There are many ways to approach a West Coast or National Parks road trip. Seriously, you can do the Pacific Coast Highway from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington all of the way down the Oregon Coast through California to Tijuana, Mexico, or you can shoot down the I-5 corridor, making intentional stops within an hour or two off the freeway. You could even just wing it and pop all over the place. Road trips are an amazing family travel experience and not to be missed. We’ve got many great options on our site, but for now let’s plan a West Coast National Parks road trip, including our favorite National Parks in California, Oregon and Washington.
We’re not going to cover every National Park Service site, but we’ll share with you the top National Parks in the mountains that we’ve visited and feel cannot be missed, starting in California and ending in Washington. This is the essential west coast National Parks road trip itinerary that covers 12-17 days worth of travel… but you can always adjust down or do more! And don’t forget to bring your National Parks Passport, because you’re going to need it!
Note: Â at the end of our itinerary we’ve got a download to help you do this great National Parks road trip plan. Â You can download it or Pin it for later!
West Coast National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
You can do this road trip through the west coast National Parks starting either in California or Washington. If you choose to start in California, begin by flying into Los Angeles or Palm Springs. Do some sightseeing in LA and then some hiking in Palm Springs, then begin the official road trip. If you’re doing a west cost RV road trip, be sure to book your camping spots in advance! It’s tricky to get same-day reservations in most of the west coast National Parks.
Map of West Coast National Parks
To help you get oriented and ready for an unforgettable National Parks road trip, it’s good to understand where they all are. The west coast states (CA, OR and WA) have mountainous strips running north to south and then they all are along the coast too. Most of the NPS sites fall within either the Sierras or the Cascade Mountains, with Olympic National Park being the whole of the Olympic Mountains in Washington.
Get the full set of Western National Parks audio tours here!
How to Plan a Trip Out West
When you’re planning a trip out west for the National Parks, I think it’s important to understand just how much driving is involved between sites. If you’re from the East Coast and you’re visiting historic cities, it’s a short drive between them all. Here on the west coast, from one National Park to the next can be four or five hours because of the mountain roads AND distance. When you’re planning your trip out west, consider that some days you’ll want to just do a drive and then relax at the end of that drive. This may add a day or two to your overall plan, but you’ll likely enjoy it more.
Get our book, The Road Trip Survival Guide, here!
Another thing to consider when you’re planning a trip out west is that winter can be a fun time to visit. While everything is open and you have access to everywhere in the summertime, during the winter you get to see a completely different side of the National Parks. Joshua Tree is a great year round destination, as is Yosemite NP. Sequoia and Kings Canyon are at a higher elevation so they are not as accessible in winter. The same with Oregon Caves, Crater Lake and parts of Mount Rainier NP. That’s okay though, because it means you can mix things up with visiting some small towns, ski towns and state parks instead.
Planning your flights and rental car, aim to fly into one airport and out another. You could go up and down, returning to the airport you started at, but you can save time by departing at the other end of your trip. You may have a fee for dropping a rental car at a different return point, but it’s worth it.
Two Week National Parks Road Trip Plan
Time for the travel plan to visit a bunch of wonderful west coast National Parks. This road trip does take two weeks, but you’ll love every minute of it. You’ll see wildlife, epic landscapes, do some great hikes, and have stories to tell for years to come.
Joshua Tree National Park – 1 day
Let’s start in one of the most unusual landscapes in California: Joshua Tree National Park. It’s not just a grove of the bizarre Joshua Trees, but it’s full of hiking spots, bouldering, super blooms, cactus fields and even palm oases. You could spend two days here touring, or just make it a day trip from Palm Springs.
Joshua Tree National Park is awesome and you’ll be so glad you started here. If you can make your timing work out just right, stargazing here is incredible and it’ll be one of the highlights of your National Parks road trip. Be out at night on your own or book a tour with fancy telescopes, but try to be in the park after dark for at least a little while.
