Washington Trip Details (July 2006)
Rainier National Park
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Two good day hike options include the Skyline Trail (4 miles return) in the Paradise section and the Fremont Fire Lookout Trail (5.6 miles return) in the Sunrise section.
Scenic Drives
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Rte 540 to Mt. Baker does not open all the way till late July. If you are driving on it earlier, be prepared to trek the final two miles on 10 feet of snow!
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In the Mt. Baker region, dont miss the Picture Lake (be there early) and the Mt. Baker view point at the end of the FR 39. FR 39 is drivable on a regular passenger car.
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The best view point to see Mt. Adams is on the shores of Takhlakh lake. But the catch is that to reach here you need to drive on unpaved forest roads for at least 30 miles. FR23 is a better way to reach there than FR21.
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If you are planning to visit the North Cascades Natoinal Park, note that the park does not have any road access. The Rte 20 that seems to cut through the park gets nowhere near the park boundary. The park does not start for a few miles on either side of the road.
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One of the gems on the Rte 20 is the Rainy Lake. The nearby 4 mile (return) Rainy Pass trail is quite stunning as well.