Over 7 weeks, I visited 20 national parks in a whirlwind road trip spanning from the Midwest to the Pacific Coast and back through the mountainous west. This journey was filled with towering peaks, serene coastlines, vast deserts, and everything in between. With every trail I hiked and every campsite I set up, I fell more in love with with the great outdoors and the incredible diversity of America’s parks. Join me as I recount the 7 weeks of my journey with a day by day itinerary.

More Important Information:

• How to Pack for a 7-Week Road Trip
• Everything You Need to Know Before Going on a 7-week Road Trip
• Meal Planning and Cooking on the Road
• How to Plan a Budget-Friendly 7-Week Road Trip

Day 1: Badlands National Park

If you are starting this trip in Minneapolis, be prepared for a 7.5 hour drive to Badlands National Park. To make the most of your day, I recommend getting an early start so you’ll have plenty of time to this park upon arrival. You’ll enter through the Northeast Entrance Station, and from there I recommend diving into all the park has to offer with the following must-do activities:

• Hike the Notch Trail
• Drive Badlands Loop Road
  • Stop at any overlooks that look cool
• Visit Roberts Prairie Dog Town

For accommodations, the Sage Creek Campground  is a scenic, first-come, first served option. However, spots fill up quickly in the summer- when I arrived around 6pm it was full. Fortunately, someone car camping kindly offered their site, so I lucked out. If you prefer peace of mind, consider the Cedar Pass Campground, which offers reservable spots. It was also full when I visited, so I recommend booking in advance to secure your spot.

Day 2: Wind Cave NP & Custer State Park

If you didn’t get a chance to explore everything you wanted in Badlands yesterday, feel free to do that today. When you’re ready to move on, your next stop is Wind Cave National Park, about two hours away. If you’re interested in a quirky roadside attraction, consider stopping at Wall Drug along the way- it’s only a slight detour.

Wind Cave National Park is known for its fascinating cave system, and if the cave tours are running this is what I recommend doing. When I visited, the tours were closed due to elevator repairs, which limited activities. Only 20 minutes away is Custer State Park, which I found more exciting than Wind Cave. If you have time, I highly recommend stopping in Custer State Park.

Here’s how I’d recommend structuring your day:

• Drive the two hours to Wind Cave NP
  • Stop at Wall Drug on the way
• Do a cave tour at Wind Cave NP
• Head over to Custer State Park
  • Drive the Wildlife Loop Road to spot wildlife like bison and famous burros
  • Drive Needles Highway

For accommodations, I’d suggest staying within Wind Cave National Park at Elk Mountain Campground. It’s a first-come first-served site, but when I arrived in the evening, there were still plenty of spots available.

Day 3: Drive to Salt Lake City

Today is a long driving day, with a 9 hour drive to Salt Lake City. You won’t have a ton of time in the city, but if there’s anything you really want to do you’ll have a few hours!

Here’s how I’d recommend structuring your day:

• Drive the 9 hours to Salt Lake City
• Stop at Swig for a fun drink
• Grab dinner in the city

For accommodations, I stayed at Antelope Island State Park. I do have to warn you about this campsite though. It was absolutely gorgeous, but it had one big issue- biting gnats. When I arrived at night time it wasn’t bad because it was windy, but waking up in the morning they were everywhere. The reviews had warned me of this, so I car camped and did not step out of my vehicle a single time. So, stay at your own risk! I went in May, but the bugs aren’t bad year round, just in the summer months.

Day 4: Salt Lake City, Bonneville Salt Flats, & Great Basin National Park

Spend half the day in Salt Lake City exploring more. Once you are ready to move on, you will drive the 3.5 hours to Great Basin National Park. I highly recommend stopping at the Bonneville Salt Flats on the way to the national park and exploring for a bit!

Here’s how I’d recommend structuring your day:

• Drive 3.5 hours to Great Basin National Park
  • Stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats on the way
• Arrive in Great Basin National Park and set up camp

For accommodations, I stayed at Upper Lehman Creek Campground. This is another first-come first-served campground, but it wasn’t too busy when I went. There are a few other campsites in Great Basin if you want to stay in a different area of the park.

