120x120 "Best Of" List

I thought I’d share a few lasting impressions from my 120x120 journey in the form of a “Top 3” list. This is obviously a subjective (and rather silly) list that highlights the tremendous diversity in our parks system. Feel free to cast your own votes by replying or contacting me with your feedback.

Top 3 Destination Parks (spend a day... or seven)

1. Deception Pass
3.5 million annual visitors can't be wrong

2. Moran
10,000 deer can't be wrong

3. Cape Disappointment
Lewis & Clark, broad beaches, raging seas, lighthouses. You can't go wrong.

Top 3 Most Remote Parks (but well worth the effort)

1. Field's Spring
Feels like a different state, and it almost is

2. Crawford
Feels like a different country, and it almost is

3. Lime Kiln
Unless you live in Victoria and own a boat

Top 3 Sun and Fun Parks

1. Sun Lakes
Come Summer time, lots of sun, boats, picnics and people

2. Steamboat Rock
See above

3. Lake Chelan
Swim, boat and frolic in Washington's largest lake

Top 3 Park Views

1. Mount Constitution -- Moran
Mountains, water, islands, ferries. Catch this one at sunrise.

2. Summit of Mount Pilchuck -- Mount Pilchuck
Panorama of the cascades, Puget Sound lowlands and islands.

3. Summit of Mount Spokane -- Mount Spokane
A fairly easy drive, but not for the squeamish.

Top 3 Park Waterfalls

1. Palouse Falls
#1 by a landslide and well worth the effort to get there

2. Ollalie
Close to Seattle and featured on YouTube

3. Wallace Falls
Two falls dropping a combined 500 feet adorn a very pretty trail

Top 3 Unusual State Park Features

1. A Flaming Geyser
Awe-inspiring? No. Captivating? No. Odd? Yes.

2. A Large Telescope
Activity at the Goldendale Observatory really heats up at night

3. A Bowl and Pitcher – Riverside
Not an awful wedding gift, but an interesting rock formation in this great Spokane park

Top 3 Forest Walk Parks

1. Rockport
Thick old-growth is the main attraction here

2. Federation Forest
Old growth evergreens, miles of trails and a very good interpretive center

3. Bogachiel
Island of state-owned rain forest in a sea of national forest land

Top 3 Most Meticulously Maintained Parks

1. Peace Arch
You could eat off the lawns here (and many park residents do)

2. Scenic Beach
Beautiful native rhododendrons set against a water and mountain backdrop

3. Faye Bainbridge
If campsites were ever described as "cute," these are them

Top 3 Wildlife Sighting Parks

1. Lime Kiln Point
One of the best land-based sports in the world to view whales. Really.

2. Moran
Deer and raccoon for days, and the biggest heron I’ve ever seen.

3. Leadbetter Point
Home of the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, and just an interesting piece of land

Top 3 Soccer Mom Parks

1. Lake Sammamish
From June to September -- a state-protected minivan sanctuary

2. Saint Edwards
Lots of recreational opportunities for the kiddies

3. Bridle Trails
Wedged between Bellevue and Kirkland. Need I say more?

Top 3 Hidden Gems

1. Bridgeport
Camping, boating, golf, a huge dam -- and best of all: marmots.

2. Columbia Hills
Lots of character in this small park nestled in the Columbia Gorge

3. Rasar
A good stopping point to picnic and watch for bald eagles before heading over the North Cascades

Top 3 Parks with a Sense of History

1. Cape Disappointment
Lewis and Clark camped here, and the interpretive center is excellent

2. Fort Simcoe
A well-restored fort on a pretty piece of land west of Yakima.

3. The Fort Trio (Flagler, Worden, Casey)

Guardians of Puget Sound as early as the 19^th century.

Visit my 120x120 site here.

Trip 10: The Olympic Peninsula & Grand Finale

120x120 Mission Complete!

Just 94 days and 1 season ago, we pulled into Brooks Memorial State Park near Goldendale on a warm August afternoon. More than 5,500 miles and 119 parks later, we crossed the 120x120 finish line at rain-soaked (and quite beautiful) Schafer State Park north of Elma.

