It was a Friday afternoon for three tacoma college students, when one came up with the ill-conceived notion to see the ocean. Well, it was February, so we drove on over to aberdeen and then ocean city to witness the Pacific. Unfortunately we had not counted on the thick fog that often blankets the coast that time of year and, arriving in the dark, set up camp. Upon making the trek to the water, only by the sound of the surf, we realized that there was no way we wold be able to find our way back to camp in the mist, so we decided to turn around before we became lost. We returned to the water the next day when the fog had lifted a bit, but it was by no means sunny. The campsite itself is nice, its got all the amenities close to town so it's perfect for car camping. Don't be a fool like us and go in the winter though…

I actually did a solo overnight backpack up the trail from colonial to fourth of July pass. Unfortunately the backcountry campground I stayed at is not on this site yet. Diablo lake is gorgeous, but because of the accessibility of colonial campground via the main road it is very popular. The amenities are all there and well maintained. The ranger working the gate told me I had to pay to park when the main station had informed me that I didn't because I would be in the back country, so that was a time-consuming little mix up but besides that the Rangers are knowledgeable and willing to help out. My hike to fourth of July pass was nice, 4 mIles with around 2000 feet of elevation gain. I got great views of Diablo lake, ragged ridge, and a glacier across the valley. North Cascades National park is kind of out of the way so it is much less known than its counterparts Rainier or Olympic, and therefore I highly recommend checking it out if you have the opportunity. It has been dubbed the American Alps due to its severe peaks.

Visited on a beautiful spring day. No idea how I always get so lucky with washington weather. We went during the tulip festival at Anacortes nearby so that was a definite plus. The bridge is very scenic, so this is a great place to visit even if only for the day. I should've done some research into why they named it deception pass because it was exactly what I expected. There are multiple recreational water activities to do, but I didn't do any as I found the Springtime sound a little too cold for my liking.

Visited in the spring of 2015. The hike to lower Lena Lake is good for a day trip but rather short for an overnight backpacking trip in my opinion. It's on the Olympic peninsula so be prepared to drive and experience some rain. We set up camp at the lower lake then hiked up to the upper. It was incredible really, because while lower Lena was in full on spring upper Lena was still locked in the grip of winter. I recommend this hike for beginner and intermediate hikers as a potential introduction to the Olympic peninsula.

Visited Moran State park on Orcas Island because one of my friends had been before and thought it was pretty neat. The park itself is on the eastern half of Orcas island, part of the San Juan island archipelago. The island has a fun vibe, and is located in the rain shadow of the Olympics so we had great weather. We camped on a lake that had easy trailhead access to the peak of Mt. Constitution, a easy/moderate hike with excellent views. At the summit there is a tower with information on the natural and human history of the island. All in all a fun place with great variety - The sound, lakes, and peaks. The only problem is expense. The ferry ride over and back is gonna run you $80 per car.

Stopped here for a night while driving from Seattle to Santa Barbara. We'd wanted to stay in Big Sur but had not made reservations, so Morro Bay was the first campsite that allowed us to set up as close to the beach as possible. The beach is expansive, and was rather empty when we visited in march, but thats probably because the water wasn't warm enough for swimming. The town has anything you would need. This is no remote camping destination by any means. All in all a good site that allowed us to get a little rowdy by on the big old pacific.