exploring

Attractions and other places we visit.

Golfing to the Sun and waterfalls in Glacier National Park

Once the family arrived at the campground, we did another couple of trips into Glacier National Park. I didn’t go on one, but for the last trip, we all went to West Glacier Village for lunch, swag shopping, and mini golf. Then went a bit into the park to look at some waterfalls.

The Café:

Café

Burger:

Burger

Gift shop:

Gift shop

Golfing to the Sun mini golf:

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

I got a hole in one on the 18th hole; yay!

Golfing to the Sun

A bear makes rude comments on the putting skill:

Golfing to the Sun

Mercantile:

Mercantile

We headed into the park:

West Entrance

Lake McDonald:

Lake McDonald

McDonald Creek:

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

A viewing deck:

Viewing deck

Viewing deck

Selfie

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek bridge:

McDonald Creek bridge

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

A horse tour crossing the bridge:

Horses

Horses

Horses

Horses

Lake McDonald Lodge:

Lake McDonald Lodge

Lake McDonald one last time:

Lake McDonald

Glacier National Park halfway

Since we had a short drive to Moose Creek, we decided to visit Glacier National Park that evening.

The park currently requires reservations to enter the main part during the day, but entry is unrestricted from 4 PM. We had reservations for every day, except that first day.

Entrance:

Entrance

West Glacier Village:

West Glacier Village

West Glacier Café:

West Glacier Café

Golfing to the Sun mini golf:

Golfing to the Sun

Entrance sign:

Entrance sign

Entrance station:

Entrance station

Our annual pass expired (since we’ve been doing this for a year), so it was time to get a new one. Great value for us:

New annual pass

Apgar visitor center:

Apgar visitor center

Passport stamp station, with phone chargers provided; nice of them:

Passport stamp and phone chargers

The visitor center:

Visitor center

An iconic red bus:

Red bus

Views along Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Views

Views

Views

Tunnel

Views

Wildfire smoke:

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Waterfall

Logan Pass visitor center, halfway along the road, and at the continental divide:

Logan Pass visitor center

Logan Pass visitor center

Stamp

Logan Pass visitor center

Flowers

Flowers

Flowers

Heading back down the hill:

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Lake

Beaver Bay Beach

Near the campground was a nice sandy swimming beach tucked into a cove, called Beaver Bay Beach.

Here’s an interactive map:

Entrance to the beach road:

Entrance to beach road

Our bikes by the snack shack:

Bikes

A glimpse of the beach through the trees:

Beach

A nice swimming beach:

Beach

Beach

Beach

Beach

The lake:

Lake

A barrier between the swimming and boating portions:

Beach

Paddling:

Paddling

A bird was chased by a bald eagle, and dropped a fish:

Bird and fish

We went back to the beach again another day:

Beach

We went for a swim. I took my phone into the water (it’s waterproof), and captured some pictures of a fish that was interested in us:

Fish

Fish and Jenn's toes

Fish

Us in the water:

Jenn and David

Underwater pic of a rock:

Rock

Underwater view of the sun:

Underwater sun

Ducks:

Ducks

A nice swimming beach:

Beach

Farragut Museum at the Brig

We did a bike ride around Farragut State Park. One of the places we visited was Farragut Museum at the Brig, a museum in what was the naval prison on the naval training grounds.

Our bikes out front:

Bikes

The US Navy Brig entrance:

US Navy Brig

The courtyard:

Courtyard

Fire engine:

Fire engine

Museum at the Brig:

Museum at the Brig

Admiral Farragut:

Admiral Farragut

Naval training center map:

Naval training center

A couple of cells:

Cell

Cell

Exhibits:

Exhibits

Exhibits

A model of the gym:

Model

Women of WWII:

Women of WWII

Another cell:

Cell

Flags:

Flags

A sailor statue:

Sailor statue

Faces:

Faces

The front of the brig again:

Brig

Mount Baker day-trip

We took a six-hour day-trip around and up Mount Baker in northern Washington.

Here’s an interactive map of our route:

Our first stop was at the Acme Diner for brunch:

Acme Diner

Acme Diner

Acme Diner

Acme Diner

Acme Diner

Acme art:

Acme art

Continuing on:

Bridge

Our second stop was at the Glacier Public Service Center, where Jenn collected a cancellation stamp, and we got a paper map with local info:

Glacier Public Service Center

Glacier Public Service Center

Log

A one lane road:

One lane road

Next was Nooksack Falls:

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Nooksack Falls

Then up Mount Baker to the Heather Meadows Visitor Center, a very picturesque area:

Mt Baker

Mt Baker

Wild Goose Trail

Wildflowers

Wildflowers

Wildflowers

Visitor center

Lake

View

View

View

Visitor center

Visitor center

Visitor center

Cancellation stamp

View

Visitor center

Visitor center

Gift store

And to the end of the road, Artist Point:

View

View

View

View

International Overlander:

International Overlander

View

View

View

View

View

View

View

An enjoyable day-trip.

North Cascades National Park

We went up to Concrete, Washington — almost to Canada — just to check off another national park, North Cascades.

A rather nice entrance sign:

ENtrance sign

A map of the Newhalem area:

Map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Jenn enjoys getting the passport cancellation stamps:

Passport cancellation station

A helpful sign:

Helpful sign

Do not touch the bear:

Do not touch the bear

Relief map:

Relief map

Displays:

Displays

Displays

Boardwalk to a viewpoint:

Boardwalk to viewpoint

View

View

We had a picnic lunch there:

Picnic

A tunnel:

Tunnel

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

A bridge:

Bridge

Mountains:

Mountains

Mountains

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake:

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake

The lake is a fascinating color:

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Selfie

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

A very dusty road, due to roadworks:

Dusty road

Lake:

Lake

Outside the park, a Wilderness Information Center:

Wilderness Info Center

Relief map:

Relief map

The reason for visiting it, another passport cancellation station:

Passport cancellation station

Wilderness Info Center

Trillium Lake

While staying near Mount Hood, we of course had to visit Trillium Lake for its great view of the mountain.

A view of the mountain on the way:

Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood from the dam area:

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

We had a picnic dinner:

Picnic

Then enjoyed views of the mountain over the lake:

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

This may look a little familiar: it’s the view on the Magne Shade on our coach windscreen (except during daytime):

Magne Shade

More pics:

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Ducklings:

Ducklings

Selfie

Lots of people enjoying the lake:

Paddleboards

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood