Four National Parks in 1.5 Weeks?
August 3rd, 2024 - August 14th, 2024
That title probably sounds a little crazy, but that’s what we did! Me and my husband, Hayden, traveled to four national parks we had never been to in 1.5 weeks on the West coast of the United States. We also spent a night in Seaside, Oregon and two nights in Sunset Bay State Park which gave us the opportunity to visit the state parks right next to it as well (Shore Acres and Cape Arago). In this post, I will list what we did, what we would recommend (always visit visitor centers!), and the things we would have done a bit differently…
North Cascades ⇢ Olympic ⇢ Redwoods ⇢ Crater Lake
North Cascades National Park
Campsite: Colonial Creek Campground
Amenities: This campsite has lakefront sites on Diablo Lake. There are also toilets that flush which is always a plus! This campsite also had basic amenities like a picnic table and a fire pit (although we didn’t use it due to fire bans).
Highlights: The biggest highlight of this campground is the fact that it is right on Diablo Lake! Diablo Lake literally looks like a lake full of Taco Bell’s Baja Blast, so it was pretty cool to be so close to it.
What to do: We headed down to the beach on our campsite right after we set up camp. Hayden swam in Diablo Lake. I preferred to hang out on the beach because the water is pretty cold. There were a few people swimming, but not many. Whether you want to swim or hang out on the beach, Diablo Lake is a worthwhile stop. Diablo Lake Vista Point offers a great view of the lake from above. The viewpoint from above is arguably more impressive, but hanging out on the beach (or in the water) is still fun! We also went to the Trail of the Cedars, which was about a 15-minute drive from the campground. The trail is only .6 miles with barely any elevation gain, so it is more of a nature-walk than a hike. We spent about half an hour exploring the area - it had a lot of cool views and some interesting information about the cedar trees available via signs as well! I personally think it was well-worth the visit.
The next day, we began making our way towards Olympic National Park. We decided to take the ferry from Edmonds, WA to Kingston, WA. I personally found it to be a cool experience! It wasn’t too expensive (price depends on if you are taking your vehicle on or not as well as how many people you are traveling with) and was fun if you aren’t used to using a ferry! We met a friend in Kingston and ate at J’aime Les Crepes. This place has the best crepes I have ever had, hands down! We got the supreme grilled chicken and lavender sugar crepes and split them - it was plenty of food! Both were fantastic. I would definitely recommend getting a savory one and a sweet one! Our friend got the smoked salmon one and said that one was his favorite. Some crepes are $15, but for the size of them, I think it is totally worth it. There were a couple of downsides to the place, but none related to the food itself! There is no indoor seating, which is fine on a sunny day, but probably not desirable otherwise and there was no restroom to use. The outside seating was quite nice on the day we went because it was a great temperature.
Me being the coffee-addict I am, we also stopped at Over the Moon Coffee Roasters. IF YOU LIKE COFFEE, GO HERE. The barista who helped me was very sweet! I ordered a 20oz espresso milkshake sweetened with caramel sauce. I was pleasantly surprised that it came with three shots of espresso and was not made with a frappe powder! It was just the right amount of sweet and super creamy. Very cute interior/exterior. Nice back patio. Overall, great experience!
Olympic National Park
Campsite: Bogachiel State Park
Amenities: This campsite has all the basic campsite amenities, but it also has flushable toilets and showers! When planning a long camping trip, showers are ALWAYS a plus. Showering at truck stops can be expensive, so finding a campsite with showers - if you can - is well worth it.
Highlights: The park is beautiful - it’s SO green. It’s also just a generally nice campground. It’s also in Forks, Washington which is where Twilight takes place so if you’re a fan, there are Twilight tours and gift shops available!
What to do: Olympic National Park is known for the fact that you can view three different types of scenery here - coastal, mountains, and the rainforest. The first thing we did during our stay at Olympic was go tide pooling on Ruby Beach, which is about 30 minutes from Bogachiel State Park where we stayed. Ruby Beach is known for its amazing tide pooling, and it did not disappoint. We saw SO many critters, especially a lot of starfish! Just make sure you look up what time low tide is at for a good viewing experience. Hayden and I agreed that this was one of our favorite things we did on the trip. If you are near this beach, go to it!!
