The good news coming out of the Pacific Northwest just doesn’t seem to stop! According to a tweet sent by the Washington State Department of Transportation, State Route 20, better known as the North Cascades Highway, will reopen at 11 am Friday, April 22! The road had been closed for 37 miles since last November, granting access to stunning views for only the hardcore outdoor adventurers. Now, the road has been plowed and everyone with two or four wheels can drive up and see the stunning sights from one of America’s most-scenic stretches of road. 

Get ready to see your Instagram and Facebook feeds fill up with pictures of a ghost town in the North Cascades.

The Washington Cascade’s most famous “ghost town” will soon be reopening for hikers and backpackers to explore. On March 8th, 2016, the US Forest Service announced that the trail and site of the old mining town will be reopened to the public by the end of May. Located along the South Fork of the Sauk River, Monte Cristo was closed to the public to remove hazardous toxic minerals left behind from the mining boom that occurred in this region over a century ago. With the cleanup nearly complete, the public will once again be able to travel back in time and see a mining boom town in the middle of the wilderness. While the buildings are derelict, Monte Cristo is a great family destination to explore the beauty of the Cascades and the history of the region.

Twenty miles south of the Canadian border and twenty miles east of Bellingham, there is a gathering of America’s flying mascot. Along the shores of North Fork of the Nooksack River, hundreds of bald eagles feast upon the schools of returning chum salmon. As the chum slowly start to decompose after arriving in freshwater and spawning, eagles from around the Pacific Northwest flock to the region in hopes for serious sustenance. Visible from the road, this amazing display of nature is the perfect weekend trip for residents of the Pacific Northwest. 

“To this day, exploring the wild places of the world is where I feel most at home and allows me to process the stresses of everyday life and find my place.”  Trail Runner Jason Henrie

Trail runners are a strange breed of individuals. They are the ones who wake up early and return home late, perfecting the art of running through lush forests, slot canyons and wilderness of every shape and size. They wear headlamps, carry around packets of goo for energy, and tend to always be looking outside, longing for their next adventure. Trail runners are energetic people, and some of my best friends, and even family members. Recently, I was able to chat with Jason Henrie,  a well-respected author, trail runner and rock climber in both the Pacific Northwest and the Flagstaff region of Arizona. 

Everyone that lives, visited, or spent time daydreaming about the Pacific Northwest knows it has endless beauty. From the stunning peaks of the Cascade Mountains in Washington and Oregon, the amazing beaches and rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula and the breathtaking wilderness in Idaho, beauty and outdoor recreation go hand in hand. Nature defines who we are as a region, spurring on movements of secession, as well as defining who we are as individuals. The wilderness of the Pacific Northwest is intoxicating, addicting, and now a place to try to find a date based on our love of the great outdoors.

The National Parks of the West, specifically the parks of that are in Montana and Washington State, offer some of the most wild and diverse landscapes in the world. Full of wonder and awe, the five National Parks in these states give visitors experiences they can’t find anywhere else in the world. Whether in Yellowstone or the North Cascades, Glacier, Rainier or Olympic, your trip to these National Parks will give you a five senses all the adventure they can handle.

The snow is melting in the National Parks around the Pacific Northwest, and thanks to an unseasonably warm winter for 2014-15, roads around the region will be opening soon. All around the region, gates will be unlocked earlier than average, making for what could be increased attendance numbers for all the parks in the west. Low snow levels mean earlier hiking, earlier road trips and more adventures for those looking to get out of the city and explore some of the most beautiful lands in the world. From North Cascades National Park near the Canadian border to the hollowed out volcano of Crater Lake National Park in Southern Oregon, and everywhere in between, the roads in the National Parks of the Pacific Northwest will soon be open, and we tell you when you can start an amazing adventure into America’s wilderness.