Day 5: Great Basin National Park

You will spend all day today in Great Basin National Park– a nice break after all the moving around of the past few days.

Here are some ideas of what to do in the park:

• Drive Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
• Hike to the Wheeler Bristlecone Grove to see some of the oldest trees in the world!
• Hike around Baker Creek
• Hike to Stella Lake

For accommodations, I stayed at Upper Lehman Creek Campground again.

Day 6: Great Basin National Park or Las Vegas

Today offers plenty of options, depending on how you’d like to spend your time. I started the day with a peaceful morning in Great Basin, then made the 4-hour drive to Las Vegas for the evening. This drive is a great time to restock on groceries and anything else you may need. My main reason for staying in Vegas was the extreme hear, which made camping uncomfortable. With Death Valley as tomorrow’s destination, Las Vegas turned out to be the most budget-friendly choice for a hotel stay. Plus I’d never been to Vegas and thought this would be a fun chance to do so! However, if you’re traveling during cooler weather, you might prefer heading straight to Death Valley. The choice is yours!

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Drive the 4 hours to Las Vegas
• Take a stroll along the iconic Las Vegas Strip
• Watch the Fountains of Bellagio show

For accommodations, I stayed at The Flamingo Hotel, which was convenient and reasonably priced.

Day 7: Death Valley National Park & Joshua Tree National Park

Today, you’ll be making the 2-hour drive to Death Valley National Park. While I would have loved to spend more time exploring, the intense heat made it challenging to stay out of the car for extended periods. Instead, I opted to drive through the park, stopping at key spots to take in the unique beauty. After a few hours in Death Valley, I continued with a 4-hour drive to Joshua Tree National Park, where I set up camp. I strongly recommend arriving in Joshua Tree before sunset- it’s an unforgettable experience to watch the sun dip below the horizon in this stunning desert landscape.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Spend some time exploring Death Valley National Park
  • Take in the sweeping views at Zabriskie Point
  • Visit Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America
  • Drive the colorful and scenic Artist’s Drive
• Drive the 4 hours to Joshua Tree National Park
  • Catch the sunset from the boulders at Jumbo Rocks Campground
  • Stargaze under the desert sky

For accommodations, I camped at Jumbo Rocks Campground, and I can’t recommend it highly enough- it’s one of my all-time favorites. Be sure to reserve your spot ahead of time to secure your place in this incredible location.

Day 8: Joshua Tree National Park

Today you’ll have a full day to explore the wonders of Joshua Tree National Park. From iconic rock formations to stunning desert vistas, there’s so much to see and do here.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Start with a visit to Skull Rock
• Hike Hidden Valley Trail Nature Trail
• Explore the Hall of Horrors for a chance to hike through slot canyons
• Head to Keys View for breathtaking panoramic views
• Take a trip into town to explore the quirky charm of Joshua Tree, including the World Famous Crochet Museum
• End your day with a stroll through the Cholla Cactus Garden

For accommodations, I camped at Cottonwood Campground. This site feels much more remote, offering a true desert experience. I chose this campground because it made the drive for the next day more convenient.

Day 9: Los Angeles

Today you’ll be making the 2.5 hour drive to Los Angeles. Once there, you have most of the day to explore the city.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Visit the Griffith Observatory
• See the Hollywood sign
• Go to In N’ Out for lunch
• Go to the Santa Monica Pier
• Drive up the coast to Malibu for Point Dume lookout

For accommodations, I camped at Quail Run Ranch, which I found on Hipcamp.  It was about 1.5 hours away from Malibu, and an hour away from the destination tomorrow. I would recommend staying closer to Channel Islands to make tomorrow easier, but all the camping in the area was booked up when I planned this trip so this was the best option.