Highlights to not miss if you’re just doing one day include:
- Cholla cactus garden – not an actual garden, but a naturally occurring grove
- Split Rock for bouldering
- Cap Rock for an easy nature trail with incredible Joshua Trees and desert life
Tour recommendation: Joshua Tree NP Stargazing Tour
Audio tour: here’s a guide for the drive through Joshua Tree NP
Allotted time in Joshua Tree: up to 2 days, 1 is plenty
Where to stay at Joshua Tree National Park
We recommending staying in Palm Springs if you’re not camping. The city is really fun and there are lots of things to do. Hiking Palm Springs’ Indian Canyons is another must-do activity, so staying in town is an easy way to add that to your epic National Park road trip plan. The Best Western Las Brisas Hotel is a great budget option, and then the Hilton Palm Springs is another great stay. If you want to get fancy, the Parker Hotel is outrageously cool.
If you want to get a camping spot within Joshua Tree National Park, there are several options within the park. Reservations are recommended, but if you cannot get one and want to camp, there are options in the Coachella Valley (south side) or Morongo Valley (north side). Also, there are some INCREDIBLE Southern California glamping options around Joshua Tree if you’re interested.
Sequoia National Park – 2 or 3 days
Somehow in all of our travels and through visiting so many National Parks it took us years to visit Sequoia National Park. Once we finally made it there, it was incredible. True, our visit was dotted with weird experiences, including putting snow chains on the car when it had been 80 degrees a few days prior, but it was beautiful. There’s ample hiking and really great Visitors Centers.
The steep cliffs you drive along, the red sequoia trunks against the greenery (or snow) and the breathtaking forests all make you feel so small. Sequoia National Park just might be your favorite stop during your west coast National Park road trip. The General Sherman Tree hike – the hike down through the grove is really breathtaking, and can be as easy or as lengthy as you like. The enormity of the trees and the colors are unreal. It’s an amazing way to begin a west coast National Parks road trip.
Highlight:Â stop at General Sherman and Congress Trail, Giant Forest hike and museum, Morro Rock Trail, Crystal Cave
Tour recommendation: Crystal Cave tour, only accessible by tour
Audio tour: if you enjoy audio tours, here’s one of Sequoia National Park
Allotted time in Sequoia: 2-3 days
Where to stay in Sequoia National Park
Since we were there mid-spring and stayed at the Wuksachi Lodge, we got to enjoy a cozy hotel within Sequoia National Park while the snow fell… and then melted with the crazy heat.  It was a great option for family travel. This is a pricier option than staying at one of the small lodges or hotels outside the park, but the location and vibe are wonderful. Auto Camp Sequoia in Three Rivers is really cool too, and the Gateway Lodge is vintage!
If you’re visiting Sequoia National Park in the summer, there are several campgrounds that are pretty nice; we love to be in the trees when we’re camping. Get camping spot at Lodgepole, Cold Springs or Buckeye Flat campgrounds. Book the Wuksachi Lodge here!
Kings Canyon National Park – 1 or 2 days
I can’t wait to go back to Kings Canyon National Park. This is the place for hiking through one of the most beautiful valleys in California. For the full Kings Canyon experience with sunshine, wildflowers AND snow, hit the park at the end of April or early May. Do the west coast National Park road trip a little later in the year and the roads to the most remote reaches of the park will be open and the weather is (usually) awesome, although into summer there is a risk of local forest fires and smoke.
We loved exploring the Grant Grove and getting really up close and personal with the giant sequoias, including walking through hollowed out fallen logs. Picnics out in the valley are the perfect family activity. It’s a really cool National Park. Exploring the Grant Grove of Sequoia trees is perfect with kids. Here you can actually get inside of fallen trees and amidst burned out trunks.
Highlight:Â Grant Grove Trail, Panoramic Point Overlook Trail, Big Stumps Trail, Zumwalt Meadow, Muir Rock, Roaring River Falls
Audio tour: because this is more of an explore-on-your-own park, an audio tour of Kings Canyon is a good idea to have at the read.
