. The local climate permits this activity year round and even in the dead of winter you’re apt to see sailors clad in bright yellow rain gear. Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are beautiful cruising grounds—from the gunkholer’s paradise of the south Sound to the island-hopping pleasures of the San Juans. Further north, spectacular Vancouver Island and the Inside Passage to Alaska await.
Before setting sail, visit boattravel.com and purchase a copy of Northwest Boat Travel. The Seattle District Corps of Engineers also offers a free brochure and classes providing guidelines for passing through the locks, bridges and local waterways. (206) 764-3742.
For kayaks, canoes, and other human-powered craft, the 140mile Cascadia Marine Trail stretches through Puget Sound to the
