Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Pacific Northwest National Parks: Olympic, Mount Rainier and Crater Lake
8 days from Seattle to Bend: Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, two nights below Mount Rainier for Sunrise and Paradise, a night in Portland and a night at Crater Lake with the walk down to the water.
8 days · Seattle to Bend · up to 12 guests
The caldera wall and the lake, Crater Lake National Park Photo: Vulturesong, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crater_Lake_National_Park_-_HCP_-_October_13,_2022_-_023.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Seattle to Bend
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 5 h on day 7
- Activity level
Moderate
Daily walks of 2 to 8 km on park trails, beaches and city streets. Sunrise sits at about 1,950 m and Crater Lake's rim at about 2,150 m, so you may feel short of breath on climbs. The Cleetwood Cove trail drops about 210 m in 1.8 km to the lake and climbs it again on the way back, the steepest walk of the trip, and it is optional. The longest drives are about four and a half hours on day 6 and about five on day 7, split into legs of two hours or less, and every park day has an easy and an active choice.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 920 (estimated price)
- Season
- July to September
Highlights
Why this trip
- Hurricane Ridge in the afternoon, looking across to the glaciers of Mount Olympus
- The Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rain Forest before the summer queue at the gate
- Sea stacks and driftwood at Ruby Beach, and a night by Lake Quinault
- Mount Rainier from Sunrise at about 1,950 m, the highest point in the park you can drive to
- Wildflower meadows on the Skyline Trail at Paradise
- Crater Lake from the rim at sunset, from Watchman Peak if you want the climb
- The walk down the Cleetwood Cove trail to the only shore of Crater Lake you can reach
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 5 h, on day 7.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 920 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 5 h, on day 7.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to your hotel in central Seattle, then Pike Place Market
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Seattle
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), about 25 km south of downtown. We meet arrivals at set times through the day and drive you to a central hotel; the pick-up windows come with your final itinerary. At about 4 pm your See Sight Tours guide walks anyone who has arrived down to Pike Place Market, which has run above the waterfront since 1907: the fish stalls, the craft and glass sellers on the lower levels, and the viewpoints over Elliott Bay, where the ferries cross toward the Olympic Mountains you will reach tomorrow. At about 6 pm the whole group meets at the hotel for a short briefing on the week: how the days are paced, why some mornings start early, and what to pack for rain in the Hoh and cold mornings at altitude.
Evening
Then we walk to a welcome dinner nearby, with salmon and other Pacific Northwest food on the menu. Seattle gets one night on this trip; for more of the city, book extra nights before the trip starts and we will suggest where to stay.
Included
- Pick-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- Walk through Pike Place Market and down to the waterfront with your guide
- Welcome briefing
- Welcome dinner in Seattle
Free time: Free until the afternoon walk
Activity: Land by about 2 pm to join the market walk; the briefing and dinner are at about 6 pm.
Across Puget Sound to Hurricane Ridge
Seattle to Bainbridge Island by ferry, then Port Angeles and Hurricane Ridge
- Breakfast
- Stay in Port Angeles
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we board the Washington State ferry at Colman Dock for the 35-minute crossing to Bainbridge Island, with the Seattle skyline behind and, on a clear day, Mount Rainier to the south, where we sleep on nights four and five. From the island we drive about an hour and three quarters over the Hood Canal Bridge and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Port Angeles, the gateway to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Afternoon
Lunch is on your own in town. In the afternoon, when the morning cloud has often lifted, we climb about 27 km to Hurricane Ridge at around 1,600 m. The view runs across a deep valley to the glaciers of Mount Olympus and the Bailey Range, and the meadows below the road hold black-tailed deer and Olympic marmots, found nowhere else. We walk the meadow paths together before heading back down.
Evening
The evening is free in Port Angeles, on the water.
Included
- Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry across Puget Sound
- Olympic National Park entry
- Hurricane Ridge viewpoints and meadow walks with your guide
Easier option: Stay on the flat meadow paths near the Hurricane Ridge parking area, about 1 km in all.
More active option: If the road beyond the parking area has reopened, walk the paved Hurricane Hill trail, about 5 km return with about 200 m of climbing. If it is closed, your guide leads a longer loop on the ridge paths instead.