Day 10: Channel Islands National Park

Today you will get up and drive to Ventura Harbor to take the ferry to Channel Islands National Park. I took Island Packers ferry to Scorpion Cove on Santa Cruz Island at 8am. I recommend booking far in advance, and booking the earliest time to give you as much time as possible on the island. I came back on the same ferry at 4:30pm.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Board the ferry to Santa Cruz
• Hike Montanon Ridge Loop (10 mile challenging hike)
• If you have any extra time, go to the campsites to look for island fox!

For accommodations, I stayed at Islay Creek Campground, which was a 2.5 hour drive from the Ventura harbor. This was a really long day, but the drive to the campground was beautiful. This campground is also really close to the ocean which makes it cool. If you’re willing to make the drive to the campsite today, it’ll make your drive tomorrow much easier

Day 11: Pinnacles National Park & Sequoia National Park

If you stay at Islay Creek Campground, I recommend going to the state park nearby and spending a little bit of time by the ocean. After that, drive just over 2 hours to Pinnacles National Park and spend some time exploring there. After that, make the 3 hour drive to Sequoia National Park.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Head over to Montana de Oro State Park to take in views of the ocean
• Drive 2 hours to Pinnacles National Park
  • Hike the Balconies Cave Trail on the East side of the park
• Drive to accommodations in/near Sequoia National Park

For accommodations, I stayed at this Airbnb, which was about 15 minutes away from the Sequoia National Park entrance. There is a lot of camping in the park as well if you would prefer to do that.

Day 12: Sequoia National Park

Today will be spent entirely in Sequoia National Park.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Hike Moro Rock Trail
• Hike Big Trees Trail
• Go see General Sherman tree
• Hike Congress Trail

For accommodations, I stayed at the same Airbnb.

Day 13: Kings Canyon National Park

Today will be spent entirely in Kings Canyon National Park.

Here’s how I’d recommend planning your day:

• Drive Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
• Visit Panoramic Point
• Go see General Grant tree
• Visit Boyden Cavern
• Go to Grizzly Falls

For accommodations, I stayed at the same Airbnb.

Day 14: Sequoia National Park or Kings Canyon National Park

On the third day in the Sequoia area we decided to go white water rafting since parts of both national parks were closed. This day is really up to what you want to do, you can spend another day in Sequoia, or go to Kings Canyon again, or go white water rafting.

This is what I did:

• Check out a cute coffee shop in Three Rivers
• Go white water rafting in the afternoon
• Go to River View Bar and Grill for dinner

For accommodations, I stayed at the same Airbnb.

Day 15: Yosemite National Park

Today you will be driving 2.5 hours to Yosemite National Park. Once you get there you’ll have a few hours to explore the park.

This is what I recommend:

• Visit Tunnel View for your first iconic view of Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls
• Take an easy hike to Bridalveil Fall (0.5 miles round trip)
• Walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls (1 mile loop)
• Spend time exploring Yosemite Village

For accommodations, I stayed at Camp 4. Finding camping in Yosemite can be really challenging, so I highly recommend booking very far in advance and paying close attention to when campsite spaces get released.

Day 16: Yosemite National Park

Today the whole day will be spent in Yosemite National Park.

This is what I recommend:

• Drive along Tioga Road, stopping at scenic viewpoints like Olmsted Point
• Explore Tuolumne Meadows, a peaceful alpine area with easy hikes
• Visit Tenaya Lake
• Visit the Tuolumne Grove if you want to see more sequoias

For accommodations, I stayed a little bit outside of Yosemite at Lost Claim Campground. It’s not as ideal as staying in the park because it’s a 30 minute drive to the entrance, but finding camping in Yosemite is very difficult.

Day 17: Yosemite National Park

Today the whole day will be spent in Yosemite National Park, and this will be a long hike day. I hiked Half Dome this day, but if you don’t have permits for this there are plenty of other hikes to do.