Allotted time in Kings Canyon: 2 days or less
Where to stay in Kings Canyon National Park
The John Muir Lodge was home for our short stay in the park. We appreciated having plenty of space in the rustic lobby and out in the rocking chairs for the kids. It was also great being close to Grant Village, which is where the Visitors Center and a few camping options are located. As long as you’re visiting in the summer, all camping should be open, but camping spots go fast, so book them when you know you’ve got a plan. Also, adding a lodge stay to a west coast National Parks road trip, either here or another park, is a nice way to break up the journey. Book the John Muir Lodge here!
There are more options within Kings Canyon National Park as well, including the Montecito Sequoia Lodge, Stony Creek Lodge and Grant Grove Cabins.
Tip: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are way up there in elevation. You should expect cold nights, even in the summer, so be smart about packing. Peek at our article about camping in Yellowstone for ideas to make camping at high elevations a success.
Yosemite National Park – 3 or 4 days
Even though Yellowstone was the first National Park (Sequoia was second), Yosemite was the first collection of Federally protected lands in the United States. Yosemite National Park is unlike any other place we’ve been. The granite cliffs, valley floor and ample waterfalls make every turn in the Park more amazing than the last, and make it integral to a west coast National Parks trip. Since we usually are here with the kids, we don’t tend to do too intense of hiking, but have some suggestions from some of our other Yosemite NP trips:
- Nevada Falls and Half Dome – really incredible views and hiking in the Sierra forest, access to the back of Half Dome – medium w/o kids
- Tunnel View to Glacier Point – intense
- Bridal Veil Falls – easiest mini-hike ever and really cool with kids
- Yosemite Falls – easy approach and easy hike if you’d like to get to the top of the Lower Falls
- Hetch Hetchy / Wapama Falls – easy hike w/o kids, difficult w/ kids due to sun exposure and rock steps. Amazing though.
We always have plenty of fun picnicking and doing the Yosemite Valley Tram Tour, as well as just enjoying the sights, such as Tunnel View. Even with all the people, you’ll have an amazing time. And if you’re avoiding the crowds, spend a day at Hetch Hetchy and hike to waterfalls and striking views.
Highlight: Hetch Hetchy. Even though every stop in Yosemite is iconic, spending time in Hetch Hetchy is amazing. 1/10 the amount of people and 2X the beauty.
Tour recommendation: if you didn’t do stargazing in Joshua Tree, book a stargazing tour in Yosemite National Park.
Audio tour: get a Yosemite National Park audio tour here
Allotted time in Yosemite: 3-4 days
Where to stay at Yosemite
Within Yosemite National Park there are several awesome camping options with camping spots both in the Valley and away from the action. We’ve camped at Upper and Lower Pines campgrounds and both are fine, but both are also quite open and rather crowded. We have seen bears in both areas. Oh, and there are several great lodge choices too, both inside and outside the Park. We can attest to the ones outside…
Tip: camping or not, take a look at our wildlife safety article for some tips and guidelines for wildlife viewing and precautions in National Parks.
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
At the southwestern end of Yosemite National Park is the Tenaya Lodge. Unlike its sister lodges in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the Tenaya Lodge is located outside of the Park and is REALLY GRAND. It’s a beautiful property with pools, lots of dining options and tons of on-property activities.
This is a great place to stay if you’re planning on doing other activities in the Sierra and also want to visit Yosemite National Park. It’s 45 minutes+ to the Yosemite Valley, but there are lots of hiking options between there and the Tenaya Lodge, and on the grounds of the Tenaya Lodge you’ll find more fun and relaxation than you probably expect. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s beautiful and breaks up the wilderness time. Book the Tenaya Lodge here!
Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite
We are in love with the Evergreen Lodge. Like we said in our article about the Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite, it’s very clear that the lodge and entire property was built with family in mind. It’s got everything from zip lines and a pool to walking trails and game rooms. We would love to return here with our extended family, as it’s an incredible property that’s just perfect for family travel.
The Evergreen Lodge is extremely close the the Hetch Hetchy entrance to Yosemite National Park. It’s a perfect home base if your goals are sightseeing, hiking or relaxing. Book the Evergreen Lodge here!
Note: the Evergreen Lodge has wonderful family cabins that are perfect if you’re traveling with kids.
