Although Seattle is one of America's most likeable and
vibrant cities, well worth a few days of anybody's time,
perhaps its greatest asset for visitors is its proximity
to the glorious rural scenery of Puget Sound . The islands
here are stepping stones to the Olympic Peninsula to
the west, whose mountains are home to rare elk and lush
vegetation that merges into rainforest, and whose wilderness
beaches have remained unchanged for centuries.
If a cross-country trek takes you through Spokane ,
the Grand Coulee Dam is worth a detour, if you're traveling
the Cascade loop, a memorable 400-mile round-trip through
the stunning Cascade Mountains .
The idyllic beauty of the snowcapped and pine-covered
Cascade Mountains actually conceals awesome volcanic
power - as demonstrated by the 1980 explosion of Mount
St Helens . But away from the truncated, rocky stump
resulting from the blast, the Cascades offer mile upon
mile of forested wilderness, stretching from Canada down
to Oregon, traversed by a skein of beautiful trails -
which, for all but a few summer months, you'll need snowshoes
to follow. The most popular access point is Mount Rainier
, set in its own national park some ninety miles southeast
of Seattle, while the protected zone around Mount St
Helens also rewards a visit for its eerie scenery. Further
north, the North Cascades National Park demands more
time; Hwy-20, the high mountain road that crosses the
Cascades, is by far the most spectacular route to eastern
Washington.
These Washington vacation homes, condos, and cottages are
presented by their Owners or agents. Please click on the links provided, then contact Owners directly with your inquiries.
