#38: Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier was the second of three national parks in Washington that we visited. After our ever-so-eventful experience at Olympic, I decided to drive Rainier and not worry about seeking out hikes. Numerous stressors were/are in the air: Addie's health, lack of mobile service, trouble finding campsites, and a fussy water heater in the Airstream. I didn't need one more thing to worry about, which was navigating Rainier's hiking situation (specifically with Addie, who is not allowed on trails).

Camping options around Mount Rainier were scarce. All the park campgrounds were reserved, and the only first-come, first-serve camping choice is tent-only. One of the most troubling factors was the lack of mobile service as I got into the area. I rely on apps to find camping, but obviously, apps are useless with no signal.

I spent a while driving to a few places I researched but couldn’t locate. I then had to go back into a service area to look up other options. Around dusk, I spotted some RVs through some trees off the main road. I turned around and took the first turn into the woods. This was lucky. It was a dispersed camping area that was annoyingly busy, but I could back into a spot between trees that worked - at least for one night. I would get up the next morning to find a more suitable place.

My stress level curbed some when I landed at La Wis Wis National Forest Campground. However, my stress level inflated again when I backed the Airstream into a post while settling into a spot. Not only did I back it up over the post, but also when I pulled forward trying to get it off (it was a short post just at the height of the bumper), a section of the bumper wholly detached. Awesome.

I was laughing at this point. This little mishap was nothing unfixable. I used duct tape to reattach what I could, and I went on with my day. We hiked around the campground area a little and hung out by the river.

After grieving the loss of the Airstream’s back bumper, Addie and I made our way to Mount Rainier National Park in the afternoon. Like many other national parks, there are multiple entrances.

I knew I wanted to get to the Sunrise section, which at the peak, is the highest point reachable by vehicle within the park. The road getting up to Sunrise, Sunrise Park Road, is only accessible in the warmer months, and as you drive up, you can’t resist pulling over at multiple points to take in the views.

The scenery from the top took my breath away. In my opinion, I was there at the best time of year, and the weather that day couldn’t have been any more perfect. Addie and I got some much-needed solitude up there, proving to us that you don’t always need to hike a park to get a lot out of it.

After a second night at La Wis Wis Campground, the next stop was to the park's Paradise section. The different areas provide various views of Mount Rainier. It's such a beautiful sight, though, so it never gets old.

At this time, not only did we have external issues with the Airstream (missing bumper), but we also had internal problems. My Truma water heater continued acting up. Sometimes it would work, and other times it wouldn’t. Since I had been dry camping for weeks by now, my next camping spot would need to have electrical hookups so I could troubleshoot.

Onward and upward towards Seattle, then to North Cascades National Park. In the back of my mind, I knew of the Airstream dealership in Seattle, so if I needed to, I could potentially get some help with the Truma there. I also needed to figure out how to fix the bumper. 

Homeownership (eye roll)...

#37: Olympic National Park

Where do I begin with my visit to Olympic National Park? Our time on the Olympic Peninsula was tumultuous, but it’s an incredible park and, so far, a favorite. Let’s get into it.

Olympic National Park is in the most northwest corner of the continental United States. And it’s pretty large. Not only is its size a factor to consider when visiting, but how to get around is a consideration as well. There are no through roads in the park to connect you from one area to another. Instead, the main road (the red-ish line below) essentially circulates the park. Then, roads off of that get you inside the park to the different sections (except, of course, the coastline part - the red-ish road takes you right to that).

Olympic is unique in that it hosts coastline, rainforest, and mountains. Of course, I wanted to visit all of it. By the time I hit the road from Mount Hood, it was later in the day, so I drove about three hours and camped about an hour south of the Quinault Rain Forest area.

Coast

The next morning I headed out for the coast. Since it was still early, I couldn’t see much due to the marine layer. Great view, huh?

As we made our way up the coast, though, the marine layer lifted. Then, it was beautiful. We spent some time at Ruby Beach - Addie running around, me walking around, both of us taking in the beauty around us.