This is what I recommend:

• Hike Half Dome

If you don’t want to do Half Dome, other long hikes:

• Clouds Rest (14.5 miles)
• Mist Trail (14-16 miles)
• Upper Yosemite Falls Trail (7.2 miles)

For accommodations, I stayed at Pines Stanislaus Campground. This campground is outside the park and about a 30 minute drive to the entrance, but I was unable to find a campsite inside the park for this night

Day 18: Yosemite National Park

Today the whole day will be spent in Yosemite National Park.  After hiking Half Dome the day before I was very sore this day, so it’s a more relaxing and slow paced day in the park.

This is what I recommend:

• Walk the Cook’s Meadow Loop (1 mile)
• Bring your camping chairs and binoculars to El Capitan Meadow to watch climbers scaling the iconic rock face
• Take a leisurely walk along the Valley Loop Trail
• Head to Glacier Point for a stunning panoramic view of Yosemite Valley

For accommodations, I stayed at Wawona Campground. Finding camping in Yosemite can be really challenging, so I highly recommend booking very far in advance and paying close attention to when campsite spaces get released.

Day 19: Lassen Volcanic National Park

You have a 5.5 hour drive to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Once you get there, you’ll have some time to explore. When I visited, most of the park was closed due to large amounts of snow, but here’s what I would have loved to experience.

This is what I recommend:

• Check out Lake Helen
• Visit Sulphur Works

For accommodations, I stayed at Manzanita Lake Campground. I went during the off season for the park, so there were plenty of spots for the park, but you can reserve in advance if you want.

Day 20: Lassen Volcanic National Park & Redwood National Park

You’ll have half a day to spend at Lassen Volcanic National Park, and then you’ll drive the 4 hours to Redwood National Park. If you go in the offseason like I did, you might want to just head to Redwood when you get up since not much can be done in the park when there’s a ton of snow.

This is what I recommend:

• Lassen Volcanic National Park
  • Check out Boiling Springs Lake
  • Go see Bumpass Hell
• Drive the 4 hours to Redwood National Park
  • Stop along the coast to take in some amazing views

For accommodations, I stayed at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground. I will recommend this campsite to anyone that will listen to me. It is, without a doubt, my favorite campsite ever. Try to get a spot right by the ocean for an incredible experience. This is another one that books out so make sure you reserve in advance

Day 21: Redwood National Park

The whole day will be spent in Redwood National Park.

This is what I recommend:

• Start your day at Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach
  • Walk down Gold Bluffs Beach for scenic ocean views
  • Fern Canyon Loop Trail (easy 1-mile hike, you need a reservation but if you camp at Gold Bluffs you automatically get in)
• Explore Prairie Creek and Foothill Loop (via Big Tree Wayside, 2.3-mile loop)
  • See the famous Big Tree on this hike
• Drive along Newton B. Drury Parkway
• Tall Trees Grove Loop Trail

For accommodations, I stayed at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground again.

Day 22: Redwood National Park

The whole day will be spent in Redwood National Park again.

This is what I recommend:

• Start with the Simpson-Reed Trail (0.9 miles)
• Explore Enderts Beach Road for stunning coastal viewpoints
  • Take a hike on the Last Chance Section of the California Coast Trail for tide pooling
• Drive Klamath Beach Road and stop at High Bluff Overlook for sweeping ocean views
  • Depending on the time of year you might be able to see whales, so definitely look into that!

For accommodations, I stayed at Gold Bluffs Beach Campground again.

Day 23: Crater Lake National Park

This day will start with driving the 3 hours to Crater Lake National Park. When I went it was still offseason and there was a ton of snow, so all I could really do was drive to the visitor center and look at the lake. Even then, it was still gorgeous and worth it to see.

