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Hoh Rain Forest – green-leafed trees📷 Photo by Halanna Halila on Unsplash

Road trips in Washington

16 road trips and 41 hand-picked places in Washington, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
16
Places
41

Campsites in Washington 1,280

Trip guides

Road trips through Washington

North Cascades Highway – body of water and mountainPhoto by Brewing Cats on Unsplash
20
Scenic byways

North Cascades Highway

246 mi4 stops3 days
San Juan Islands by ferry – gray and black metal bridge near forest paintingPhoto by Chad Peltola on Unsplash
20
Coast & island drives

San Juan Islands by ferry

132 mi7 stops4 days
Mount Rainier’s east side: Sunrise and Chinook Pass – Sunrise Visitor Center (Yakima Park Stockade Group), Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA - 53797660637© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
410
National park loops

Mount Rainier’s east side: Sunrise and Chinook Pass

74 mi7 stops2 days
Olympic Peninsula loop: ridges, rain forest and wild beaches – Viola flettii 4740© Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
101
National park loops

Olympic Peninsula loop: ridges, rain forest and wild beaches

197 mi9 stops4 days
Coulee Corridor: Grand Coulee Dam to Dry Falls – Aluminum overhead transmission line - Flickr - brewbooks© brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
155
Scenic byways

Coulee Corridor: Grand Coulee Dam to Dry Falls

225 mi8 stops3 days
Chuckanut Drive and the Mount Baker Highway – Larrabee State Park, gate© Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
542
Scenic byways

Chuckanut Drive and the Mount Baker Highway

92 mi7 stops2 days
Rainforest, glacier peaks and driftwood beaches – by camper around the Olympic Peninsula – Viola flettii 4740© Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
101
In-depth road trip guides

Rainforest, glacier peaks and driftwood beaches – by camper around the Olympic Peninsula

380 mi12 stops6 days
Turquoise lakes, granite walls and Western towns – by camper over the North Cascades Highway – Burlington Aerial view 2024© Canmenwalker · CC BY 4.0
20
In-depth road trip guides

Turquoise lakes, granite walls and Western towns – by camper over the North Cascades Highway

191 mi11 stops5 days
Glaciers, wildflowers and ash: by camper around Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens – Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory© Roy Luck · CC BY 2.0
706
In-depth road trip guides

Glaciers, wildflowers and ash: by camper around Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens

335 mi12 stops6 days
Ferries, orcas and tidal currents: by camper through Whidbey Island and the San Juan Islands – Mount Constitution Viewpoint (16847499252)© Jonathan Miske from United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
20
In-depth road trip guides

Ferries, orcas and tidal currents: by camper through Whidbey Island and the San Juan Islands

130 mi11 stops6 days
The Palouse: wheat hills and a hidden waterfall – A farm in the middle of a wheat fieldPhoto by Kush Dwivedi on Unsplash
195
Scenic byways

The Palouse: wheat hills and a hidden waterfall

188 mi6 stops3 days
Mount St. Helens south and east: Ape Cave to Windy Ridge – Ape Cave Lava Tube (4100917201)© Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa · CC BY-SA 2.0
503
National park loops

Mount St. Helens south and east: Ape Cave to Windy Ridge

98 mi6 stops2 days
Rainier and St. Helens volcano loop – Mount Rainier with snow-covered peaks under a soft pink and blue skyPhoto by Caleb Riston on Unsplash
706
National park loops

Rainier and St. Helens volcano loop

208 mi5 stops4 days
The Olympic Peninsula by RV – UNKs restaurant during daytimePhoto by Angel Ceballos on Unsplash
101
RV & family trips

The Olympic Peninsula by RV

276 mi8 stops4 days
Moss, glaciers and driftwood – by camper through the Pacific Northwest – green-leafed treesPhoto by Halanna Halila on Unsplash
101
In-depth road trip guides

Moss, glaciers and driftwood – by camper through the Pacific Northwest

658 mi11 stops7 days
Columbia Gorge east: Crown Point to Maryhill – Crown Jewel (15383448668)© Ian Sane from Oregon, USA · CC BY 2.0
14
Scenic byways

Columbia Gorge east: Crown Point to Maryhill

127 mi9 stops2 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
North Cascades Highway3246 mi4 h 24 min4
San Juan Islands by ferry4132 mi2 h 21 min7
Mount Rainier’s east side: Sunrise and Chinook Pass274 mi1 h 19 min7
Olympic Peninsula loop: ridges, rain forest and wild beaches4197 mi3 h 31 min9
Coulee Corridor: Grand Coulee Dam to Dry Falls3225 mi4 h 01 min8
Chuckanut Drive and the Mount Baker Highway292 mi1 h 38 min7
Rainforest, glacier peaks and driftwood beaches – by camper around the Olympic Peninsula6380 mi6 h 48 min12
Turquoise lakes, granite walls and Western towns – by camper over the North Cascades Highway5191 mi3 h 25 min11
Glaciers, wildflowers and ash: by camper around Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens6335 mi5 h 59 min12
Ferries, orcas and tidal currents: by camper through Whidbey Island and the San Juan Islands6130 mi2 h 19 min11
The Palouse: wheat hills and a hidden waterfall3188 mi3 h 21 min6
Mount St. Helens south and east: Ape Cave to Windy Ridge298 mi1 h 45 min6
Rainier and St. Helens volcano loop4208 mi3 h 43 min5
The Olympic Peninsula by RV4276 mi4 h 56 min8
Moss, glaciers and driftwood – by camper through the Pacific Northwest7658 mi11 h 45 min11
Columbia Gorge east: Crown Point to Maryhill2127 mi2 h 16 min9
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in Washington

