A National Park, the Rocky Mountains and Back

Overview

This trip will not only take you from the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest to the high desert beyond the Rocky Mountains, but also through a beautiful National Park or two. This will be an epic road-trip that will start in the mists of the Pacific Northwest and head east to the sun-soaked sage-brushed flats of Idaho, before turning back west and ending back in Seattle. The trip will take you from sea level to 6,000 ft or more, so be prepared for a little acclimatization. Seattle is one of the world’s great cities, and there is so much to do here, from the expansive parks to the piers where you can fresh fish right off the boat. Our recommendation would be to fly into Seattle, immediately get your luggage and car, and then head out on the road to explore a National Park. The reason being, this is going to be a unbelievably fun trip, but there is so much you are going to see and do, that to “unwind” for a few days in Seattle before you head back home would be a great way to end your trip.

Preparation

We recommend at least three weeks to encompass all of the possible offerings that are suggested in this itinerary, including a National Park. A lot of distance is covered here, so it would be ideal to spend a couple of days in, say, North Cascades National Park or Mount Rainier National Park, driving many hours to and from there. (Of course, the drives themselves are wonderfully scenic, so it won’t feel long at all! The journey is the destination, as they say.) Many of the drives are relatively short – many are only around three road hours between stops – while at least two of the drives will take a good portion of your day, so plan accordingly. (These longer drives could be broken up into segments, too.) The weather in the region is generally predictable: somewhat chilly in the early spring, quite hot in the peak summer months, crisp and cool in the fall. In Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon, it can occasionally snow in the later fall months, so pack intelligently. This trip could be done almost any time of year, but possible heavy snow in November through February can make driving in those more mountainous areas rather dangerous. Aside from frequent rain in the winter, the coastal regions would be fine at any time.