National Parks

This week is considered National Parks week. I am not sure exactly why but I do think it is a good time of the year to visit one.

Good reason with school in session the National Parks are not so crowded. We can really enjoy them if children not involved. This is really true if you plan to camp or hike.

My state of Washington we have three national parks. There is Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic Mountains.

I have spent my time mostly either at Mt. Rainier and Olympic Mountains. Not as often in North Cascades.

During my early childhood my family would go up to Mt. Rainier to do some sliding during the winter. We did not have as much snow around Gig Harbor. It takes about two hours get to Mt. Rainier. One year my older brother Dick  hurt himself and injured his spleen. We had family friends that had been skiing for several days before we arrived, and my sister had been there as well. So they took him back to Tacoma and to the hospital. My younger brother Jack, myself, and parents return later. The accident happened shortly when we arrived at Mt. Rainier, and my parents did not want the trip to be ruined for Jack and me.

When I was older in my twenties my brothers Dick, Jack, his wife Anne, and I went to Mt. Rainier and went snow shoeing. It was quite the experience though we had to watch our steps since it was easy to step into deep snow. Dick and I did that a couple times each.

When I was in boy scouts I did a lot of hiking in the Olympics. Great place to go especially for long hikes. Every summer in scouts we would hike fifty miles. We took other shorter hikes as well.  I consider it a very beautiful place to go.

I believe the North Cascades I have only traveled through it. I have never hiked in the North Cascades; however it is very beautiful as well. It is north of Mt. Rainier and on the way to British Columbia Canada.

The only national park I recall going to outside of Washington is the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It is a very beautiful place to visit as well.

I have mentioned before about traveling to all fifty states of U.S.A. in the next five to ten years before I am too old to do so. Thinking about it I figure I want to see the most national parks I can as well. I have a small sample size with Washington State and Arizona I figure national parks must be the most beautiful places so I want to see at least one in each state depending how much time as I have to spend.

So if you have the time this week go visit a national park. If not at least you should plan a trip to do so sometime this year.

Good traveling, hiking, and camping.