Afterwards, we tried to visit the Hoh Rainforest. If you want to visit the Hoh Rainforest - plan accordingly. The Hoh Rainforest’s parking lot is extremely small. Therefore, wait times to get into the park can be up to 2+ hours if you don’t go at the right time. The trick is to go before 10am or after 4pm. We did not end up waiting to get into the rainforest. We reoriented our plan and decided we would do it the next morning before 10am.
Alternatively, we made the trek to Port Angeles, to go to Sol Duc Hot Springs as well as visit Hurricane Ridge. Driving from the rainforest to Sol Duc took about two hours, and it was an additional hour and a half to Hurricane Ridge. One downside to Olympic National Park is the fact that it is HUGE. So, traveling this far is kind of inevitable when visiting a park like this - that is, if you want to see all it has to offer. Even though the drive took us some time, Sol Duc was a great place to relax. Admission was $18 a person (for adults) for a 90-minute dip. They had affordable drinks available as well. My only complaint is that the ground around the pools is quite rough to walk on, so bring sandals that slide on and off easily!
After our swim, we drove to Hurricane Ridge. It offered some amazing views. There are several different hiking trails to view the surrounding area, all of which are pretty easy. They also all offer similar views. The mountain views are stunning, though, and we thought driving another 1.5 hours was worth it to see. We saw some wildlife here as well, a momma deer with three fawns.
The next morning, we did as we planned, and we visited the Hoh Rainforest before 10am. It was easy to get in! There was no wait. The parking lot was full, but they do have a little bit of overflow parking available so that was how we parked. While we were here, we did one of their shortest trails - The Hall of Mosses which was 1.1 miles and less than 100 feet of elevation gain. This hike was well worth it. There were incredible views of trees draped in curtains of moss and forest floors FULL of vegetation. Keep your eyes peeled for mushrooms growing on trees! We also saw a deer here. A deer may not be the most remarkable wildlife sighting, but it was cool to see one in a dense rainforest environment. Although it did not rain while we were there, I would recommend bringing a rain jacket. It is a rainforest after all.
Seaside, Oregon
After hiking in the rainforest, we headed to Seaside, Oregon, to experience the Oregon Coast. About 25 minutes away from Seaside is the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Now, this was more of a stop for Hayden than it was for myself… but, if you like history, like my husband, this is a great place to visit! I found it interesting, too, but I may not have stopped here if I was alone. However, the park was filled with wonderful volunteers and a lot of rich historical information.
Hotel: Ebb Tide Inn
This is the ONLY night we did not camp.
Amenities: Ebb Tide offered free breakfast, nice rooms, wifi, and a pool/hot tub. It also had partial and full oceanfront view rooms available. We stayed in a room with a partial oceanfront. I think the amenities here were fair given the price of the stay.
Highlights: Perhaps my favorite thing about staying at Ebb Tide was the easy access to downtown Seaside.
What to do: Go to downtown Seaside! It is very enjoyable to explore all the shops and restaurants downtown. I stopped at Pronto Pup for a quick bite. It was a great corndog for a decent price. Not my typical choice, but I wanted something quick and easy. We also saw entertainment on the beach in the downtown area. There were two guys blowing HUGE bubbles. It was fun to watch the kids try and pop them, and it was also fun to pop them ourselves.
We turned in for the night after this, but the next morning we got up early, grabbed breakfast and a coffee to-go from the hotel, and booked it down to the beach during low tide to look for sand dollars. It took me a while to find them, but I had the most success in finding them in pools that had formed on the beach. I found three full ones - two were alive, so I put them back. However, I did find one dead one that I got to keep. You can tell if a sand dollar is alive versus dead based on their color. If they are a deep purple, they are alive! Put them back! But if they are a gray or white color, they’re dead, and safe to keep!
Sunset Bay State Park
Our next stop was Sunset Bay State Park, which was five hours from Ebb Tide Inn. Because our trip included the Redwoods, we drove pretty far down the coast regardless of the great options further up. On our way, we stopped in Tillamook, about an hour into our drive, to go to the Tillamook Creamery. Honestly, it wasn’t the same it used to be, but you can get some free cheese samples. However, the food and ice cream were really overpriced and the lines were outrageously long so we decided to skip everything but the free tour and free samples. Even that was a little overwhelming because there were SO many people. It was a worthwhile stop IF you’ve never been, but I probably won’t be returning.
