National Parks near Seattle. There’s so much more to Seattle than the Space Needle and Amazon’s Biosphere.
In this article, we’ll familiarize you with the incredible national parks that are within a day’s drive of Seattle.
This bustling metropolis has access to three incredible national parks.
Now let’s go ahead and share those 3 reasons why you’ll want to make that day’s drive from Seattle to one of these amazing places.
Table Of Contents: National Parks Near Seattle
Facts About Seattle
Seattle is the largest city in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the west coast of the U.S., about 100 miles south of the border with Canada. The city has a population of around 750,000 people and is known for its mild, wet climate and beautiful natural setting.
Seattle is situated on the Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and is surrounded by the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Olympic Mountains to the west. The city is known for its green spaces and parks, including the popular Kerry Park, which offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountains.
Seattle is also home to a number of cultural attractions, including the Space Needle, the Museum of Pop Culture, and the Seattle Art Museum. The city is known for its music scene, with a number of live music venues and the annual Bumbershoot music and arts festival.
Overall, Seattle is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city with a rich cultural scene, beautiful natural surroundings, and a thriving economy.
1. Mount Rainier National Park
Distance from Seattle: One hour and 53 minutes [via I-5 S & WA-7 S].
My Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Hikes / Things to Do / Paradise / Facts / Where to Stay
Located in the state of Washington, America’s fifth oldest national park is the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S. In fact, it’s downright mesmerizing. Similar to that feeling one gets when looking into the Grand Canyon.
Mount Rainier ascends to 14,410 feet above sea level. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks the park’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems.
When John Muir visited Mount Rainier he had this to say, “The most luxuriant and most extravagantly of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain top wanderings.”
An active volcano, Mount Rainier last erupted approximately 150 years ago. Nearly two million visitors a year come to Mount Rainier National Park for hiking, mountain climbing, backpacking, and more.
RELATED: 15 AMAZING Mount Rainier Facts
2. North Cascades National Park
Distance from Seattle: One hour and 58 minutes (106.8 miles) along I-5 N & WA 530 E/ State RTE 530 NE.
My Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Where to Stay
Less than two hours from Seattle, you can immerse yourself in an Alpine landscape. And, while you’re at it, explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers and listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. North Cascades National Park is all of that and more.
The North Cascades Range, for which the park is named, has the largest glacial system in the United States outside of Alaska. In the northern area of the park is the Picket Range, which is a collection of mountains which rise over 8,000 feet.
If you love to hike then you’ll love this magnificent park. North Cascades preserves some of the finest mountain country in North America. The driest and most popular time to visit is during the summer months of mid-June through September. Higher elevation trails often remain snow-covered well into July and sometimes August. (Source: NPS)
While you’re there, check out the Stehekin Valley. It serves as a passageway for travelers, linking Washington’s interior wilderness to the rugged Cascade Mountains. Nestled at the headwaters of Lake Chelan, the third deepest lake in the United States, the Stehekin community lives life a little slower.
3. Olympic National Park
Distance from Seattle: Two hours and 6 minutes (111 miles) via I-5 S & U.S. 101 N.
My Favorite Resources: Guide / Map / Guidebook / Hikes / Where to Stay
Olympic National Park is the most diverse national park in America, hands down. This park has everything from lowland forests, glaciated mountain ranges, pristine alpine lakes, sparkling rivers, temperate rain forests (the largest in North America), iconic wildlife, and over 50 miles of rugged wilderness coastline!
Located in the northwestern-most corner of the lower 48 states, Olympic National Park encompasses nearly a million acres of an incredible diversity of terrain. The park is comprised of glaciated mountain peaks, old-growth temperate rain forest, lush river valleys and over seventy miles of wilderness coast – all within a day’s drive.
Wildlife abounds in Olympic with a grand array of wildlife species. Some of the most notable (or at least beloved by park-goers) include sea otters, black bears, olympic marmots, elk, deer, mountain lions, orcas, and so many more.
The best hiking trails in the park include: Obstruction Point, Hall of Mosses, Hole In The Wall, Hurricane Hill, Blue Mountain, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc Falls, Marymere Falls, and Staircase Rapids Loop.
RELATED: 9 EPIC Hikes In Olympic National Park
Watch the Award-Winning Olympic Video
Related: Olympic National Park-An EPIC Guide To The Best Park In America
Map Of National Parks Near Seattle
List Of National Parks Near Seattle
- Mount Rainier National Park
- North Cascades National Park
- Olympic National Park
About The People Behind More Than Just Parks
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
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