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

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

Boardwalk to a viewpoint:

Boardwalk to viewpoint

View

We had a picnic lunch there:

Picnic

A tunnel:

Tunnel

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

A bridge:

Bridge

Mountains:

Mountains

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake:

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake

The lake is a fascinating color:

Diablo Lake

Selfie

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

Mount Rainier National Park

We visited Mount Rainier National Park in Washington.

The entrance arch:

Entrance

Entrance ranger station:

Entrance

Park buildings, with a glimpse of the mountain:

Park buildings

Glimpse of mountain

Park building

Ancient log:

Log

Museum:

Park building

Museum

Park building

Picnic lunch:

Picnic lunch

Waterfall:

Waterfall

Mt Rainier:

Mt Rainier

River and trees:

River and trees

Top of a waterfall:

Top of waterfall

Mt Rainier

Paradise visitor center:

Visitor center

Relief map

Building

Mt Rainier

Selfie

Flowers:

Flowers

Selfie

Mt Rainier

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

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

Ducklings:

Ducklings

Selfie

Lots of people enjoying the lake:

Paddleboards

Trillium Lake and Mount Hood

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

After Astoria, we visited Fort Clatsop, part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park:

Fort Clatsop

The visitor center:

Visitor center

Jenn at the passport cancellation station:

Passport cancellation station

Photo spot:

Photo spot

Info sign:

Info sign

A replica of Fort Clatsop one can explore:

Fort Clatsop

Info sign

Trail:

Trail

A ranger talk on water:

Ranger talk on water

216 years ago today:

216 years ago today

Seaside and Astoria

We took a day trip to the Oregon coast.

We had planned to go to Mo’s in Seaside for lunch, but they were too busy, so we continued up the coast.

Some pics of Seaside:

Seaside

Astoria:

Astoria

We ended up going to Bridgewater Bistro, which we had fond memories of from staying in Astoria for our anniversary in 2008:

Bridgewater Bistro

The restaurant is on the pier, and has a cute window in the floor showing the water below (and a skeleton on a rope ladder):

Window in floor

Bridge view

We had a tasty breakfast for a late lunch:

Breakfast for late lunch

After that, we drove over the Astoria–Megler Bridge between Oregon and Washington; a 4 mile long bridge across the Columbia River:

Astoria–Megler Bridge

And back again:

Astoria–Megler Bridge

Cannery Pier Hotel:

Cannery Pier Hotel

Astoria–Megler Bridge

Silver Falls State Park

We visited Silver Falls State Park near Salem, Oregon, and hiked to South Falls and Lower South Falls.

South Falls Day Use Area

But first, a picnic lunch:

Picnic

South Falls Historic District:

South Falls Historic District

Top of South Falls:

Top of South Falls

A switchback path:

Path

Falls selfie:

Falls selfie

South Falls; yes, those are people; there is a path behind the falls:

South Falls

GIF:

GIF

Low ceiling:

Low ceiling

Behind the falls:

Behind the falls

Selfie behind the falls

Behind the falls

Beside the falls

We used our hiking poles, since there were steep portions; not essential, but they do help:

David

South Falls

Bridge

Mossy trees:

Mossy trees

Exposed tree roots:

Exposed tree roots

Water

Steps:

Steps

Lower South Falls:

Lower South Falls

David

Lower South Falls

Steep switchback path:

Steep switchback path

Mossy trees:

Mossy trees

An historic shelter that is being restored:

Historic shelter

Gift store:

Gift store

Cafe:

Cafe

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

We did a couple of hikes in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

The visitor center:

Visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Visitor center

A short one-mile hike through the lava field behind the visitor center, “Trail of the Molten Land”:

Trail of the Molten Land hike

Selfie

Trail of the Molten Land hike

A picnic lunch:

Picnic

Sign:

Sign

Another short hike down to Paulina Falls:

Paulina Falls hike

Paulina lake:

Paulina lake

Paulina visitor center:

Paulina visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Sign:

Sign

Crater Lake National Park

We visited Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

Crater Lake is Oregon’s only national park. We’ve been there a few times before, and no doubt will be back many times.

If you haven’t been to Crater Lake, you haven’t experienced the color blue.

One thing we haven’t yet done is drive all the way around the lake. The East Rim Drive is closed most of the year; it only opens late in summer, it feels like only for a few weeks, though is probably longer. One day we’ll make it at the right time!

Here’s a map showing the open and closed portions:

Crater Lake map

Crater Lake sign:

Crater Lake sign

Road:

Road

Snow:

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Picnic:

Crater Lake

Boat:

Crater Lake

Bikes

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

Road closed:

Road closed

Snow:

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Store:

Store

Visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated:

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated

Squirrel:

Squirrel

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

We visited John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon. It consists of three units; we visited the Sheep Rock Unit and the Painted Hills Unit:

Info sign

Viewpoint:

Viewpoint

Picture Gorge:

Picture Gorge

Sign:

Sign

Picture Gorge:

Picture Gorge

Peak:

Peak

Who was John Day? Just a naked guy who never went there:

Who was John Day?

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Sign

Orville the Oreodont

Signs

Visitor center

A peek into a lab:

Lab

James Cant Ranch. Maybe he should have given up, then:

James Cant Ranch

Picnic lunch:

Picnic

Car

Cabin

Peak

Farm equipment

On the way to the Painted Hills Unit:

Rocks

Painted hills:

Painted hills

Map

Painted hills

Selfie

Painted hills

Utah Alpine Loop scenic drive and Bridal Veil Falls

We did a day trip drive along the Utah Alpine Loop scenic drive, to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument visitor center, through the outskirts of Salt Lake City, and to Bridal Veil Falls.

Here’s an embedded map of the route, as an experiment (alternative link):

Alpine Loop scenic drive:

Alpine Loop scenic drive

We stopped at the Timpanogos Cave National Monument visitor center, since it was on the way. We didn’t go to the actual cave, since (a) it requires reservations, (b) it requires a fairly long hike to reach it, and (c) it requires having never been in a cave before:

Timpanogos Cave National Monument