We also stopped at Mo’s Seafood and Chowder in Lincoln City, about an hour away from Tillamook. Now THIS is worth it! Mo’s is an Oregon Coast classic, and in my opinion, you’ve got to go! The clam chowder is classic - definitely try it if you can! The fish and chips is a great dish, so are the clam strips! We also had an ocean view while sitting at our table.
Campsite: Sunset Bay State Park
Amenities: This campsite had amazing shower facilities, along with all the basic ones you need. We could have fires here which was nice; they sold firewood on site.
Highlights: This campsite offered free tide pooling tours! Although Hayden and I decided to explore the park’s tide pools on our own time (in the evening), I think the tide pool tours are a really cool thing to offer for free! This campsite was by far our favorite one we stayed at. It had great facilities and it is surrounded by two other state parks - Shore Acres and Cape Arago, so there is a lot to see in the area!
What to do: During our first morning in the area, we drove to The Tin Rooster in North Bend which was about 20 minutes away. I could not recommend this coffee shop enough. It may be my favorite coffee shop I have ever visited and I’m a little heartbroken that it is not local to my town. The coffee was excellent, Hayden got a s’mores mocha and it was presented in such a cute way. The pastries were amazing too. Grab an oatmeal cookie if they still have them! This is a must-visit for coffee lovers in the area.
Afterwards, we drove back towards Coos Bay which is the closest town to Sunset Bay. We visited the Charleston Marine Life Center. This is another must-visit in the area! Students get in for free, non-students have a $5 entry fee. You get access to a small aquarium on the bottom floor, with a couple of touch-pools and tanks with aquatic creatures. On the upper floor, there is a museum with a lot of information about marine life in the area. This place was SO affordable and entertaining, we loved it. This was genuinely one of my favorite things we did on the trip.
Later during the day, we ate at Miller’s at the Cove Sports Bar & Grill which is also in Coos Bay, actually quite close to the marine life center. The food and service were excellent. Our waitress was the sweetest woman! The fish and chips here were really good… can you tell me and Hayden like fish and chips?
Shore Acres State Park
Highlights: This park has an adorable gift shop! They also have an event for New Year’s Eve on the night of December 31st and the morning of January 1st. You can purchase an overnight stay for 2 adults in the garden house, that comes with a catered breakfast the next morning, for only $10! They also leave their holiday lights on the night of your stay! There are only 300 spots available. Hayden and I didn’t inquire more about it, but it sounds like a really fun way to spend the holiday!
What to do: Check out the gift shop and walk around the garden! The garden has so many beautiful flowers to look at as well as a pond with lily pads and a statue! You can view the garden and a nice fountain in the garden as well. I had a blast walking around with my camera and taking pictures of all the little details of this place, so if you’re into photography, I’d recommend taking your camera here!
Cape Arago State Park
What to do: There are several places to view sea lions here, go search for them!! You can find them on large rock formations in the ocean.
Redwoods National and State Parks
Campsite: Boise Creek Campground
Amenities: The basics were provided here. Water spouts, fire pits, picnic tables. An exceptionally clean vault toilet. Also, the camp host was SO sweet. She talked to us frequently, and made sure we were enjoying our stay.
Highlights: There is a charming little hike at this camp site. This camp site is small, so the hike is pretty private. We didn’t encounter a single person on the trail. And the best part of this hike is, you hike down to the creek. However, there are a lot of rock formations around this creek and it creates the BEST swimming hole. The water was a good temperature, too. It wasn’t too cold. I regrettably did not wear a swimsuit so I did not swim but Hayden did and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Disclaimer: I would NOT recommend staying here if you are primarily planning on exploring the Redwoods. This campground was pretty far from a lot of the things we did, but closer sites were not available when we planned the trip. So make sure to plan your National Park trips well in advance! However, we did like this site for the camp host and the hike.
What to do: Avenue of the Giants is a great drive-thru experience of the Redwoods. There are several stops on the way that have a variety of hikes and information about the park. You get views of the stunning trees in all different varieties. This was a fun way to explore and take lots of pictures!
