Washington State's Natural Landmarks: Volcanoes, Rainforests & Alpine Peaks

1. Mount Rainier (14,411 ft)

Active stratovolcano, most glaciated peak in contiguous US. Paradise/ Sunrise visitor areas. Wonderland Trail (93 mi). Icon of the state.

2. Olympic National Park (UNESCO)

Three ecosystems: temperate rainforest (Hoh, Quinault), rugged coast (Rialto, Shi Shi), alpine (Hurricane Ridge). Unique diversity.

3. North Cascades National Park

"American Alps" — 300+ glaciers, jagged peaks, Ross Lake, Diablo Lake (turquoise). Remote, technical. Climber's paradise.

4. Mount St. Helens (8,366 ft)

1980 eruption — lateral blast, 57 dead, landscape transformed. Johnston Ridge Observatory. Ape Cave lava tube. Living geology lab.

5. Palouse Falls (198 ft)

State waterfall. Basalt canyon, Ice Age flood remnant. Palouse Falls State Park. Photographer magnet.

Honorable Mentions

• Columbia River Gorge (shared w/ OR) — Multnomah Falls, windsurfing
• San Juan Islands — orcas, kayaking, Friday Harbor
• Mount Baker — world snowfall record (1,140 in, 1998–99)
• Hoh Rain Forest — Hall of Mosses, highest biomass/acre
• Dry Falls — extinct 3.5-mi wide cataract (Ice Age floods)
• Ginkgo Petrified Forest — Miocene logs, Wanapum Lake

Geologic Theme

Washington = Cascade Volcanic Arc + Ice Age Floods + Coastal Tectonics. Every landmark tells one of these three stories.