Posts Tagged ‘seattle’
National Parks Seattle Washington
Magpark.com - this time mag park will guide you about National Park at Seattle, Washington. When visiting Seattle Washington, it is probably quite impossible not to notice the beautiful scenery that surrounds this great town. I can think of few cities in America that are so strategically located to take advantage of the best of nature. Not only are the surroundings lovely, but the climate is also very mild for most of the year. The drawback for some is the rain as it rains about 50 percent of the time in this city. I suppose that I could sacrifice humidity and stifling high temperatures in exchange for a few rain showers, but that’s just me.
It would seem that I am not the only one that has noticed the beauty that seems to surround the Seattle area as there are several national parks in these areas that are a sure sign someone else has noticed. In fact, that is what I’ll be discussing. The national parks that are within easy driving distance of Seattle Washington. If you love nature, any of these parks has a great deal to offer and if you are really adventurous, you can try visiting them all (though I really feel you would be hard pressed to get the most out of your experience in a national park after just one day).
The first national park on my list is the one that comes first to my mind when I think of Seattle even though it is a monument rather than a park. It is called the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and was created for the purposes of research, education, and recreation. Within the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument the environment is left to its own devices in recovering from the disaster. The last time Mt. St. Helens erupted was in 1980.
The next national park on my list is indeed a national park it is called Mt. Rainier National Park and is only a short drive from Seattle. Mt. Rainier is an inactive volcano and the park was founded in 1899. This park receives visits from nearly two million people each year. There are many activities that can be enjoyed here from camping, hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, and fishing to taking simple nature walks in order to enjoy the beautiful scenery. This is one park that I really don’t recommend trying to conquer in a day, there is simply too much ground to cover and you might miss something really cool if you rush through. I understand that time is limited and you may not have the time to properly explore all the park has to offer on one vacation. If that is the case, I seriously recommend finding one or two things to do and see while there and concentrating all of your efforts on those things.
Located about two hours outside of Seattle, Washington is the North Cascades National Park. Often referred to as the North American Alps, this mountain range is spectacularly beautiful. There are many activities available within the park such as camping, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, and float trips along the Skagit and Stehekin rivers. For me, simply enjoying the stunning views of this national park would be enough without the benefit of the other activities that are available. This is a great way to spend a day, two days, or even an entire vacation. I especially recommend river floating if you have children. It is a great way to enjoy your time together and fairly enjoyable for everyone. You may even be able to get them to take the headphones off for a little while.
As we know that everyone has certain things that appeal to him or her most about a prospective travel and vacation location at park. For mag park, a great amount of appeal comes in the things I can see, touch, smell, and experience. Nature is one of the things that we can’t always experience at home or if we can, we simply take it for granted. While on vacation, the ability to experience the best that nature has to offer is a wonderful thing. We hope you will visit at least one of these parks during your visit to Seattle.
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Washington Wildlife In Seattle
Magpark.com – Dear readers, park magazine will let you know if you really love the outdoors and all things that belong to nature then Seattle Washington is really a great place for you to visit. With the climate, the terrain, and the beautiful surroundings, this city truly has the best of most worlds. Mountains, volcanoes, trees, sand, and sea can all be found in and around this truly unique city.
In addition to the great scenery that abounds, there are many places you can go to get a better view of the local wildlife. This is, after all, an integral part of nature and the little ones that you’ve brought along (if you’ve brought little ones along) will thoroughly enjoy seeing all of the animals.
Seattle has the distinct benefit of having and/or being within easy driving distance of several zoos and aquariums as well as other unique opportunities to see wildlife in more natural habitats and surroundings. Below I will give a brief overview of some of them that will hopefully whet your appetite and encourage you to at the very least give these outings serious consideration.
The first wildlife exhibit I would like to point out is a bit of a drive from Seattle but well worth every mile. Northwest Trek is a 715-acre park, which offers a tram tour through 435 acres of land where animals are free roaming in their natural habitats. There are 30 species represented along the trek and more than 200 animals within those species. This is a great way to see American animals without cages and bars surrounding them.
Next on my list of unique opportunities to view wildlife is the Cougar Mountain Zoo. This zoo is unique because of its focus on endangered species. Perhaps one of the most fascinating things about this particular zoo is its focus on educating visitors about the animals it hold. The zoo hosts several lectures throughout the day on the various animals it holds. Not only is there the magic of rare and beautiful creatures but a profound lesson that can be learned about conservationism and the importance of each and every creature in the circle of life. I think this is truly a unique opportunity that would be a shame to miss.
The next one I’d like to mention is Wolf Haven International. This organization provides rescue and sanctuary for captive born wolves. Wolf Haven also offers education to the public at large about these great animals. 45 minute to one hour walking tours are offered daily and walking tours are the only way you can actually see the wolves. If you have even the most remote interest in these beautiful creatures, I highly recommend a visit to Wolf Haven as a potential highlight of your trip to Seattle.
One of the activities people think of most when visiting Seattle is of course, whale watching. I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t include information about that here as well. There are several charter companies that offer whale-watching excursions leaving daily from Seattle. The most popular time of year to do so is from April through September and the San Juan Islands are a great general area in which to see these magnificent creatures. My recommendation is to make reservations early, especially during the peak whale-watching season. Not only do you get to see the great whales, but you also get to take a boat ride in the process. For me, being on the water is just as wonderful an experience was watching the whales.
We recommended that these are some of the more uncommon and unique places to view animals in and around Seattle, Washington. If you are planning a visit to this area and you love animals, nature, park and wildlife, each of these places has something special and extraordinary to offer its guests. Not only are these places to view wonderful and magnificent creatures but also receive an education about them as well. My fondest hope is that you will visit each of these places and find the experience as incredible as I do.
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