We also stopped at the Drive-Thru Tree Park. It cost $15 to enter with a vehicle. For a cheaper entry, you can go in on foot. It grants you access to a little tree village, wooden bear statues to view, a tree you can drive through (Hayden said doing it TWICE is a must!), and a tree you can drive on top of (we also did that twice). There is also a gift shop. Is it worth the price? I think so, but probably just once. If you haven’t been, consider going. But it probably isn’t worth a re-visit.
The next place we went was The Eternal Tree House. The cafe was closed, which was disappointing, but the gift shop was open, and of course you could go inside the 20-foot room inside of a tree. It’s a fun stop, especially since it’s free, but you aren’t missing out terribly if you don’t go.
Hayden particularly liked our stop in Ferndale. It is Guy Fieri’s hometown. There’s a lot of Victorian architecture throughout the town as well as cute shops and plenty of coffee spots too.
Fern Canyon is a great place to hike in the Redwoods. Before the hike, you drive on a road where a beach is visible. This was where I saw for the first time ever, an elk on the beach! The hike itself was very similar in climate to the rainforest. You were required to cross over multiple streams, both in your car on the way to get there (my Honda CR-V did just fine) and on foot when you’re hiking. However, there are little wooden planks that will assist you across the water. I hiked in Doc Marten ankle boots and didn’t get my shoes wet. There were a lot of banana slugs on this trail which I thought was fun! You also get views of quite literally, a fern canyon. There are walls of ferns on either side of you as you progress through the trail. Beware, though, you need a permit to do this hike. Permits are free. This was another very easy trail; it was 1.1 miles with 127 feet of elevation gain. Although this hike is short, it is worth checking out for its extremely unique scenery.
Crater Lake National Park
Campsite: Little Crater Campground
Amenities: Again, the basics, and a pretty clean vault toilet.
Highlights: This campground is right on a beautiful lake and the water in the lake is a great temperature. We thought about swimming, but it was VERY windy while we were there for some reason. It also dropped down into the 40s at night which felt pretty cold for an August camping trip. However, this campground wasn’t bad and was surrounded by beautiful scenery.
What to do: Our favorite thing we did in Crater Lake National Park was hike down to the lake itself to take a swim. The water was cold, but it was bearable, and it was SO refreshing (because at this point, we hadn’t showered in a while…). There were a lot of chipmunks on the rocky beach, who are very friendly, especially if you bring food to snack on! Don’t feed them, but they might try to take things from you… The hike back up is strenuous, so if you’re going to do it, be prepared for that. The hike back up is apparently equal to climbing 65 flights of stairs, and boy did it feel like it. It is 2.1 miles, with 610 feet of elevation gain (you hit it all on the mile back up). However, this hike was SO worth it. The lake is remarkable, unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and the water was simply amazing.
We unfortunately didn’t have a ton of time in Crater Lake, and I think this hike is really the most notable experience we had in the park. However, there is much more to explore!
Now for the most important part… what went wrong?
This section exists so I can tell you what we did wrong while we traveled. I find traveling can often be a rich experience, not only in seeing exciting new things, but also learning some lessons.
Firstly, plan your trip at LEAST six months in advance, especially if you are going to national parks. This will allow you to find camping spots much closer to the parks than we were able to. Spots in or near the parks fill up FAST. Also, be aware of the fact that wildfires could affect your trip in the hotter seasons. We originally planned to go to Lassen Volcanic National Park as well, making our trip two weeks, but a wildfire caused the park to close. We then had to rearrange plans and find a non-ideal campsite for Crater Lake (it was pretty far from the park due to a fire closing the North entrance of the park, adding an entire hour to the trip to Crater Lake).
Secondly, we didn’t give ourselves enough time to travel to all the places we did and fully experience what each place had to offer. We both agreed that we would want to go back to several of these spots. The way we planned our trip was effective in seeing a lot of things, but it was a lot of getting from place to place and we noticed that kind of sucked the joy out of us in a couple of instances. We still think it was worth it, but we will do it a little differently next time we plan a road trip.
Thirdly, find campsites with showers if you can. Especially if you’re going to be camping for a long time. After not showering for a while, I obviously felt pretty gross. Of course, I had hygiene products, and we went swimming, but nothing can replace a shower.
While we did run into some difficulties along the way, traveling is never perfect, and we are always up for the adventure.