Rain Forest

The campgrounds in the park are plentiful, and a lot are first-come, first-serve. I made the 45-minute drive to Hoh Campground, in the Hoh Rain Forest. I arrived mid-day, and I was SHOCKED to find available campsites. Without spending too much time in shock, I grabbed one, unhitched, and explored, leaving Addie in the Airstream with the back door open to circulate the air.

The Hall of Mosses is a short, notable hike near the campground that I read as a must-see. This iconic trail takes you through an old-growth forest.

Near the Hall of Mosses is the Spruce Nature Trail, a 1.2-mile walk through new-growth and old-growth trees. It’s more of a walk than a hike, but it was worth the 20 minutes, at least for the creekside (Taft Creek) views.

I returned to the Airstream to find Addie safely lying down. She is so good. As the afternoon carried on, though, I noticed that Addie was becoming more noticeably uncomfortable. She was having horrible diarrhea and also vomiting bile. Later, my girl was asking to go out more frequently, to try to poop. I started to panic when she began pooping blood: not blood in her poop - just blood. For the entire night, I was taking her out every 20 minutes.

I had to get her to a veterinarian. After a quick google search, I found a reputable one called Olympic Veterinary Clinic in Port Angeles, a two-hour drive away. I would hit the road at 6 am to get there by 8 am, as soon as it opened.

We arrived at 8 am, and I called immediately upon arrival. With COVID precautions, no humans were allowed inside. Fortunately, they were able to take Addie within a few minutes. She was so confused, leaving me in the parking lot, but she had to go, and I had to stay. I thanked the vet tech, who was extremely reassuring - which I needed.

Within a few hours, the doctor called me. They diagnosed her with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, likely from eating something toxic. I’m sure she found a spoiled piece of food at an old campsite or in the woods. She was severely dehydrated, so they put her on an IV for fluids and electrolytes. They also had her on medication to fight the infection. The vet kept her, monitored her all day, and called me regularly with updates. The staff was incredible. She stayed until the next morning, but I was content knowing that she was safe with the care she needed.

I took the day for laundry and to clean my car and Airstream. That night was my first time staying in a Walmart parking lot. It was a “nice” one, though, with views of the mountains.

When I picked Addie up the next morning, she was like a new dog. She had the usual pep in her step, and it was obvious she felt a lot better. The doctor sent us off with some bland wet food and five medications for me to administer over the next 1-2 weeks. But I had my girl back.

For the rest of the day, we laid low and relaxed. Addie needed it, and I did too. I wanted to make sure she was stable and feeling better before we started venturing out again. Another night at the lovely Walmart for us!

Mountains

The following day, with a healthier Addie in tow, we made our way (cautiously) to the mountain area of Olympic National Park - Hurricane Ridge. For the first time, we waited in a line of cars at the entrance - it made sense, though. It was 12:30 pm on a Saturday.

We got lucky and nailed a campsite inside the park at Heart O’ the Hills Campground. Yet again, it was a relief to have a 16-foot trailer because the campground spots were tiny.

After dropping the trailer, we drove about 15 miles to the Hurricane Visitor Center. After chatting with the ranger, I decided to hike a short trail while Addie rested in the car: High Ridge Trail to Sunrise Point. This hike was short but had a steep incline, allowing for breathtaking vista views (and some wildlife).

Our last stop at Olympic National Park was to Madison Falls. I found this short trail because it’s one of few that allows dogs. It is a paved path that takes you to an anticlimactic waterfall, but I was happy to be with Addie and take a little stroll with her. It was a positive way to wrap up the past several days on our emotional roller coaster.

#35: On to Oregon (& Crater Lake National Park)

As sad as I was to be leaving California, I was delighted with what we did and saw while there. After quality time with friends and their families, new places explored, and visits to nine(!) national parks, it was time to make our way up to Oregon, the Beaver State.

I had never been to Oregon, so it was new territory. Although Crater Lake is the only national park in this state, I wanted to see plenty of things, including Bend, the coastal dunes, Portland, Cannon Beach, and Mount Hood.