Free time: Evening free in Port Angeles
Activity: Hurricane Ridge can be cold and windy even in summer, and only basic facilities are open at the top since the day lodge burned in 2023. We carry water in the van.
The Hoh Rain Forest and Ruby Beach
Port Angeles to Lake Crescent and the Hoh Rain Forest, then Ruby Beach, Kalaloch and Lake Quinault
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Lake Quinault
- Drive about 4 h
We leave Port Angeles at 7 am, with a short stop by the deep blue water of Lake Crescent, and reach the Hoh Rain Forest entrance at about 9:15, ahead of the queue that builds at its single gate in summer. The Hoh gets several metres of rain a year: Sitka spruce and western hemlock rise from fallen nurse logs, and bigleaf maples hang with curtains of moss. We walk the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail with your guide, watching for Roosevelt elk in the river valley. Then it is under an hour down to the coast. At Ruby Beach a short, steep path drops through the trees to sea stacks and piles of bleached driftwood, and we picnic near Kalaloch. The last leg to Lake Quinault is about 45 minutes, so the day's four hours of driving come in pieces of two hours or less.
Evening
Dinner at the lake is included, since there are few places to eat out here.
Included
- Lake Crescent
- Hoh Rain Forest: the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail with your guide
- Ruby Beach
- Picnic lunch on the Olympic coast near Kalaloch
- Dinner at Lake Quinault
Easier option: Walk only the Hall of Mosses, a flat loop of about 1.3 km, and watch the waves from the top of the Ruby Beach path.
More active option: Walk out along the Hoh River Trail for about 3 km and back while the group finishes the nature trails.
Free time: Evening by the lake
Activity: About 5 km on foot, on flat forest trails and soft sand. The 7 am start is what gets us into the Hoh before the queue; ask for a boxed breakfast if you would rather eat in the van.
From the rainforest to Mount Rainier
Lake Quinault to Aberdeen and Olympia, then US 12 to Packwood below Mount Rainier
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Packwood
- Drive about 4 h
Start with a short walk on the Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail at about 8 am, while the forest by the lake is still quiet, and leave at 9. This is a travel day of about four hours on the road, in two halves.
Afternoon
The first runs about two hours past Aberdeen and along the southern edge of Puget Sound to Olympia, Washington's state capital, where we stop for a sit-down lunch and a look at the domed Capitol on its hill above the water. The second follows I-5 south, then turns east on US 12 up the Cowlitz River valley, through farmland and forest to Packwood, a small mountain town just outside the southeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park, our base for two nights. On a clear afternoon the mountain shows itself above the trees as we near town. We arrive by about 3:30 pm, with the rest of the day free.
Evening
Packwood has a few cafes and a general store; your guide can point you to the river for an evening walk.
Included
- Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail
- Sit-down lunch in Olympia
- Washington State Capitol grounds
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Packwood
Activity: A light walking day: about 2 km on the morning nature trail and a short stroll in Olympia.
Sunrise, the high side of Mount Rainier
Packwood over Cayuse Pass to Tipsoo Lake and Sunrise, then back to Packwood
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Packwood
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
We leave at 7:30 am, earlier than most days, because the Sunrise car park fills by late morning in summer and the mountain is often clearest early. The road climbs over Cayuse Pass and up a long series of bends to Sunrise, at about 1,950 m the highest point in the park you can reach by road. We arrive at about 8:45. From here Mount Rainier, 4,392 m, fills the view, with the Emmons Glacier, the largest by area in the lower 48 states, pouring down its northeast face. Your guide leads the short walk to Emmons Vista and then up onto Sourdough Ridge, with Mount Baker and Glacier Peak far to the north on a clear day. Hoary marmots whistle from the rocks.
Afternoon
We picnic at Sunrise, then drive back by Tipsoo Lake at Chinook Pass, where the mountain reflects in still water, and reach Packwood by about 2:30 pm for a free afternoon. If Sunrise Road is closed by snow or wildfire, we walk the Naches Peak Loop at Tipsoo Lake and start on Paradise instead.
