National parks in Washington

Washington's National Park Service units are worth considering if you want real variety rather than one marquee attraction. The three flagship parks, North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic, anchor distinct corners of the state and together cover a surprising range of terrain, from glaciated alpine wilderness to temperate rainforest to rugged Pacific coastline. Beyond those three, the collection pushes east into drier, quieter country, where Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area stretches along a vast reservoir, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve protects working farmland and coastal prairie on Whidbey Island, and smaller units like Fishtrap Recreation Area and Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge offer genuine solitude. One thing that stands out across the rated units is how consistently good the stargazing conditions are, which says something about how much dark sky Washington still holds. Hikers and campers will find something worthwhile nearly everywhere, but the state especially rewards anyone willing to plan a trip that moves between the wet west side and the open east.