There’s never a bad time to pay homage to the majestic, visually stunning national parks in Washington. Every April, National Park Week reminds us to appreciate the rugged natural beauty we have right here in our own backyard. But the truth is, every week is National Park Week when you live here.

The Evergreen State is home to three national parks, and we believe you should make an effort to see all of them (preferably more than once). When done right, a day at our national parks will leave you feeling awestruck, connected to nature, and in love with Washington all over again.

Mount Rainier National Park is definitely the most popular (and easily accessible) of the three.
Diana Robinson / Flickr
Mount Rainier is an iconic part of the Pacific Northwest. We even have an expression for clear days: "The mountain is out."
The park has over 130 trails, a wildlife park, waterfalls, meadows, and plenty of lodging options from camping to cabins.
Maciek Lulko / Flickr
The park is located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County, and it's fairly easy for most Washingtonians to reach.
Unless you love to hike through the snow, you should visit this enchanting place in the summer.
JD Hascup / Flickr
Spring and autumn can be quite colorful as well.
Tucked away on a mystical peninsula is Olympic National Park, a park so massive that it has four distinct regions.
TjFlex2 / Flickr
From temperate rainforest to wildflower meadows and rugged forest, you'll find it all here. The park even has three distinct ecosystems.

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One of the reasons this park is so popular is because of the enchanting, otherworldly beaches.
Diana Robinson / Flickr
Because of the sea stacks in the water and the frequent fog and haze, you'll feel like you're in another world when you're here.
Olympic National Park has an abundance of outdoor recreation, including over 100 hikes.
BDFri2012 / Flickr
Make sure to check out the views from the top of Hurricane Ridge.
Tucked up in northwest Washington about three hours from Seattle sits the enormous North Cascades.
Andy Porter / Flickr
The park spans over 500,000 acres, which mainly consist of mountains, lakes, and sweeping views.
North Cascades National Park is almost entirely protected as wilderness, so it has very few structures.
Jeff Few / Flickr
If you'd like to camp here, it will take hiking in by trail, horseback or boat. A permit is also required.
The North Cascades are tough to reach when it snows (which is often) so try to visit in the summertime.
Jeff Gunn / Flickr
You'll be able to explore more of the lush, green land during the warmer months.

How many of our national parks have you visited?

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Featured Addresses
Mount Rainier, Washington 98304, USA
North Cascades, Washington 98283, USA
Olympic National Park, 3002 Mt Angeles Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98362, USA