Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
Hoh Rainforest
I spent the day exploring the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, one of the wettest and most unique forests in the United States. Moss-covered trees, towering Sitka spruce, elk along the roadside, and conversations with fellow travelers and photographers turned a long day of driving into one of the most memorable experiences of my Washington journey.
Lake Crescent: Marymere Falls Trail
After a quiet night parked in Port Angeles, I spent the afternoon hiking the Marymere Falls Trail near Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. Moss-covered trees, emerald green forests, Barnes Creek, and soft evening light made this one of the most peaceful hikes I’ve done in Washington. The day ended beside the water before finding another quiet street to sleep for the night.
Hurricane Ridge to Mount Angeles
A fog-filled drive up Hurricane Ridge turned into one of the most physically demanding hikes I’ve done in years. From steep snowfields and loose mountain trails to wildlife encounters, mountain photography, and an unexpected friendship with an Army trainer newly arrived from Alaska, this day in Olympic National Park became far more memorable than I expected when I left the van that morning.
Olympia, WA State Capitol
I toured the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington after unexpectedly joining a tour already in progress. Inside, I explored the marble rotunda, legislative chambers, and the enormous Tiffany chandelier hanging beneath the dome. Outside, the capitol steps were filled with a National Day of Prayer gathering that raised questions about religion, public spaces, and what religious freedom really means in practice.
Leavenworth, Snowqualmie Falls, & Trains
An early morning walk through Leavenworth led to coffee shops, quiet streets, and unexpected conversations before continuing west to Snoqualmie Falls and the Northwest Railway Museum. Between roaring waterfalls, nurse trees, hydroelectric history, and rusting steam locomotives slowly being reclaimed by the forest, this became one of the most visually interesting days I’ve had in Washington.
Banks Lake Birds & Lake Chelan
A peaceful morning beside Banks Lake in Washington state was filled with frogs, geese, and Red-winged Blackbirds until the mood shifted after witnessing children using air rifles to shoot birds along the shoreline. Leaving the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area behind, the drive continued through Chelan and eventually to Wenatchee in search of a quieter place to spend the night.
Spokane River Walk
Spokane surprised me. What started as a simple search for coffee became a full day exploring downtown, walking the Spokane Riverwalk, watching the falls crash through the center of the city, and stumbling into a state wrestling tournament at The Podium. The night ended beside Banks Lake listening to birds in the reeds while a bald eagle skimmed low across the water at dusk.
Snake River to Steptoe Butte
A long day on the backroads of eastern Washington led from the Snake River to Palouse Falls and Steptoe Butte. Along the way were abandoned homesteads, giant transmission towers, railroad trestles, smoke-filled farmland, and some of the best rolling landscape photography I’ve encountered anywhere in the United States.