Included
- Mount Rainier National Park entry
- Sunrise: Emmons Vista and Sourdough Ridge with your guide
- Picnic lunch at Sunrise
- Tipsoo Lake at Chinook Pass
Easier option: Walk only the short paths to Emmons Vista and around the Sunrise meadow, about 2 km on gentle ground.
More active option: Hike on from Sourdough Ridge to Frozen Lake and the Mount Fremont fire lookout, about 9 km return with about 300 m of climbing, at altitude.
Free time: Afternoon free in Packwood
Activity: About 3 to 9 km on foot, at about 1,950 to 2,200 m; the thin air makes climbs feel harder. Snow can lie on the higher trails into July. Sunrise Road has no fixed opening date and can close for wildfire; we confirm it before departure.
Paradise meadows, then south to Portland
Packwood to Stevens Canyon, Reflection Lakes and Paradise, then Ashford, Morton and I-5 to Portland
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Portland
- Drive about 4.5 h
Morning
We leave at 7:45 am up Stevens Canyon Road, stopping at Reflection Lakes, and reach Paradise, at about 1,650 m on Mount Rainier's south slope, by about 8:45, before the late-morning rush. From late July to mid-August its meadows are thick with lupine, paintbrush and avalanche lilies.
Afternoon
Your guide leads the walk up the Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls and the meadow loops above it, and lunch is at Paradise before we leave at about 1 pm. This is one of the two longest days, about four and a half hours on the road, half an hour over our usual cap, because Rainier and Portland sit far apart and there is no good place to sleep between them. We break it into legs: about an hour down past Longmire and Ashford to Morton, a coffee stop, two hours on I-5, a last half hour into Portland by about 5 pm.
Evening
The evening is free in the city.
Included
- Reflection Lakes
- Paradise: Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls and the meadow loops with your guide
- Lunch at Paradise
Easier option: Walk the paved path to Myrtle Falls and back, about 1.6 km, and take the Nisqually Vista loop for the view of the glacier.
More active option: Climb the Skyline Trail to Panorama Point, about 6.5 km return with about 400 m of climbing, for the view south to Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens; the full Skyline loop does not fit before lunch.
Free time: Evening free in Portland
Activity: About 2 to 7 km on foot at about 1,650 to 2,080 m, on paved and stepped trails. Stay on the paths: the meadows are fragile.
Over Willamette Pass to Crater Lake
Portland to Eugene, then OR 58 over Willamette Pass to Salt Creek Falls, then US 97 and the north entrance to Crater Lake
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Crater Lake
- Drive about 5 h
We leave Portland at 8 am for the longest day of the trip, about five hours on the road.
Evening
It is the price of reaching Crater Lake from the north in one go; a night halfway would cost the trip a day in the parks. We break it into three legs. About two hours down the Willamette Valley on I-5 bring us to a coffee stop at Eugene. Then an hour and a quarter up OR 58 into the Cascades to Salt Creek Falls, which drops about 87 m into a basalt gorge a short walk from the car park, and we picnic there. The last leg, about an hour and three quarters, crosses Willamette Pass and runs south on US 97 and OR 138 to the park's north entrance and the rim, which we reach at about 2:45 pm. Crater Lake fills the caldera left when Mount Mazama collapsed about 7,700 years ago; at about 594 m it is the deepest lake in the United States. We drive the west rim viewpoints, and after dinner anyone who wants it climbs Watchman Peak for sunset.
Included
- Salt Creek Falls
- Picnic lunch at Salt Creek Falls
- Crater Lake National Park entry
- West Rim Drive viewpoints with your guide
- Dinner at Crater Lake
Easier option: Watch the sunset from the rim near the lodge instead of climbing Watchman Peak.
More active option: Climb the Watchman Peak trail at sunset, about 2.6 km return with about 130 m of climbing, to the fire lookout above the lake and Wizard Island.
Free time: Late afternoon on the rim
Activity: Light walking until the optional Watchman Peak climb. The rim is at about 2,150 m and evenings are cold; bring a warm layer and a torch for the walk down after sunset.
