The Pacific Northwest is a land of extremes. With towering peaks, explosive volcanoes, humongous trees, and lakes so deep they defy logic, it is no wonder that so many folks live in and visit this magical place.
Whether you’ve lived here for decades or are visiting for the first time, let this be your inspiration to get out and explore some of the wildest places in the region.
This road trip will take you from the northern stretches of California to the wild outback of Eastern Oregon, past towering volcanoes, and, finally, to the rugged shorelines of the Olympic Peninsula.
So sit back and let’s explore some of the wildest places in the Pacific Northwest.
Mount Rainier, WA
At over 14,000 feet tall, Mt. Rainier is the king of the mountains in the Pacific Northwest. And hiding under all that snow and ice is a still very active volcano that keeps nearby residents on high alert year-round.
A visit to the Paradise side of the mountain will give you an up-close view of the glaciers that snake their way up the valleys to the ice-capped peak of this iconic PNW mountain.
Crater Lake, OR
Crater Lake takes the crown as the deepest lake in all of North America, at nearly 2,000 feet! Add in the fact that the lake is only 6,000 to 8,000 years old and that makes this one of the most unique geological spots in the entire country, much less the Pacific Northwest.
Don’t miss hiking down to the lake’s edge, where you can soak up the crystal clear waters that plunge to unimaginable depths.
Olympic National Park, WA
You would be hard-pressed to find a national park anywhere in the country with a more diverse range of environments than Olympic National Park. From lush valleys to glaciated peaks to some of the wildest and most rugged coastline in the lower 48, this park truly has it all.
Our favorite section to visit is the beaches, where you can hike for miles alongside massive piles of driftwood, towering sea stacks, and camp to some of the best sunsets you’ll find anywhere.
Mount St. Helens, WA
For many longtime PNW residents, Mt. St. Helens was a normal mountain peak, much like nearby Mt. Adams. But on one fateful day over forty years ago, the mountain and the landscapes around it were forever changed. The volcanic eruption that ensued wiped out an entire side of the mountain and decimated the surrounding forests.
Visitors today can see signs of life returning to the fields surrounding the mountain, but the destructive evidence of the eruption is still on full display.
Hells Canyon, OR
Ask most folks what the deepest canyon in the United States is and the typical answer will be the Grand Canyon. They would be close, but the title actually goes to Hells Canyon, which straddles the Idaho and Oregon border and plunges nearly 8,000 feet from the high desert above to the Snake River below.
Redwood National and State Parks, CA
A drive down to the forests of Northern California will take you through the groves of the tallest trees in the world. The damp marine air here breeds the perfect environment for these giants to reach over 300 feet into the skies above.
It is impossible to impress just how huge these trees truly are until you find yourself deep in the forest among them, and it becomes nearly impossible to even spot the top of the canopy.
North Cascades National Park, WA
Despite being arguably the most beautiful national park in the entire Pacific Northwest, North Cascades National Park is the second least visited park in all of the continental United States! This is in part due to its remote location (although there are plenty of other remote parks out there) and partly due to the entire park shutting down during the winter months, as the road through these snowy mountain passes is nearly impossible to maintain.
One of the best, but also the busiest, times to visit the park is during the fall when the landscape explodes into a bouquet of reds, oranges, and yellows. Fall happens quickly, though, at these high elevations. One week, it can be peak fall color season, and the next, a blanket of snow can cover everything.
Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA
Yellowstone National Park isn’t the only place in North America to get an up-close look at geothermal features. The little-visited Lassen National Park in Northern California is also home to mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and valleys filled with vents sending constant steam into the air.