• Drive the 3 hours to Crater Lake National Park
• Drive to the visitor center and go see Crater Lake
• Drive 3.5 hours to the campsite

It wasn’t really possible to camp in the area due to all the snow, so I had to drive for a bit before finding somewhere suitable. It turns out that the direction I was heading did not have pretty much any camping. I found a Hipcamp that I thought would work, but upon arriving realized that it was almost entirely RV’s and there was absolutely no privacy. I could have made it work, but I was not a fan at all. My boyfriend and I searched for other options and found some BLM land to camp on. This was also a little questionable, and you have to move a barbed wire fence to get to the site (it’s there to keep the cattle in the area). This is completely dispersed camping, and the road was not in good condition, but we made it work! We stayed on BLM land off of the Hines Logging Road in Hines, Oregon.

Day 24: Craters of the Moon National Monument

This is another longer living day. If you decide to stay in Hines, then you’ll have about 6 hours until you make it to Craters of the Moon. Once you get there, take some time to explore, it’s a pretty cool place!

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Drive 6 hours to Craters of the Moon
• Hike up Inferno Cone
• Walk North Crater Flow Trail
• Drive the Loop Road for scenic views

For accommodations, I stayed at Lava Flow Campground. This is a first-come first-served campground, but I was able to find a spot without an issue. It was starting to fill up when I arrived but there were still spots left. This was a really cool and unique campground.

Day 25: Grand Teton National Park

From the campsite it will be roughly a 3 hour drive to Grand Teton National Park. Once there, you’ll have some time to explore the park.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Drive the 3 hours to get to Grand Teton
• Drive the Teton Park Road and Jenny Lake Scenic Drive
  • Stop at overlooks such as Signal Mountain Summit and Snake River Overlook
• Stop at Colter Bay for laundry and a shower
• Walk from your campsite to Jenny Lake for some gorgeous views

For accommodations, I stayed at Jenny Lake Campground. This campground allows you to walk right over to Jenny Lake, and is also very close to a general store in the park. Be sure to reserve this in advance.

Day 26: Grand Teton National Park

Today you’ll be spending the whole day in Grand Teton National Park.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Start your day at Jenny Lake and hike to Inspiration Point  (5.7 miles)
  • Make sure to check out Hidden Falls on the way
• Go to the Oxbow Bend viewpoint and Jackson Lake Overlook

For accommodations, I stayed at Trail Creek Campground. This is outside the park and about a 40 minute drive into the park. I opted to stay outside the park after the first night because I found the campsites in the park to be much more expensive than any others I had been to and we were on a budget on this trip.

Day 27: Grand Teton National Park

Today you will be spending the whole day in Grand Teton National Park again.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Start your day with the Taggart-Bradley Lake Loop (5.5 miles round trip)
• Or hike to Delta Lake (7.5 miles)
• Drive to Mormon Row Historic District to explore the old settler homesteads

For accommodations, I stayed at Mike Harris Campground. This is about 40 minutes from the park, but was much cheaper than camping in the park. I should mention that the campsite is really close to the highway, so if you’re looking for a serene getaway this is not for you. It worked for a night of cheap camping for me though!

Day 28: Yellowstone National Park

Today will be spent in Yellowstone National Park, a quick one hour drive. You will have pretty much all day to explore the park, and will want to enter via the West Entrance and explore the Geyser Basin area.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Explore Firehole Falls Drive
• Visit Artists Paintpots
• Walk through Norris Geyser Basin
• Head to Grand Prismatic Spring
• Visit Old Faithful to see the eruption
• Explore the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk

For accommodations, I stayed at Madison Campground. This campsite was fine, but it meant I had to get up and drive 2 hours to Lamar Valley, all while trying to get there when the sun rises, so I got up before 5am. A better option would be to drive 1 hour today to Canyon Campground, and then you’ll be just under an hour away from Lamar Valley when you wake up tomorrow. Make sure you are reserving a site in advance for either of these.

Day 29: Yellowstone National Park

Today will be spent in Yellowstone National Park, in the Northern Loop of the park.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Get up before the sun rises and head to Lamar Valley
  • This area is abundant in wildlife, which is why I recommend getting there right as the sun is rising
• Hike Trout Lake while you’re in the area
• Stop at Tower Falls for a short walk to the waterfall
• Visit Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and walk the boardwalks
• If you camp at Canyon Campground, this is a good opportunity for a hot shower and laundry

For accommodations, I would recommend staying in Canyon Campground. This is another one I encourage you to try and reserve a campsite far in advance.

