By ashley nash baltazar
While the Pacific Northwest spans Oregon, Washington and Idaho, parts of California, Montana, Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia are also included. The entire area offers a beautiful range of terrain.
With cloudy and rainy skies in the winter and a mild, dry climate in the summer, the PNW remains a region for outdoor lovers. These day trips capture just that!
A 30-minute drive from Seattle, North Snoqualmie Falls has a breathtaking 270-foot waterfall viewable from a nearby observation deck. The hiking trail is 1.4 miles roundtrip.
Mount Rainier National Park is a 1.5-hour drive from Seattle, although closer to Tacoma, Washington. It offers views and gates to specific areas for easier and harder hikes.
Located two hours and fifteen minutes outside of Seattle, Leavenworth is in the Cascade Mountains. It's a Bavarian-style town with beautiful scenery and festivals.
For the short hike lovers, Multnomah Falls is a favorite and within a 4-hour drive of Oregon. It's a longer distance for a day trip, but well worth it as you'll find the largest waterfall in the state.
Silver Falls State Park is another waterfall destination in the PNW. It's located one hour and fifteen minutes outside of Portland and has beautiful views, especially in autumn.
Less than an hour drive from Oregon, Bend is for the outdoors lover who enjoys physical activity. Skiing, hiking and mountain biking are enjoyed by visitors and locals.
The Boise National Forest is over 2 million acres of mountains, rivers and forests less than an hour from Idaho. It offers different levels of hikes to suit beginners and the advanced.
A bit of a longer drive from Idaho, the park and recreation area is a four drive from the city. It has a free-standing sand dune, hiking and two lakes for fishing.