Redwoods National and State Parks – 1 day
I know this is out of the mountains and over at the California Coast, but the drive from Yosemite National Park to Oregon Caves National Monument is a long one (almost 10 hours). Drive instead to Eureka, California and enjoy this cool old logging town that’s peppered with Victorian mansions. It’s a nice break from hiking a bunch, and then the next morning you can wake up and go through Redwoods National and State Parks on your way to Oregon Caves NM.
Make stops to do short hikes/walks at the Tall Trees Grove, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, and Trillium Falls. The Grove of the Titans and the Jedediah Smith River Trail are both great stops too. You could spend several days exploring around the Redwoods, but this is a good sampling of what you can experience. When you’re done, continue northward to Oregon Caves National Monument.
Highlights: Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Grove of the Titans, Jedediah Smith River Trail
Audio tour: guide through Redwoods National Park sites up to the Oregon border
Where to Stay in Eureka and the Redwoods
If you have time, you could add an extra day in Eureka. It’s quiet and pretty, and it’s a good home base for exploring this part of the coast. But since we’re on a schedule, just one night here will have to do. The Carter House Inns are a cool collection of Victorian buildings in Eureka (book it here!), and there’s lots of character. The Eureka Inn is a really neat historic hotel with a great lobby and good location.
Oregon Caves National Monument – 1 day
I know, it’s not a National Park (it’s a monument/preserve), but it’s really special and fun. Located not too far from I-5, which you’ll be driving on anyways, Oregon Caves National Monument is a must visit. There are hiking trails all around the preserve, but the highlight is the actual cave tour.
The tour is leg by a ranger and goes through the intricate cavern system. It’s a smaller cave system than Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana, but is still really cool. From fossils to stories of prohibition era parties in the caves, it’s a one-of-a-kind National Park road trip stop.
Highlights: the ranger-led cave tour is the best thing about visiting Oregon Caves National Monument. Also, be sure to spend some time in the beautiful Chateau at the Oregon Caves.
Allotted time: 1 day, you don’t need more unless you’re camping here or have a camping spot near Cave Junction.
Where to Stay at Oregon Caves National Monument: the Chateau
There is the most remarkable National Park lodge at Oregon Caves. The Oregon Caves Chateau is an immense log cabin castle in the forest. Just as historic and unique as the cave, the rooms are rustic and quiet. There is both a restaurant and a vintage diner within the chateau, so check in and relax! This is without a doubt one of the coolest National Park lodges and it’s way more fun to stay here than have a rainy camping night.
You can also find a vacation rental in the Cave Junction area if you can’t get a room at the Chateau. Even the town of Grants Pass isn’t too far away and has lots of options. The Weasku Inn is our FAVORITE spot and it’s right on the Rogue River, which is beautiful!
Crater Lake National Park – 2 days
Crater Lake National Park in Oregon is really cool and unique. It’s similar to Lake Tahoe in that you can drive the loop and it’s amazing blue, but Crater Lake is very different. Being formed from an extinct volcano, the sights and activities are very unique. There are lots of hikes, both easy and difficult, so it’s a good activity destination along your National Parks road trip.
Being the deepest lake in the United States, it’s no wonder it’s so blue. The Rim Drive will take you fully around Crater Lake, and as you go you’ll find ample hiking and picnic opportunities. And there is an island in the lake, Wizard Island, which you can visit via boat tour. *Boat tours are suspended through the 2026 and 2027 seasons, returning in summer of 2028.
Highlights: early morning (view from east rim) and dusk (view from west rim) photography. Amazing! Also, do the Discovery Point Trail and Plaikni Falls hike.
Audio tour: get the Crater Lake National Park / Rim Drive audio tour here
Allotted time: 2 nights, 1 full day
Where to stay at Crater Lake
Crater Lake National Park offers camping, the Mazama Village Cabins and a National Park Lodge (open May to October). We recommend the camping route though, which we love to do there. Crater Lake National Park camping is also a great way to make time in the park memorable (seasonally available). Depending on the type of campground you’re looking for or what side of the lake you’re planning to spend the majority of your time on. The main campgrounds are in the south end of the park, but backcountry permit camping is available in other areas. So many options to make your road trip fun!
