Without fail, there comes a time each summer when I catch the travel bug. Coworkers are returning from week-long summer flings and feel the need to start exploring for myself. One of these explorations took me on a whirlwind weekend trip to Seattle. I set out on a Friday after work and landed at Sea-Tac with enough time to find my way downtown.
With only a couple of hours to look around, I focused on some major tourist spots. First stop: Pike Place Market. A lot of vendors had shut down for the evening, but the appeal was still there. Endless shops with flowers, crafts, fresh seafood, you name it. A trip to the market could take up an entire day on the itinerary easily. Of course, a trip to Pike Place wouldn’t be complete without grabbing a coffee at the original Starbucks. If you really want to dive in, head down the street to Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. Unfortunately, my tight schedule didn’t leave extra time for this experience. I continued my tour with a walk by the gum wall (gum alley?) and along the waterfront ending at Miners Landing on Pier 57, home to the Seattle Great Wheel. I had an early wake-up call the next day so I set off to find a good night’s sleep in Monroe, WA – about an hour drive Northeast of Seattle.
The following morning I set out for the Blanca Lake trailhead, located in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (side note: you do need a National Forest Pass to park at the trailhead). The actual trailhead was washed out, so this added about 4 miles roundtrip to the hike by parking along Forest Service Road #65. Road conditions (and therefore the ‘beginning’ of the hike) are constantly changing, be sure to checkout the status before heading out. The added distance to the hike took a toll, but compared to the rest it was an ‘easy’ 4 miles. The Blanca Lake trail consists of 37 switchbacks and gains almost 3,000 feet in 3 miles. It was a workout, and it came with a reward. This is a popular hike, especially on a Saturday in the summer. Add in heat and bugs, and a 6am start time didn’t seem so crazy. A small group started the hike just before me, but I was otherwise alone on the trail as I made my way to the glacial lake. Post-switchbacks, around the top of the 3,000 foot elevation gain, is Virgin Lake (honestly more of a pond in my opinion). I ran into some campers here, it’s also where the trail becomes a little rockier and the descent to Blanca Lake begins. It was cooler on this side of the mountain, the sun was starting to make an appearance making for some incredible views peaking through the trees. Following my AllTrails map I knew I was coming close to my final destination, but I was not prepared for the initial lake sighting. It stopped me in my tracks.
After the wow-factor wore off (who am I kidding, I’m still in awe sitting here writing this post), I made my way down to the lake. It was still a little too cold for a swim, but that didn’t stop me from dipping my feet in and taking in the scenery for a while. About an hour and some snacks later I began my journey back to the car. Without the appeal of a glacial lake at the end, this trek was a little more difficult. My 6am start didn’t seem so crazy with the number of hikers I encountered at this point. I was able to beat the heat, the bugs, and have the trail (and lake) mostly to myself – highly recommend getting up early for all of the above. This was definitely an all-day journey, and even if my legs were able to keep going after 13 miles I still had to get back to Seattle and settle in for the night.
I had ambitious plans to hike Mount Rainier National Park before my flight the next day, but my legs just couldn’t do it. So I went back to the list of major tourist attractions in Seattle and found myself on a ferry to Bainbridge Island. I didn’t drive on, opting for short walking tour instead. Taking my time through Waterfront Park, I headed over to Pegasus Coffee for some caffeine and breakfast. This was the perfect way to refuel for the day and had the bonus of overlooking the marina. My tour of downtown Bainbridge also took me to the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum where I was able to learn more about the unique island.
My time is Washington was short, but nothing short of incredible. So much was squeezed into my weekend trip, and even more activities were added to my bucket list. A return trip to the Pacific Northwest is absolutely in my future.
Related post: check out what I wore