Day 30: Yellowstone National Park

Today will be spent in Yellowstone National Park, in the Grand Canyon area of the park.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Spend time exploring the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
  • Visit Upper Falls and Lower Falls viewpoints
  • Hike the Brink of the Lower Falls for a close-up view
  • Walk to Artist Point for iconic canyon vistas
  • If you have time, hike to Point Sublime for a less crowded overlook
• Explore Inspiration Point for a different perspective of the canyon
• Relax by Yellowstone Lake

For accommodations, I stayed at Bridge Bay Campground. This is one you should book in advance.

Day 31: Yellowstone National Park

Today will be spent in Yellowstone National Park, exploring the geysers and lakeshore walks.

This is what I’d recommend doing:

• Drive to West Thumb Geyser Basin
• Explore Yellowstone Lake

For accommodations I stayed at Madison Campground to make the drive tomorrow easier. I would reserve a campsite well in advance.

Day 32: Bozeman

This day will be spent in Bozeman, which is about a 1.5 hour drive from Yellowstone. My boyfriend and I only stopped here because he has friends that live there and we could stay with them, but Bozeman is a cool town regardless, and if you’re feeling like you need to be in civilization for a little bit, this is your chance! Bozeman is a really outdoorsy town, so there are plenty of opportunities for good hikes and other outdoor activities. Or you could just take a break and be part of civilization for a bit! I know it sounds silly, but after camping for so many days and being in the woods, sometimes it’s nice to just be back in a town with cell phone service. This would also be a great chance to restock on groceries if you need to.

Here are some ideas of what you could do:

• Hike South Cottonwood Creek Trail (5 miles)
• Go to the Bozeman Hot Springs
• Float down the Madison River
• Go to the Museum of the Rockies

For accommodations I stayed with a friend, so that won’t be helpful, but there are plenty of hotels and campsites in and around Bozeman.

Day 33: Glacier National Park

Today you will drive 5 hours to get to Glacier National Park. I recommend getting an early start so you have a half day to explore Glacier, entering through the Two Medicine Entrance.

This is what I recommend:

• Hike Paradise Point Trail (1.4 miles total)
• Take a boat ride across Two Medicine Lake

For accommodations I stayed at St. Mary Campground, which was very pretty. We had a slight change of plans so we didn’t book this campsite until a few hours prior, but we’re still able to find a spot online.

Day 34: Glacier National Park

Today will be spent in Glacier National Park, with a cool hike. Unfortunately this national park is pretty spread out, and routes largely depend on if Going to the Sun Road is open. When I went, part of each side of GTTSR was open, so I had to drive as far as I could on the East side, turn around and go all the way back around the long way and then drive the West side. St. Mary is right by the East side of GTTSR, so I woke up before sunrise to drive that side of the scenic road.

• Drive as much of the East side of Going to the Sun Road as possible
  • Stop at Rising Sun Overlook for sunrise
  • Stop at Sun Point for a short hike to an overlook
• Hike St. Mary and Virginia Falls (3.1 miles)
• Drive over to the Many Glacier area of the park
• Hike Grinnell Glacier (10 miles)
  • When I went it wasn’t open all the way, but even then this is my all time favorite hike, the views are insane

For accommodations I stayed at Apgar Campground. This will be about a 2 hour hike from the Many Glacier area, so plan accordingly. This was definitely a long day, but it was so worth it.

Day 35: Glacier National Park

Half a day will be spent in Glacier National Park on the West side of the park, which tends to be the busiest. Since the two sides of GTTSR didn’t connect when I went, this was the other side that I didn’t get to do yesterday. After Glacier, you will drive 4.5 hours to Spokane, Washington

• Drive as much of the West side GTTSR as possible
• Hike Trail of Cedars
• Walk down to Lake McDonald
• Look at the lake and mountains at Apgar Village
• After you’re done with the West side of the park, drive the 4.5 hours to Spokane, Washington

For accommodations I stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton at Spokane City Center.