Mount Rainier National Park – 2 or 3 days
Gosh, we could say so much about Mount Rainier National Park, but we’ll keep it to this: go for a day or a week and you’ll have an amazing time. Check out our articles about the waterfalls of Mt Rainier National Park as well as our guide for easy hiking with kids for some ideas. It’s really easy to make a home base on either the north or south side of the mountain and then switch to the other side.
Mount Rainier is all about hiking though, so if you’re looking to spend a few days just relaxing, this may not be the stop for you. True, you can do some great porch sitting at either of the National Park lodges, but for the waterfalls and amazing views, you’ve got to do some hiking.
Note: the south side of Mt Rainier National Park is the busiest, but it’s also the most developed with the most notable sights. The north side is much more remote with fewer tourists. It’s 90% hardcore hikers.
Highlights: Frozen Lake (Sunrise), Grove of the Patriarchs and Silver Falls are our three favorite hikes, and both have fewer visitors than Paradise. Lake Mowich is also beautiful and very much overlooked. They’re located very near each other on the southeastern side of the park, and Lake Mowich is on the north side.
Audio tour: I love having the audio tour of Mt Rainier NP. It’s such an interesting park, and very different from the others we’ve visited on this road trip.
Allotted time: 2-3 days per side, or just 3 days on the south side
Where to stay at Mt Rainier National Park
We’ve camped at the Cougar Rock campground for the majority of our visits. It’s in a great location on the south side of Mt Rainier National Park, has a variety of site types and it’s close to most of our favorite hikes. Ohanapecosh is the other campground we’d recommend. It’s very different with more deciduous trees and much flatter area around the river and Grove of the Patriarchs.
If you’re going for the National Park Lodge type of accommodations, there’s either the National Park Inn in Longmire or the Paradise Inn up on the mountain. The Paradise Inn is amazing with the most wonderful, alpenstyle interiors. And the bison meatloaf in the dining room is to die for. Both have the perfect amount of rustic charm, much like the Chateau at the Oregon Caves, but the Paradise Inn is much more grand and closer to the hiking action that the south side of Mt Rainier has to offer.
Olympic National Park – 3 days
Both Chris and I grew up on the Olympic Peninsula, so we know Olympic National Park incredibly well. If you’re visiting as part of a west coast National Parks road trip, you’ll want to visit several sites. We recommend hitting all three of the ecosystems within Olympic NP: alpine hiking, exploring the rainforest, and enjoying the beaches of the Pacific Ocean. You’ll find that due to Olympic National Park being focused around a central mountain range, you cannot drive through the park. You’ll instead circle the park on Highway 101. We have a great Olympic Peninsula road trip plan if you need it…
The best hiking is found at Hurricane Ridge, with sweeping views of the region all the way to Canada. The best rainforest is found on the west side at the Hoh Rainforest. The best beach is Ruby Beach: perfect sand, ample wildlife, and epic rock formations. The most gorgeous waterfall in Olympic National Park is Sol Duc falls, and since it’s between the two main areas it’s an easy addition to the road trip.
Highlight:Â Â visiting the Hoh and Quinault rainforests in the fall when the colors are changing. The rainforests provide some of the best fall foliage in National Parks. Hurricane Hill at Hurricane Ridge is the best hike there. Staircase is beautiful if you can add it.
Audio tour: Olympic National Park is an interesting one for an audio tour because it has different sections around the peninsula
Allotted time:Â 2-3 days, as you’ll want to explore one or two of the small towns bordering Olympic National Park, such as Port Townsend or Port Ludlow.
Where to stay at Olympic National Park
Since we grew up as locals, we ALWAYS choose to camp at Olympic National Park. If you’ve packed for it, camping is the way to go. West coast National Parks are made for camping. Olympic National Park has many camping areas. Heart O’ the Hills is perfect for hiking at Hurricane Ridge and exploring Port Angeles. Camping at Kalaloch is ideal for visiting the Hoh Rainforest, Ruby Beach and the other beaches of the Olympic Peninsula.