Hoh Rain Forest – green-leafed treesPhoto by Halanna Halila on Unsplash
Editor's pick
Nature

Hoh Rain Forest

Forks, WA
Diablo Lake Overlook – Diablo Lake, United States (Unsplash)© Zoe Deal zdeal · CC0
Editor's pick
Views

Diablo Lake Overlook

Newhalem, WA
Paradise, Mount Rainier – Paradise guide house 2© Acroterion · CC BY-SA 3.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Paradise, Mount Rainier

Ashford, WA
Deception Pass Bridge 22 June 2016© Redolta · CC0
Editor's pick
Views

Deception Pass Bridge

Oak Harbor, WA
Lime Kiln Point State Park – Haro Strait at Lime Kiln Point© Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 3.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Lime Kiln Point State Park

Friday Harbor, WA
Steptoe Butte – PalouseHillsFromSteptoeButteMay2017-10© Caleb Riston · CC BY 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Steptoe Butte

Colfax, WA
2009-05-30, Palouse Falls, 144537© Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Palouse Falls

Washtucna, WA
Sunrise, Mount Rainier – Sunrise Visitor Center (Yakima Park Stockade Group), Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, WA - 53797660637© w_lemay · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Sunrise, Mount Rainier

White River, WA
Hurricane Ridge – Viola flettii 4740© Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Editor's pick
Views

Hurricane Ridge

Port Angeles, WA
2024-08-31 Cape Flattery Trail 135059© Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Cape Flattery

Neah Bay, WA
Ape Cave Lava Tube (4100917201)© Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Ape Cave

Cougar, WA
Windy Ridge Viewpoint – Mt St Helens Windy Ridge 2017 23© Dirtsc · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Windy Ridge Viewpoint

Randle, WA
Grand Coulee Dam – Aluminum overhead transmission line - Flickr - brewbooks© brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Grand Coulee Dam

Coulee Dam, WA
Dry Falls – 2025-05-22-181336 USA Washington Coulee City 467.2© Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Dry Falls

Coulee City, WA
2026-10-03, Mount Shuksan from Picture Lake (Heather Meadows Recreation Area), 000000© Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
Views

Picture Lake

Glacier, WA
Hot Rat Summer - Pike Place Market - Mosaic Fish© Sunnyseattle · CC BY 4.0
Food

Pike Place Market

Seattle, WA
Fremont Troll – A large industrial plant in the middle of a fieldPhoto by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash
Oddities

Fremont Troll

Seattle, WA
Hoh Campground – white plastic trash bin near brown wooden logPhoto by makenzie cooper on Unsplash
Camping

Hoh Campground

Forks, WA
Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Ridge Observatory© Roy Luck · CC BY 2.0
Nature

Johnston Ridge Observatory

Toutle, WA
Mount Constitution Viewpoint (16847499252)© Jonathan Miske from United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Views

Mount Constitution

Eastsound, WA
Tipsoo Lake – Eucephalus ledophyllus (Cascade Aster) (7993281416)© brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature

Tipsoo Lake

Chinook Pass, WA
Box Canyon – A rocky tunnel is carved out of the mountain side. (5174f7e8-591e-4c04-8a3a-6c3cb24533f9)© NPS Photo · Public domain
Nature

Box Canyon

Mount Rainier National Park, WA
Reflection Lakes, Mt. Rainier National Park - panoramio© Cal Wolfe · CC BY-SA 3.0
Views

Reflection Lakes

Mount Rainier National Park, WA
Marymere Falls – Admontia degeerioides 225134241© Zachary Dankowicz · CC BY 4.0
Nature

Marymere Falls

Lake Crescent, WA

FAQs

What are the best road trips in Washington?

Popular routes include North Cascades Highway, San Juan Islands by ferry, Mount Rainier’s east side: Sunrise and Chinook Pass and Olympic Peninsula loop: ridges, rain forest and wild beaches. CampingSpirit has 16 trip guides that pass through Washington, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in Washington are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Hoh Rain Forest, Diablo Lake Overlook, Paradise, Mount Rainier, Deception Pass Bridge, Lime Kiln Point State Park and Steptoe Butte.

Nearby

Oregon 27British Columbia 19Alberta 8Idaho 8Montana 14Wyoming 15Nevada 16California 40