Day 36: Seattle

Today starts with a 4 hour drive to Seattle. Once you make it to Seattle there are a bunch of fun things to do!

• Walk around Pike Place Market
  • Eat some food at Pike Place Chowder
  • Eat more food at Piroshky Piroshky
  • Head over to Pike Place Fish Co. to see the fish get thrown
• Walk over to Waterfront Park and look for mountains in the distance
• Head over to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery for some coffee
• Walk over to the largest REI
• If you have time, check out the Space Needle
• Finish the day with dinner from Un Bien- amazing Caribbean food

For accommodations I stayed at this Hipcamp, which was a 40 minute drive from Seattle.

Day 37: North Cascades National Park

Today starts with a 2 hour drive to North Cascades National Park, where you will be spending the day. This park has some amazing hiking, but when I visited it was still off season and extremely snowy, so almost all the big hikes were closed. I’ll recommend what I ended up doing, but if you go in the warmer months definitely talk to a ranger about what hikes to do.

I did the following:

• Drive to Lake Diablo and take in the stunning views
• Drive over the Diablo Dam
  • You can actually drive across this dam, and it gives you great views of the lake
• Head over to the Washington Pass Overlook and walk to the lookout
  • We had to wait a bit for the snow storm to pass through when we went, but it did clear up after 2o minutes! Apparently that happens frequently, so if you go and can’t see anything due to snow, give it some time

For accommodations I stayed at this Hipcamp, which was a 45 minute drive. Since you’re coming back to the park tomorrow, I would recommend trying to find a camp spot in the park.

Day 38: North Cascades National Park

Today will be spent in North Cascades National Park. This will be a big hiking day, and there are plenty of options to choose from. I hiked Fourth of July Pass because that was one of the only trails open when I went. Although the hike was pretty enough, it’s pretty much entirely switchbacks and is a lot of work, and there isn’t really a view at the top. For the amount of work this hike is, the pay off is not really worth it and there are much better trails to do if they are open.

I did the following:

• Fourth of July Pass via Thunder Creek (9.7 miles)
  • If this is the only hike open then do it, but if you have options for a different hike I would not do this one

I would instead recommend:

• Maple Pass Trail (6.5 miles)
  • Out of all the trails I would suggest this one
• Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm Trail (11.6 miles)
• Cascade Pass (6.9 miles)
• Trappers Peak (9.7 miles)

For accommodations I stayed at this Colonial Creek North Campground, which was in the park.

Day 39: Olympic National Park

Today you’re gonna make your way to Olympic National Park. From North Cascades, drive towards Seattle to the Edmonds-Kingston ferry, which is about a two hour drive. You’re gonna take the car ferry, which will take about 30 minutes. Once you’re on the other side, you’ll have about two more hours before you make it to Olympic. You can always skip the ferry altogether and just drive the whole time, but the ferry is a fun experience and can save some time.

Here is what I recommend for the day:

• Drive to Edmonds Ferry Terminal in Seattle
• Take the ferry across the Puget Sound
• Once you arrive on the Kingston side, drive the two hours to Olympic National Park
• Hike the Mt. Storm King Trail (4.1 miles, but almost entirely switchbacks)
  • You will come across a sign that says “End of Maintained Trail”. The best views of the hike are past this, but it does involve climbing up some steep rock faces with the help of a rope that someone has tied to trees, so proceed with caution!
  • Look at this hike on All Trails for more information
• Stop at Marymere Falls
  • The path to get here connects with the previous hike, so it is just a short detour

For accommodations, I recommend staying at Staircase Campground in the park.

Day 40: Olympic National Park

Today you’re gonna spend the entire day in Olympic National Park. This will consist of exploring the mountainous area and the ocean.

