#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.

#36: The Beaver State

My time in Oregon was a bit of a mish-mash of different types of activities and experiences. Regretfully, I neglected to take many photos of Bend and Portland - my bad.

Bend

Since I was inland already, I decided to hit up Bend after Crater Lake. Before visiting, I knew nothing of this small city. I had just heard it is cool. Welp, I loved it there. I found some dispersed camping not far from downtown and took a day to drive around and check it out.

It felt like a new city, by that I mean recently built up. The architecture was modern, and the development looked fresh. It’s interesting because my year of travel is also serving as a chance to check out different places where I could see myself living. Bend is the type of small city where I could see myself, but when I asked around about what kinds of industries are there, the answer I got was none. There are some small companies, of course, but I wondered if it’d be tough to find a job - and the cost of living is high(er). Regardless, I liked the vibe there, and the people were friendly.

I can’t believe I didn’t take any photos!

The Coast

A few nights spent in Bend was sufficient, and I headed toward the coast. Camping locations on the west coast are challenging, so one needs to get creative. I found Salmon Harbor Marina, which also hosted a parking lot-type dry camping option. I opted in for only $20/night (not to mention it was the only place available). Plus, there were showers there. And - I may have mentioned this before - but sometimes I like asphalt because I can keep the Airstream cleaner by not trekking dirt in and out.

WIN (only $20) - WIN (showers) - WIN (pavement).

Umpqua Lighthouse State Park was close to the marina, so Addie and I took a little tour over there. The marine layer hadn’t lifted yet, so we couldn’t see much, but we happily got our feet in the sand.

There was also a lot of ATV activities happening. The sound of dirt bikes and quads was constant.

Later that day, we took a ride down to Coos Bay - about an hour south of where we were camping. Coos Bay is the largest coastal town/city in Oregon. We popped into some shops but mostly walked around. Coos Bay was a place I had always heard about, but it’s nothing too special.

Portland

Along the drive up to Portland, the coastal scenery was gorgeous.

Using the Harvest Hosts app, I found a place outside Portland to stay for the night. It was an aviation museum in McMinnville, OR, and it was a perfect stopover. Again, it was asphalt, so nice and clean for the Airstream. Other people were staying there, too, which made me feel safer camping in a parking lot.

We arrived in Portland on a Friday. First stop was to the VW dealer for an oil change in my car. It had been a while since we were in a large city, so I took the opportunity to get some “housekeeping” done. I also swung by the Airstream dealer - I wanted them to take a look at my hitch. They were so helpful and made a quick fix free of charge.

To make the city's exploration a little easier, I made reservations at Jantzen Beach RV Park, an RV park in town. This type of place is not my ideal type, but my priority was close vicinity to downtown. Note: At this time, it was late July, and protests were still taking place. I steered clear of that area.

The highlight of my time in Portland was seeing a friend of mine from high school I hadn't seen in 20 years. She and I played basketball together, and a mutual friend put us back in touch. It was so lovely to see her and catch up after a few socially-distant hours on her patio.

After getting some recommendations from my friend, Addie and I explored different pockets of the city for the remainder of the day. I grabbed an outdoor beer and burger at a local brewery, taking in the Portland vibes.

The next morning, after a quick shower, we headed an hour and a half east for Mount Hood.

Mount Hood

After a few days in a large city, I was ready for the mountains again. In my research, I found that the town of Government Camp serves as a basecamp for Mount Hood, so I sought dispersed camping in that area. Given that it was the dead of summer, the place I chose - Trillium Lake Airstrip - was busy. But, it was late in the day, and I didn’t feel like seeking out another location. I maneuvered the Basecamp into a small spot at the edge of the central area, and that was that. This was yet another instance I was so grateful to have a small trailer - she fits in so many places!

In the morning Addie and tackled a hiking trail called Tom, Dick, and Harry. While in Portland having lunch, I started talking with a few people who recommended this hike. It was about 9-miles and included beautiful lakeside sections and insane views of Mount Hood from the summit.

A popular tourist spot in this area is the Timberline Lodge. If you’ve seen The Shining, you will recognize Timberline Lodge as The Grand Overlook Hotel. Only the exterior was used in the film, though.

In “real life,” this is a ski lodge and hotel. The interior is typical of a ski lodge, with a rustic, historic feel.

I ordered a beer at the bar, sat outside on an Adirondack chair, and took in the scenery. There is nothing like a beer in the mountains - one of my favorite things.

Government Camp was my last stop in Oregon. It wasn’t until long after I left the state when I realized I completely forgot to visit Cannon Beach. That was supposed to happen before or after Portland. Whoops.

