Outdoor Activities

Feature

White Users Dominate the Outdoors Nationwide, and the Pacific Northwest Is No Exception

The outdoors are for everyone—but getting everyone outside isn't going to happen on its own.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Gear Guide

Here in Seattle, Our Gear Better Be Next Level

Outdoor togs and toys have to clear a high bar these days. We expect multifunctional gear that’s loaded with extras, and Seattle makers’ newest offerings oblige.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Bars Beyond Cardboard

5 Locally Made Energy Bars to Try

We passed around Northwest-made trail bars to compose wine-style tasting notes for homegrown hiker fuel. Pinkies up, everyone.

05/22/2018 By Seattle Met Staff

Best of the Northwest

The New Classics: 25 Amazing Washington Hikes

Guys, we don’t all need to hike Mount Si this weekend. Once you’ve explored Washington’s busiest trails, make these your to-do list. Plus: our favorite weekday and kid-friendly hikes.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Lottery Life

Permits Are Changing Everything

Welcome to the great outdoors. Do you have a reservation?

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Room with a View

Four-Star Campsites in Washington's Wilderness

We expect more from our campgrounds than a few dirt clearings in the woods. High-end amenities from ice cream stands to volleyball courts pop up next to scenic sites across the state.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Cover Story

The Insider's Guide to Pacific Northwest Hiking

Welcome to the age of next-level gear, dog rescue squads, and campsites with hot tubs—and a new list of do’s and don’ts. Dig into our guide to the brave new world of playing outside.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Tiger Mountain High

So You Want to Try Paragliding

On a scenic hillside in Issaquah, pilots take flight wearing little more than a backpack and a kind of parachute. It may resemble an extreme sport, but paragliding is more about hang time than radical dives.

04/24/2018 By Allison Williams

White Out

So You Want to Snowshoe

But you'd rather follow an expert. Take a winter walk with 12 ranger- and guide-led snowshoe trips.

01/05/2018 By Manola Secaira

Long Weekends

Go to Vancouver for the Urban Snow Sports—Stay for the Great Food

Escape to Canada and discover easy-access slopes and outstanding global cuisine.

12/20/2017 By Allison Williams

Long Weekends

How to Spend 3 Days in Scenic, Lakefront Coeur D’Alene

Water is front and center in Idaho’s laid-back panhandle town.

12/20/2017 By Allison Williams

100 Years of Activism

1968: Birdwatchers and Mountaineers Defend the Wilderness

“They were then the fightingest and scrappiest outfit around.”

11/21/2017 By Madeline Ostrander and Valerie Schloredt

Road Trip

How to Find Peace and Quiet in a Whistler That’s Bigger Than Ever

Under new Vail Resorts ownership, North America’s biggest ski mountain isn’t getting any smaller. But it does have some pockets of serenity.

11/20/2017 By Allison Williams

Fees, Please

Would You Pay $70 to Visit Mount Rainier?

What about the Olympic National Park? The park system is pondering one heck of a rate hike.

10/25/2017 By Allison Williams

100 Best Shops

13 Great Places to Shop for Outdoor Gear (That Aren't REI)

These retailers of rugged wares get you geared up for any adventure on the trail, waves, or, sure, pavement.

10/23/2017 By Rosin Saez and Darren Davis

Take a Bike

In Seattle, Bike Shares Never Say Die

Except, Pronto is dead! So what's Seattle's cycling prognosis?

09/19/2017 By Rosin Saez

Olympics 101

First Time in the Olympic Peninsula? Here's What to See.

Scenic vistas, stunning beach walks, and main street strolls: Here's what should be on any first-timer's to-do list.

07/20/2017 By Allison Williams

Northwest Travel

Secrets of the Olympic Peninsula: 25 Hidden Gems Waiting Across the Sound

From forgotten history to fresh-from-the-farm cider to a valley of 10,000 waterfalls, there's a ton to discover in our state's greenest corner.

07/20/2017 By Allison Williams

'Tis the Season

10 Quintessentially Summer Things to Do in Seattle

Between outdoor shows and weekend trips, make time for the city’s most elemental summer pursuits.

06/12/2017 By Allecia Vermillion

Cabins & Cottages

The Best Washington State Park Cabins

Some are simple, some are surprising, and all sit on public land—and that means they rent for cheap.

05/14/2017 By Allison Williams