I decided that my best course of action was to first head inland to Crater Lake National Park. At this point, I was getting pretty comfortable with dispersed camping (dry camping in non-designated camping areas). I had started enjoying the challenge of trying to find a decent, free place to stay. I had scoped out some places before getting to the Crater Lake area, but they seemed a little sketchy when I got to them. I then tried a state park in the area, but it was completely booked. It was getting late in the day, and I needed to find a place to stay before the sun went down. Yikes.

Besides using camping apps, another tried and true method of finding dispersed camping is to drive down forest roads and scope things out. It gets tricky, though: usually, mobile service is limited, and you never know what condition the roads will be in or if you’ll be able to turn around with a trailer. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but you remain calm.

As I was exploring one forest road, a car pulling a small teardrop trailer approached from the opposite direction. I flagged it down to ask if they knew of any dispersed camping in this area. Luckily, they did, and they were leaving one of them. They gave me vague directions (there are no street signs or prominent landmarks, so “turn right on the dirt road ‘up a-ways,’ then bear left and then right again when the road forks” is always pretty ambiguous). I thanked them and drove on, looking closely for a path that somewhat resembled what I had been told.

I ended up finding one of the best dispersed camping spots I ever had. It was right along a river, surrounded by only a few other campers - which I prefer (instead of being utterly alone in the woods). The only negative was no cell service. Oh well. That forces me to read a book. Unfortunately, I neglected to take any photos of my camping site.

The next morning, Addie and I packed up and headed to Crater Lake. We weren’t going to do any intense hiking from the research I had done, so we didn’t need to prepare for that. We planned to drive around the lake, taking in the views from multiple locations. I followed a tip I had received: explore the east side of the lake in the morning hours and the west side of the lake in the afternoon hours to get the best lighting in photos. I was thankful for that tip!

We entered the park at the North Entrance. My first view of the lake from Merriam Point was breathtaking.

We drove east, stopping wherever it seemed like a good view - which was anywhere we stopped.

There is a section separate from the lake called The Pinnacles in the southeast area of the park. I made the drive over there to check it out.

The day was gorgeous, and the views were spectacular. It took us a full day to drive around the lake while taking our time. What a fulfilling day we had at Crater Lake National Park.

#34: Redwood National & State Parks

Visiting Redwood National Park was a bit tricky. There are many Redwood "parks." The Redwood forests covers a lot of ground, and not all of it is the National Park. The National Park overlaps with various state parks. On the map below, green areas are the National Park, but you can see that some state parks are part of that area.

I hit three different areas of the Redwood Forest:

1. Humboldt Redwoods State Park

2. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

3. Redwood National Park

Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Humboldt Redwoods State Park was my first taste of the Redwoods. This park is not visible on the above map as it is south of it and inland of The Lost Coast. The must-see here is the Avenue of the Giants. Addie and I opted for the auto tour of this area, which enabled us to cover the most ground.

The Avenue of the Giants Auto Tour is a self-guided drive that runs north and south, through all the largest Redwood trees and also a few small towns. Drivers can pick up a brochure at either end of the stretch from a little box near the information sign. The brochure marks all the notable spots to stop. Some stops were giant trees, and others were short hiking trails. There was also a visitor center, but it was closed when I was there.

The trees were massive. At times I found myself just stopping and staring in awe. It was incredible.

There is also something even more epic in this area of the Redwoods: the drive-thru tree.

It is hokey, it is cheesy, and I had to do it. At the entrance, there is a $10 fee to get in. I was glad I had cash on me. The man at the entrance booth measured my car from the ground to the top of my Thule overhead rack and determined that my vehicle was low enough to go through the tree. He told me to watch my mirrors on the sides, though.

A fellow guest guided me through the tree as I approached the tunnel. I was slowly inching my way through. Inching, inching, inching…

And then we called it: I wasn’t going to fit through. Damn it!

It was a bummer, but it didn’t take me long at all to get over it. I got a decent photo of the tree from the “out” side, and I was on my way.

Quick Fun Fact:

Did you know that Redwoods are the tallest living thing in the world? Sequoias that I saw at Sequoia National Park are the largest, but Redwoods are the tallest. Also, Sequoias are a type of Redwood.