Here is what I recommend for the day:

• Hike the Hurricane Hill Nature Trail
• Head over to Rialto Beach
• Hike on the beach to Hole-in-the-Wall
  • Make sure you go during low tide
• Explore tide pools on your hike

For accommodations I stayed at Fairholme Campground, which was in the park.

Day 41: Olympic National Park

Today you’re gonna spend half of the day in Olympic National Park. Once you are done in Olympic, you will spend the rest of the day driving to make tomorrow easier.

Here is what I recommend for the day:

• Get up early to explore the Hoh Rainforest
  • Hike the Hall of Mosses Nature Trail
• Drive to Kalaloch Beach to explore the Tree of Life and look at more tide pools
• Drive 2.5 hours to your campsite for the night

For accommodations I stayed at this Hipcamp for the night.

Day 42: Portland

You’ll start your day with a 1.5 hour drive to Portland, where you’ll explore the city for most of the day. Once you’ve seen the city, drive the 2.5 hours to Mount Rainier National Park.

Here is what I recommend for the day:

• Start your day at Powell’s Books- the world’s largest independent bookstore
• Head over to Mill Ends Park- the Worlds Smallest Park
• While in the area, take in the views of the Willamette River
• Go to one of the food cart pods for lunch
  • We went to the Hawthorne Asylum Food Carts
• Spend some time in the International Rose Test Garden
• Drive the 2.5 hours to Mount Rainier National Park for the night
  • Watch the sun set from Inspiration Point

For accommodations I stayed at Big Creek Campground, a campsite in the national forest right outside of the national park.

Day 43: Mount Rainier National Park

You’ll spend most of today in Mount Rainier National Park. When I went, it was still extremely snowy and very few trails were open. If you go when it’s warmer you could spend more time here, but I decided to hike one of the few trails that were open, and relax at the campsite for the rest of the day. I really needed to do laundry and take a shower, both things my campsite provided, so I opted for that! Staying in the park wasn’t really possible due to the snow, so I decided to book a Hipcamp.

Here is what I recommend for the day:

• Hike Skyline Trail
  • I was only able to hike the beginning of this due to the snow, but I would still recommend it
• Check out the Paradise Visitor Center
• Drive the one hour to

For accommodations I stayed at this Hipcamp. I have to say, this was my favorite Hipcamp by far. The host was so friendly, the camping was nice, and she had a shower and laundry on site that we could use. We were the only ones camping there which was nice, because if the other two spots were full there wouldn’t be much privacy, but it was nice regardless.

Day 44: Missoula

Today is the first day of your journey back home. This will consist of 8 hours of driving to get to your destination, Missoula. I only picked Missoula because I was able to find a good Hipcamp in the area, and it’s one of the last decent sized towns for the next few hours. This day consisted entirely of driving, so once I got to my campsite I set up camp and that was the day.

For accommodations I stayed at this Hipcamp.

Day 45: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Today is another long day of driving, with 9 hours to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I would recommend getting up and starting your day so that you have a little bit of time in the park. I only spend about 45 minutes in this park because I was tired and it’s honestly not that big of a national park, but definitely give yourself a little bit of time to see it.

Here is what I did for the day:

• Drive the 8 hours to Theodore Roosevelt National Park
• Drive some of Scenic Loop Road in the park
• Stop at any overlooks that look cool
• Hike the Wind Canyon Trail (0.4 miles)
  • This is where I saw the wild horses, which I thought was pretty cool
  • After this hike I drove back to my campsite for the night

For accommodations I stayed at Medora Campground, a private campground right outside the park. It worked in a pinch, but I would not recommend this if there are other options available as it was very busy and the sites were extremely close together. I was unable to get a campsite in the park, but if you can I highly recommend camping in Cottonwood Campground.

Day 46: Drive back home!

Today marks the final day of your adventure! If you’re headed back to Minneapolis, prepare for an 8-hour drive. Take this time to reflect on the incredible journey you’ve had, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes and unforgettable experiences.