The best pick for a stay close to hiking is the Lake Crescent Lodge, and then the Olympic Lodge in Port Angeles. You can find unique B&Bs in Sequim and Port Angeles (we love the Domaine Madeleine Bed and Breakfast!) There are also several lodges surrounding the Park, but you must make reservations far in advance.  Book the Kalaloch Lodge here!
Other West Coast National Parks to Visit
Beyond the ones in our mountain National Park road trip itinerary above, you can add several more amazing National Parks (and some awesome state parks too). Easy add-ons include:
- Death Valley National Park (CA)
- Devils Postpile National Monument (CA) in Mammoth Lakes
- Golden Gate Recreation Area
- SF Bay Area National Park sites (lots of history)
- Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
- Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area (CA)
- John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (the Painted Hills) (OR)
- North Cascades National Park (WA)
Like we said, our basic mountain National Park road trip itinerary is ideally done in 12-17 days. Everybody has time restraints though, and depending on the time of year, less time may be needed. If you’re interested in doing a a road trip through the West Coast parks and historic towns and lighthouses, check out our other NPS coastal road trip itinerary article. It’s all doable as one huge trip, but in the light of family travel and not wearing anybody too thin, splitting the trip up is ideal to be able to get enough time in each National Park.
Simple 16 Day West Coast National Parks Itinerary (with download)
Now, if you just need the travel plan and not all the fluff, everything covered above is available here below. To make it easy, we’ve also made this into a simple download.
ARRIVE: fly into Los Angeles LAX, spend first night in Palm Springs
- Day 1:Â Joshua Tree National Park
- Split Rock Trail
- Cap Rock Trail
- Cholla Cactus Garden
- Panorama Loop Trail and dinner Yucca Valley
- Stargazing with a Guide
- End in Palm Springs
WHERE TO STAY IN PALM SPRINGS: Las Brisas Hotel, Hilton Palm Springs
- Day 2:Â Palm Springs -> Sequoia National Park
- Morning hiking in Indian Canyons palm oasis
- Depart by 10:30 am
- Drive to Sequoia National Park – 6.5 hours
- Evening visit to General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail
- End in Sequoia National Park
WHERE TO STAY IN SEQUOIA: Wuksahi Lodge, Auto Camp Sequoia, The Gateway
- Day 3:Â Enjoy Sequoia National Park
- Revisit Congress Trail and General Sherman
- Giant Forest Trail and Museum
- Morro Rock Trail
- Crystal Cave Tour
- End in Sequoia National Park
- Day 4:Â Kings Canyon National Park
- Start early at the Grant Grove Trail
- Panoramic Point Overlook Trail
- Zumwalt Meadow
- Roaring River FallsÂ
- End in Kings Canyon NP
WHERE TO STAY IN KINGS CANYON: John Muir Lodge, Stony Creek Lodge
- Day 5:Â Kings Canyon -> Yosemite
- Visit Big Stumps Trail as you leave Kings Canyon
- Drive 2.5 hours to Yosemite NP
- Explore Yosemite Valley sights: Tunnel View, Cathedral Picnic Area, Bridal Veil Falls, Visitor Center, Ansel Adams Gallery, Yosemite Falls
- End in Yosemite or outside park
WHERE TO STAY IN YOSEMITE: Tenaya Lodge, Evergreen Lodge, Wawona Hotel
- Day 6-7:Â Yosemite National Park hikes and sites
- Nevada Falls (open trail) and Half Dome (permit required)
- Yosemite Falls hike
- Glacier Point Trail or Sentinel Dome trail
- Mirror Lake Loop trail
- Hetch Hetchy / Wapama Falls trail
- End in Yosemite National Park
- Day 8:Â Big Driving Day to Coast
- Depart early to drive 8 hours to Eureka, CA
- Enjoy the evening around town
- End in Eureka
WHERE TO STAY IN EUREKA: Carter House Inns, The Eureka Inn
- Day 9:Â Redwoods National Park to Oregon Caves
- Lady Bird Johnson Grove
- Grove of the Titans
- Jedediah Smith River TrailÂ
- Drive to Oregon Caves National Monument
- End at Oregon Caves NM
WHERE TO STAY AT OREGON CAVES: Chateau Oregon Caves, Weasku Inn or in Grants Pass
- Day 10: Oregon Caves -> Crater Lake
