Cascade Parks

Earlier this month we had a 5-day block off work to explore. This time we ventured northish to visit more of the Cascades. Starting with Mt. St. Helens. It was hot so we opted to camp with electricity. Running the air conditioning not only made lil' yeti more comfortable. That also eased the thermal strain on a fridge ready for last rites. With that strategy Seaquest State Park fit the bill. We arrived early enough Monday afternoon to leave the A/C going and visited the national park.

Visibility was hazy due to smoke from BC wildfires. Still we enjoyed two different films about the park. Plus a scenic drive up and back WA-504 despite the haze. Sometimes context is everything. Sometimes a visit isn't just about the park. Hoffstadt Bridge is a captivating example.

Olympic Peninsula

On a recent week off we visited the Olympic Peninsula. Monday morning we headed out the scenic route. Starting through nearby Trout Lake for some huckleberry rolls at the cafe. NF-23 is 67 miles north to Randle. All but 11 miles were paved but some of that was frost heaved worse than the washboard gravel from lil' yeti's perspective. A couple cabinet doors were opened and their contents strewn all over inside. But nothing messy or broken, fortunately.

At Randle we found an IGA with lunch fixin's. Then US-12 west to Marys Corner, and I-5 north to Tumwater (near Olympia). US-101 north lead to Seal Rock CG (Olympic NF) in Quilcene for the night. It's near Dabob Bay on Hood Canal which connects with Puget Sound. The beach was surprisingly rocky with the unsurprising aroma of low tide.

That or overflowing dumpsters from weekend visitors. But a timely trash truck emptied them during our after dinner walk, which was a mixed blessing.

Tuesday we continued up 101 (aka, Pacific Coast Highway) to Port Angeles and Olympic National Park. Nice visitor center. Helpful staff. Good orientation film. Excellent displays.