Outdoor Holiday Excursions

From wildlife watching to storm watching, Washington's backcountry offers plenty of options for getting outside during the holiday season and beyond.

Take your visiting relatives on a hike, your kids sledding or simply plan a trip to Washington's coast to watch the big surf. The cold, crisp air and daylight will do you wonders as you await the arrival and longer days of spring.

Parego's Lagoon at Ebey's Landing - a great hike for the whole family. Photo by Shahid Durrani.

Hike Whidbey

Whidbey Island is a great destination during the holidays and boasts a number of excellent and usually snow-free hikes. One of our favorites is Ebey's Landing.

This little preserve, tucked away in the rainshadow on Whidbey Island, has a bit of everything. Panoramic views of mountains and water. Twisted driftwood and old gnarled trees. Rare plants. Gray whales and shipping activity in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Bald eagles, hooded mergansers, harlequin ducks, and even something called an alligator lizard. And a rich cultural heritage that has compelled Congress to permanently protect and fund the heart of Ebey's Landing and provide for long-term stewardship. And it's an easy enough hike that you can take the whole family.

Raft the Skagit

Photo by Charles Ardary.

Each winter, hundreds of bald eagles migrate to the Skagit River to feast on this abundant salmon run. By heading out on a raft, you can watch these magnificent birds in their natural habitat as you drift slowly down the river. The moss-draped landscape is immensely beautiful from this perspective, too.

Blue Sky Outfitters and Alpine Adventures offer winter rafting expeditions, and the North Cascades Institute holds a eagle-viewing seminar. Sure, it will be chilly, but isn't that why down jackets and fleece vests were invented? Dress warmly and pack your camera - you'll have a great time!

Experience the Olympic Coast

Head out to Washington's northwest coast for a sand-swept winter weekend. Near Neah Bay, several short trails carry you out on to the beach or up to lofty viewpoints, as is the case at Cape Flattery. Watch for seals, dolphins and whales surfacing in the breaking waves. Look for herons taking cover in nearby trees. Smell the salt in the air. Study a sea stack as waves swell and crash against it. Keep an eye on the weather as storms do roll in.

While you're out this way, be sure to save time for the Makah Cultural and Resource Center in Neah Bay. This museum features archeological artifacts dating back thousands of years.

When you're done with all of that, head back to a warm, dry cabin to enjoy that other great winter activity: a nap.

Sledding with the Kids

Have snowflakes fallen where you live? If so, your kid has probably started lobbying for a chance to go sledding. Washington sure has its share of hills, but you may be at a loss for determining where it is safe to take your 6 year-old.

Snoqualmie Pass has two developed options: tubing at The Summit (sold in two-hour intervals and including the tow rope) or sledding at the Hyak Sno-Park (groomed Sno-Park pass required). These are quite popular destinations, especially on weekends. 

Less developed (and less expensive) choices exist on the Mountain Loop Highway. All you need is a Northwest Forest Pass to sled on the closed road to Mt. Pilchuck (directions here). Or go to the end of the plowed road at Deer Creek Road (milepost 23.0) for completely undeveloped sledding fun.

Explore the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery

The Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington is a holiday hot spot. Village shops and eateries are decked out for the season, and the dramatic

Snowshoeing is a great way to get out in winter, and the Icicle River Trail in Leavenworth makes it a cinch for beginners. Photo by Jay McPherson via Flickr.

snow-laden peaks of the Stuart Range present a breathtaking backdrop. Mix in a little wildlife watching on snowshoes, and you've got your winter wonderland.

The Icicle River Snowshoe Adventure Trail at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery on the west side of town is a fully-accessible loop trail that offers excellent winter wildlife watching, from deer to woodpeckers. The trail is great fun when trekked on snowshoes or cross-country skis.  Click here for a map.

Starting in mid-January, the hatchery hosts free Winter Wildlife Snowshoe Tours for ages 8 and up. Naturalist and snowshoes included!

Snowshoe Mount St. Helens

If solitude and adventure are in your cup of wintertime tea, head for the volcano. Prior snowshoe experience is a must, and you will need to watch weather and conditions carefully, but a wintertime summit of Washington's most visibly active volcano is certainly doable, and quite a unique experience from its summer counterpart.

Be patient. You will want to make sure all the right elements are in place before you attempt this snowshoe trip: a long stretch of stable weather, favorable avalanche conditions, and a clear forecast.

For more information, check out Snowshoeing St. Helens by Dave Schiefelbein, which appeared in the November / December 2007 issue of Washington Trails magazine.

The view from the dining table at Tahoma's High Hut. Spectacular! Photo by Janelle Walker.

Hut-to-Hut Skiing

Two groomed trail systems offer overnight hut accommodations for beginning and experienced cross-country skiers.

In the Methow Valley - Washington's Nordic skiing mecca - each of the five Rendevous Huts can fit up to eight people on a shared or whole hut basis. Depending upon your hut and where you start your journey, the huts are from four to nine miles on groomed trails from the trailhead. If your food and gear are too heavy, they'll even haul it for you.

Near Mt. Rainier National Park, the Mount Tahoma Trails Association grooms 50 miles of trails and operates two huts and a yurt. Staying overnight in one of the huts is a fabulous way to truly experience the wintery Cascades. During the day, anyone can warm up inside the huts, and at night they can be reserved.

It's too late for this holiday season and most of this winter's weekends are already full at both of these hut systems, but there are several weekday nights still available throughout the winter.