- Morning Oregon Caves tour
- Drive 3.5 hours to Crater Lake National Park
- Late lunch at Lodge
- Rim Drive and sunset from the west side, Watchman Peak
- End at Crater Lake National Park
WHERE TO STAY AT CRATER LAKE: Crater Lake Lodge, Mazama Village Cabins
- Day 11: Crater Lake Hiking and Relaxing
- Discovery Point Trail
- Plaikni Falls Trail
- Boat tour on Crater Lake to Wizard Island (confirm operation)
- End with Mount Scott hike in park
- Day 12: Crater Lake -> Mount Rainier
- Depart early for the 7 hour drive to Mount Rainier National Park
- Explore around Longmire or Paradise for the afternoon
- End in Mt Rainier NP
WHERE TO STAY AT MT RAINIER: Paradise Inn, National Park Inn
- Day 13: East Side of Mt Rainier NP
- Silver Falls hike
- Grove of the Patriarchs
- Sunrise area w/ Frozen Lake
- End in Mt Rainier NP
- Day 14: South Side of Mt Rainier
- Comet Falls hike / Van Trump Meadows
- Cougar Rock to Nerada Falls hike
- End in Mt Rainier NP
- Day 15: Mount Rainier -> Olympic National Park
- Depart early for the 4.5 hour drive to Hoh Rainforest
- Visit Kalaloch and Ruby Beach
- Sunset on First or Rialto Beach
- End in Port Angeles
WHERE TO STAY AT OLYMPIC NP: Lake Crescent Lodge, Olympic Lodge
- Day 16: Olympic National Park Hikes
- Sol Duc Falls hike
- Marymere Falls hike
- Hurricane Ridge hikes
- End in Port Angeles
You can add another day in the area, visit Port Townsend, or head to Lake Cushman and the Staircase area of Olympic National Park if you want.
Return to Seattle when you’re done and fly home via SeaTac SEA.
If you have any questions about our National Park road trip along the west coast, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’ve done this trip a few times and really enjoy it. We’re always happy to answer questions and help you plan an awesome adventure!
Crater lake looks amazing. Seems like a great road trip to go on for a fortnight. So much to see and do! I know that I would have loved it.
This is awesome! We thought we were in for a treat when we visited Crater Lake but we have some work to do! All your pictures are great! Also, in-n-out is definite! It’s so worth it!
After reading this post I feel so tempted to pack a small backpack with a tent and go hiking for days in those parks or in the mountains near to where I am for the moment. I love National Parks! Nothing beats the feeling being in the midst of nature and breathtaking views! This is a very interesting and useful itinerary!
I need a month off! I need to do some hardcore hiking soon- this article gives me so many ideas! Frank hasn’t been out west at all so it would be fun to do a trip like this with him.
What an awesome post! I am hoping to do Crater lake next year at some time. Definitely trying to see as much of the USA awesomeness that I can. Loved seeing the boys all dressed up and exploring the USA. They are some lucky kids. 😉
I love so much all these beautiful pics you added with your article. And this infographic is a brilliant idea!
We have definitely not spent enough time exploring the parks on the US West Coast! You bring up so many incredible places that we’d love to bring our kids to. Sequoia NP would be amazing. To see those huge trees would be stunning!
I really love your National Park series and this is a wonderful summary. These are some incredibly beautiful and spectacular places that you bring alive vividly for the readers through stunning pictures and wonderful narrative packed with lots of useful information as well.
Bring along a wide range of clothing. Weather conditions in national parks can frequently be volatile, with a hot, sunny day in Yosemite Valley followed the next day by a rain — or snow — storm. Invest in a good set of hiking shoes. Hiking is one of the most popular pastimes at national parks, and a good pair of shoes is critical. If you plan a longer hike, check in at the ranger station. Some parks require wilderness permits for overnight hiking trips, so rangers know where you are in case something happens.