Cleetwood Cove, then Bend
Crater Lake East Rim Drive to the Cleetwood Cove trail, then OR 138 and US 97 to Bend and Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM)
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
After an early breakfast we drive the east side of Rim Drive, stopping above Phantom Ship, a small island of old lava that looks like a ship under sail, and reach the Cleetwood Cove trailhead at about 9 am, before the heat and the queue for the boats. The trail is the only way down to the water: about 1.8 km of switchbacks dropping some 210 m to a rocky shore where the lake is clear to a great depth and very cold. Swimming is allowed, for the brave. The climb back up takes most walkers 45 minutes to an hour.
Afternoon
We leave the park by the north entrance at about 11:30 and drive about two hours through the pine and lava country of Central Oregon to Bend, on the Deschutes River, for a farewell lunch. Then we drive up Pilot Butte, a cinder cone in town, for a last look at the Cascades, and reach Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) at about 3:30 pm. Book a flight leaving after about 5:30 pm.
Included
- East Rim Drive and Phantom Ship Overlook
- Cleetwood Cove trail to the lake shore with your guide
- Farewell lunch in Bend
- Pilot Butte viewpoint
- Drop-off at Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) or a hotel in Bend
Optional experiences
- Crater Lake boat tour from Cleetwood Cove, when it runs, if the timing fits
Easier option: Stay at the top of the Cleetwood Cove trail and walk a short way down for the view, or wait at a rim viewpoint while the group walks down.
More active option: Walk the full Cleetwood Cove trail down to the shore and back, about 3.6 km with about 210 m of steep climbing on the return.
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 5:30 pm. The Cleetwood Cove trail is steep, with benches on the way up; it has closed for rebuilding in recent seasons, and if it is shut on your dates we walk the Garfield Peak trail from the rim instead.
- Seattle1 night
- Port Angeles1 night
- Lake Quinault1 night
- Packwood2 nights
- Portland1 night
- Crater Lake1 night
- Bendend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: July to September is the driest stretch. Seattle and Portland are often in the mid-20s C, the Olympic coast stays near 15 to 18 C and is often foggy in the morning, and the high ground at Sunrise, Paradise and Crater Lake is cool, with cold mornings. Paradise meadows flower from about late July to mid-August, and Sunrise a little later. Look for Olympic marmots and black-tailed deer at Hurricane Ridge, Roosevelt elk in the Hoh, hoary marmots and mountain goats on Rainier's high slopes, and Clark's nutcrackers on Crater Lake's rim.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want three national parks in a week, with walking time in each rather than viewpoints from the van
- Walkers happy with 2 to 8 km a day at up to about 2,200 m, with a harder option on every park day
- Anyone who wants park entries, the ferry, lunches in the parks and airport transfers settled in one price
- Solo travellers and couples who prefer hotels and lodges to camping
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want long city stays: Seattle and Portland get one night each
- Anyone who wants to avoid any day over four hours on the road (day 6 is about four and a half, day 7 about five)
- Hikers looking for full trail days or summit climbs on Mount Rainier
- Travellers who need step-free access at every stop (Ruby Beach, Cleetwood Cove and some trails are steep)
- Those who need 3-star-plus rooms every night: the lodges at Crater Lake and Lake Quinault are simple
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Seattle1 night
- Port Angeles1 night
- Lake Quinault1 night
- Packwood2 nights
- Portland1 night
- Crater Lake1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 1 in central Seattle, 1 in Port Angeles, 1 at a lodge or inn on Lake Quinault, 2 in Packwood below Mount Rainier, 1 in central Portland and 1 at a lodge in or near Crater Lake National Park
- Hotels and lodges, 3-star-plus where the parks have it, with private bathrooms where we can confirm them; we name each one when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and drop-off at Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) or a hotel in Bend
- A private air-conditioned van with a seat for each of up to 12 guests plus your guide, and a professional driver
- The Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry across Puget Sound
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, who leads and narrates rather than drives
Activities
- Walk through Pike Place Market and the waterfront (Seattle)
- Olympic National Park entry, with Hurricane Ridge viewpoints and meadow walks
- Lake Crescent, the Hoh Rain Forest Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail (Olympic National Park)
- Ruby Beach and Kalaloch (Olympic coast)
- Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail (Lake Quinault)
- Washington State Capitol grounds (Olympia)