I’ll just have to go back one day…

#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!

#33: Mount Shasta & The Lost Coast

Mount Shasta

I had first heard about Mount Shasta years ago while working for Women’s Health magazine. At the time, we hosted an event there to stargaze. I didn’t attend, but Shasta has been on my list of places to visit since then. Not only is it said to be a spiritual vortex (similar to Sedona, AZ), but it’s also said to be, well, beautiful.

After picking up some groceries in town, I headed toward the Shasta-Trinity National Forest to a dispersed camping location I found on Campendium. This situation often happens: I read all the site reviews and determine whether or not I want to stay there, but sometimes I can’t make a final decision until I get there. This was one of those times.

The road to the original campsite was AWFUL. It was full of deep potholes, tight turns, and many, many large rocks - not conducive to a non-high-clearance SUV towing a trailer. The worst part was that I couldn’t turn around until I was down the road a few miles. I had to go four miles up and back on a dicey road, white-knuckled the entire time. No bueno.

On my way to the initial location, luckily I passed another camping area that looked decent. I saw other, larger travel trailers there, a telling sign that I could maneuver my way in safely. And that we did. Best of all, Addie seemed satisfied with our spot.

While here, Addie and I took some time to relax and “be.” We had been on the go-go-go for a while, and we needed some time to relax. We hiked some smaller trails to take in the area - it was stunning: blue skies, green pines, and crisp air - my happy place.

There was one other thing that stood out about my trip to Mount Shasta. Since Addie and I hung around the campsite more often than usual, we got friendly with some of the inhabitants at the time. One night while there, I was invited to a drum circle-type gathering. I didn’t necessarily want to go, but I had a “when in Rome” moment. It was…interesting. There were people around a fire playing different instruments, smoking weed, and conversing. I was certainly out of my comfort zone, but everyone was very welcoming.

The Lost Coast

In the first few months of my year on the road, my friend Jared, with whom I met up in Southern California, recommended that I go to The Lost Coast. I didn’t know what exactly it was, but I knew I needed to go after researching it.

I had to do a little snooping around online to understand where exactly “The Lost Coast” is and what it is. It’s a California coastline stretch that stretches from Shelter Cove to the south and Mattole River to the north. The land is underdeveloped, with no major roads or highways to get you there. It was named The Lost Coast in the 1930s after the area experienced depopulation. There are little to no signs of habitation. Let’s just say I made sure I had a full tank of diesel before heading there.

There are various access points and sections of The Lost Coast. Based on where I was camping, I started my exploration from a small town called Ferndale and headed south. I found the “entrance” right outside of town and headed for the unknown on a narrow, roughly paved road.

The long road wound through huge meadows, hills, and cattle. At times, the road turned into a single lane or dirt, and I wasn’t sure what was ahead. Eventually, coming over a large hill after driving for hours, I got a glimpse of the ocean. I was awestruck - it was a scene like nothing I had ever seen before. It was everything and nothing at the same time.

As soon as I could, I pulled over to get closer to the shoreline. Although very windy, Addie and I ventured to the water. The “sand” was black and coarse, and the water was clear and shiny. We were astonished at where we were. There was no one in sight; it was stunning, yet arguably a little eerie. The scene felt like one out of an Agatha Christie novel.

We hopped back into the car and continued on our way. There was so much more to explore. Through golden hills and windy roads, we arrived at Mattole Valley.

I remember something about a lighthouse through my frontend research, so when I saw a road called Lighthouse Road, I felt inclined to take the turn. I knew this road was bringing me closer to the ocean, and when the road ended, I found a campground and trailhead. At this point, I had no mobile service, but I checked the trail map at the information sign and decided to hike this trail along the coast. It was a 7-mile out and back section of the Lost Coast Trail (one can hike the entire Lost Coast; however, this was a section of it) to an old lighthouse, Punta Gorda Lighthouse.

The information board included a tide schedule, which was alarming. To hike this trail safely, one must consider the tides. There are parts of the path that are so close to the shore that you cannot get through it at high tide. According to the chart, I had a window of time to make it to the lighthouse and back safely, so I took the opportunity.

Much of this hike was through the sand, which I don’t love. On the way out, the wind was at our back; however, we were braving it on the return trip. The scenery was breathtaking, though, and the lighthouse was a substantial reward. I saw a few other people out there and also some elephant seals!

After the hike, and pretty exhausted, Addie and I continued driving. We were losing daylight, and I wanted to ensure we got back to civilization (meaning: street lights of some sort) before the sunset. We headed east from the coast, back to main roads before heading back up north to where we were camping. It was a great day scouting out The Lost Coast, and I left hoping I’d revisit one day.