Great article packed with destination information and tips! Beautiful photos, too! I really must make time for North America sometime.
Great tips for families, couples or solo travelers. Great photos. too!
This is an amazing road trip. The fact that you cover some of the best National Parks with breathtaking landscapes makes it an epic road trip. I am sure the kids would retain this lovely experience for a long, long time.
This is absolutely stunning. I am so looking forward to another trip back to the states when I get to plan some time in parks such as these. I think Crater Lake looks absolutely fabulous and it’s something of a fairytale to me to stay in a lodge in these parks. Will definitely keep all of these places in mind.
You are making me homesick! Cool pics! A great list of our top National Parks, and yes, the West Coast is a great place to park-hopping! We have been to all except Crater – we did not push that far north from Oakland but the pics make me want to go back just for that… One of these days… Camping is definitely the way to go, though a nice cozy lodge in nice when it’s colder. 🙂
Love your National Parks series! Nice sharing of experience! Makes the place look inviting!
Very nice trip, but I wondered why you did not include Mount St. Helens and/or Lassen Volcano, which could be done in a day for each park.
You know, I haven’t been to either since I was a little kid, but you’re right: both are easy day trips. We will be visiting Mt St Helens this spring, so we may add it. If nothing else we’ll be sharing about it specifically.
I have done a few of these, but definitely have to go back to visit some of the others! What a great post, I’ll keep it for my resources.
I love your articles! They are super helpful. I’m planning a trip to Yosemite and Sequoia soon! I am so excited!
Lucky!! Hopefully we’ll be back in Yosemite in July. We want to hike in the Eastern half of the park. Have a great trip!!
What time of year to you recommend for this kind of trip? Having a honeymoon in mid march next year and really wanting to do a similar road trip!
I’ll be honest that mid-March is NOT the best time to do this road trip. We did it at the end of April and faced the whole gambit of weather, including random snow. Much of Yosemite will still be closed to the public, a good deal of Mt Rainier won’t be accessible, Sequoia would be a chilly challenge…
If you’re able to delay doing this trip until the first or second week of May, you’ll have infinitely better luck with weather, I think. Crowds should also still be very small and the wildlife just becoming more active.
Congrats and best of luck in your decision!
This posting is a huge help as we are planning on doing some modification of this trip next summer in August 2018! Question though, we will be flying from east coast and are considering doing it by RV. Can this be done by just RV? What I mean is, will we also need a rental car towed behind the RV (I prefer to not tow a car if I don’t have to) to get access to some of the national parks from whatever RV campground we stay at, or would we be better off simply renting some kind of van for our family to travel in and then stay in lodges or hotels? Last year we did an RV at Zion and Grand Canyon with no rental car and it worked just fine. Thanks!
Yes, I would say that each of the parks is very doable with a small RV. If you were to go through Sequoia National Park in a large RV you would find yourself in a pickle trying to escape the park on the south end. I’m sure that it is doable with no more than a 25-foot RV but I would be very cautious due to the jackknife turns. Most of the sights have parking areas that will accommodate campers and such, but there are a few roads, mostly in Sequoia, that are tight.
If you were doing Crater Lake, Mt Saint Helens, Mt Rainier, Olympic and North Cascades…. how many days would you need with a family with kids (13, 11, 5)? Thanks in advance!
If you’re starting at Crater Lake and doing ALL of these stops during regular season, considering travel time between them: at least 12 days. Any less and you’ll be traveled out and miss a lot of the must-sees. It gets tricky when you have both North Cascades and Olympic in the same itinerary.
Old thread but hopefully can still grab an answer… are the days allotted to each park also including travel time? I know some are close but others take a decent day of travel.
Planning on taking 10-14 days in early May and this is essentially the track I was planning
Great question! They certainly can be. For example, it’s an easy few hours between Kings Canyon and Yosemite, but then Crater Lake to Mount Rainier needs a day just for driving. As you map it, you’ll be able to determine if you need to not consider a travel day as an activity day.
We just did a portion of this trip again, so I’ll update the blog post!