The 10th and final trip was special for other reasons as well, as my family was at my side, and we all relaxed -- for a short time anyway -- at the Lake Quinault Lodge. On the way to Quinault, we survived Ocean City, Damon Point, Griffiths-Priday, Pacific Beach and an incredibly slow dining experience at an unnamed Ocean Shores establishment. My poor mother, small in stature only, almost got blown away from one park beach to the next. Although I was disappointed in not being able to fully explore each property, it would have felt strange to not have the swirling rain and wind following us the whole weekend. Ten trips to every corner of the state, and no rain? That's not my Washington!

Sunday morning I got up early and drove north to Bogachiel State Park, hiked around for a bit and watched a large herd of elk eat breakfast on the park lawn. After coming across a fresh bear print and droppings on a park trail, I (I = just me) decided to explore a bit more of the campground before heading back home and finishing up at Lake Sylvia and Schafer. Thanks to park officials, family and friends who showed up and wished me well. After more than three months enjoying the vast array of park landscapes, the most encouraging take away from this experience has been the reassurance that our parks system is in extremely good hands.

Stay tuned for a "Best Of" parks list on my web site. I try not to play favorites, but I just can't resist highlighting some of the good, the not-so-good and downright odd things encountered while traipsing through our parks.

P.S. If you enjoy reading about local environmental issues, check out the Environmental Blog on the Seattle P.I.'s web site. James Schroeder, a policy specialist with the National Wildlife Federation, writes informative and interesting pieces about local environmental issues. He also happened to write last week's piece about the 120x120 project. But even without the nice pub, and the fact he's married to my sister, I'd still be a regular reader.

Visit my 120x120 site here.

Trip 9: The Southwest Coast (10/28 - 10/29)

This past weekend's loop trip took me down the I-5 corridor, over to the
coast and down memory lane. My first stop was Rainbow Falls -- a place where my family camped several times when I was young. I'm sad to say I didn't remember too much about the park, but that's more a reflection of my age.

Heading south, I dropped into Seaquest and the Mount St. Helens visitor center, which is definitely worth the price of admission ($3). A trail and boardwalk adjacent to the center offers a nice walk around a lake with views of the mountain.
Further south I finished off the I-5 corridor with stops at Paradise Point and Battle Ground lake -- both of which were first-time visits for me. From there I backtracked through Longview and met with a reporter at the Daily News (This is the result). With sunlight running low, I dropped into Fort Columbia and Cape Disappointment to round out the day.

Cape Disappointment is a pretty amazing place with a rich history. This is a destination park where you could spend several days exploring the different sections of the park that Lewis and Clark explored 200 years ago. The day I visited was extremely foggy, much like nearly every other day I imagine, as I stood near where the Columbia empties into the Pacific. I heard the roar of the river, the clang of bells and the slow, deep resonating horns of nearby ship traffic. The place looked like a moonscape and was one of the few places I've ever been that overtly notify all of your senses that you are at the mercy of mother nature. In other words, I'd highly recommend it.

The next day was all about the beaches. Loomis Lake, Pacific Pines and Leadbetter Point on the Long Beach peninsula all offer access to a wide stretch of beach. Leadbetter Point sits at the tip of the peninsula and offers some very interesting hikes through marshland, beach and wooded terrain, as well as a look at a major stopping point for many migrating birds. After traversing the Long Beach peninsula, I drove north around Willapa Bay to stop at Grayland Beach, Twin Harbors and Westport Lighthouse state parks. More good beaches and good camping at these parks with a bonus of Washington's tallest lighthouse (and yes, you can go to the top).

And closer to home, I crossed off my final Puget Sound parks on my trip home. Dash Point and Saltwater offer small sections of sound access but pretty extensive camping opportunities within close proximity to Seattle and Tacoma.

Next Trip: The 120x120 Finale! Another day at the beach, the Olympic Peninsula and a final celebration on Sunday, November 5 (1:00 p.m.) at Schafer state park (#120!) between Olympia and Aberdeen.

Visit my 120x120 site here.