- Mount Rainier National Park entry, with Sunrise, Sourdough Ridge and Tipsoo Lake
- Paradise, Reflection Lakes and the Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls (Mount Rainier National Park)
- Salt Creek Falls (Willamette Pass)
- Crater Lake National Park entry, with the west and east Rim Drive viewpoints
- The Cleetwood Cove trail to the lake shore (Crater Lake)
- Pilot Butte viewpoint (Bend)
- Any park surcharge for non-US residents where it applies
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 6 lunches: picnics near Kalaloch, at Sunrise and at Salt Creek Falls, sit-down in Olympia, at Paradise, and a farewell lunch in Bend
- Welcome dinner in Seattle, dinner at Lake Quinault and dinner at Crater Lake
Not included
- International flights to Seattle and from Redmond (Bend)
- ESTA or US visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Lunches on days 1 and 2; dinners on days 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8
- Drinks
- Tips for your guide and driver (optional; guidance sent with your booking)
- Optional activities such as the Crater Lake boat tour
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 920 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in hotels and lodges, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers at Seattle (SEA) and Redmond (RDM), a private van with a driver, the Puget Sound ferry, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, entry to Olympic, Mount Rainier and Crater Lake national parks, and every visit in the day plan.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests in a van with a seat for every guest and the guide, room for day packs and warm layers, and everyone can hear the guide on the trails and at the viewpoints.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group for all 8 days, with a separate professional driver so the guide can talk rather than drive. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Most days have 2 to 8 km of walking on park trails, some at around 2,000 m where the air is thinner. The hardest walks, Mount Fremont at Sunrise, Panorama Point at Paradise and the climb back up from Cleetwood Cove, are all optional. Every park day has an easier choice, and any walk can be sat out.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay a single supplement?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is from CAD 920 more. If you would rather share, ask when you book and we will try to pair you with another solo guest at the twin-share price. Solo travellers get the same seat, meals and guide as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
July to September, and only then. Sunrise Road and parts of Crater Lake's Rim Drive usually open in early July and close in autumn, and snow can block both in June; if Sunrise is shut by snow or wildfire, we go to Tipsoo Lake and Paradise instead. Paradise wildflowers peak from late July to mid-August. Late August and September can bring wildfire smoke.
How long are the drives?
Most days are four hours or less on the road. Day 6, Mount Rainier to Portland, is about four and a half hours, and day 7, Portland to Crater Lake by Eugene and Salt Creek Falls, about five; each is split into legs of two hours or less with walks, a waterfall and lunch. Ending in Bend saves a long drive back to Portland.
Can I swim in Crater Lake?
Yes, at Cleetwood Cove, the only place you can reach the shore. It is a steep trail of about 1.8 km each way, and the water is very cold even in August. Swimming is allowed from the rocks there; your guide waits at the shore and sets the time to start back up.
Do I need reservations to enter Mount Rainier?
You do not need to book anything to enter Mount Rainier. The park ran no timed-entry reservations for any area in 2026, and we confirm the rules each season. If a reservation system returns, we enter as a permitted commercial tour or hold the reservations for the group, and entry is in the price.
What happens if the Bainbridge ferry is cancelled or full?
We still reach Port Angeles the same day. If the Seattle to Bainbridge Island sailing is cancelled or the vehicle line is too long, we take the Edmonds to Kingston ferry or drive round by Tacoma and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, about an hour longer, and keep Hurricane Ridge for the afternoon.
Do I need a visa?
Canadian citizens need no visa, but carry a valid passport: you may be asked for ID at the border and you need it to fly. Most visitors from Visa Waiver countries need an approved ESTA before flying, and others need a US visa. We do not arrange these, so apply well before you travel.
How does booking work, and can we choose our own dates?
Pick a small-group date and request to book: we confirm within 24 hours and take no payment until then. Hotel names, pick-up windows and the day plan come with your confirmation. For your own dates, choose the private trip, or ask from the dates section for an independent quote.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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