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park + Redwood National Park

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is part of Redwood National Park. So, I visited both in one day. It was a little confusing due to multiple visitor centers, various signs, etc. But after speaking to some rangers, I learned what the best things were to see and do with a pooch.

Our first stop was at the beach. There are multiple pull-offs to get onto the beach, and I randomly chose one. Addie was technically not allowed, but there was no one else there, and I felt rebellious. And I caught a glimpse of some elk hanging out on the beach!

Next, we headed to a forest road/trail called Cal-Barrel. I was able to take Addie with me on this six-mile up and back trail. Even though it was technically a road, cars were not allowed on it. We didn’t care that it was a “wide” path. We got to see some true beauty and have some solitude with no one else on the trail.

After a scenic drive back to our campground, we had gotten our fill of Redwood trees. I booked one more night at the campground because a) I liked it there, and b) I needed to do laundry and clean the Airstream. This campground was on grass, which was somewhat of a luxury because you don’t drag dirt into the trailer when you go in and out of it - something I never would have realized before living in an Airstream. I was on a roll cleaning and felt so great hitting the road in a clean car and trailer.

On the way out of the Redwoods, I saw Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe!

#32: Lassen Volcanic National Park

When I think of “Northern California,” I mostly think of the San Francisco Bay area. At least I used to. I guess that’s correct, but there is so much more to California north of the Bay area. And I made sure to explore it.

The drive from Truckee to Lassen Volcanic National Park is about three hours. Because I didn’t leave Truckee until the afternoon, I decided to break up the drive by stopping at Hallsted Campground in the Plumas National Forest. Here, I met Joe and Steve. Joe was the camp host, and Steve was camping there for a few nights. I got to chatting with them in the morning, and they helped me a little bit with my trailer. Steve introduced me to using a drill to lower the stabilizers on the Basecamp (which is so much easier than using the manual tool), and Joe provided comic relief. It’s just so fun - and helpful - to meet people on the road.

Steve on the left, and Joe on the right.

After a campground shower, I said good-bye to my new friends and hit the road for Lassen Volcanic. The drive was beautiful.

I snagged a two-night reservation at Manzanita Lake Campground - and thank God I did. It was crowded. With COVID, more people were out camping, not to mention July is peak season. After locating our campsite, Addie and I drove some of the park and stopped by the visitor center to figure out our plan to explore.

The following day, our first stop was to the Devastated Area, damaged by the last eruption of Lassen Peak in 1915. This interpretive trail showcased the hurt caused and featured different types of rock formations as a result. I nerded out a bit here.

We continued our drive, passing Summit Lake (beautiful alpine lake), with an area called Sulphur Works as our destination. This is where things began to heat up, literally. They say that if you’ve been to Yellowstone, these particular hydrothermal natural wonders are not too impressive, but I beg to differ. I was very impressed and found myself just staring at them until Addie barked at me out of boredom. It’s tough to capture the experience in photos - you will have to check it out for yourself!

Driving to Sulphur Works, I noted a few shorter hikes that I wanted to take. After lunch, I headed back out. Addie was okay in the trailer as the temperature wasn’t too high. A trail called Bumpass Hell was the first on my list.

This 2.6-mile moderate hike is named after Kendall Bumpass (pronounced “Bump-iss,” but I like to say “Bump-ass” - hehe). Upon arriving at this area, he fell into a thin boiling crust and severely burned his leg. The hydrothermal area on this hike is the largest in the area; therefore, I didn’t want to miss it. As you can see in the photos, an extensive boardwalk allows visitors to get an up-close view of the boiling mud pots and steaming pools - without getting dangerously close.

I explored one more area of the park and made my way to a lake called Cold Boiling Lake. I expected something much more impactful than what I found, but the hike was still beautiful.

The following morning I enjoyed coffee with some campsite neighbors - two older female friends who occasionally meet up at parks. One of the women was 75-years old and regularly traveled solo in her 1980’s VW Westfalia. I was amazed. Life on the road is challenging, and doing it single at 75-years old is (as I can imagine) is likely even more so. Props to her! She was so inspiring.

After coffee, Addie and I were on the road again to Mount Shasta.