Mount Rainier National Park is located 54 miles south east of Seattle and encompasses over 200,000 acres ranging in elevation from 1,600 feet to more than 14,000 feet above sea level. The "Mountain" as it is called by locals, is an active volcano covered by snow and ice and surrounded by ancient forests and wildflower meadows. On days of exceptional clarity, it can be seen from as far as Portland, Oregon - over 100 miles away.
Columbia River Gorge is an incredible example of the power of Mother Nature. It's the only place in the world where a river has actually ploughed through a mountain range. Speaking of the river, it is one of the world's greatest sources of hydroelectric power and provides 1/3 of the possible hydropower of the USA. The canyon can be as deep as 4,000 feet and stretches for over eighty miles forming the boundary between the state of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south.
Willamette Valley along the Historic Columbia River Highway and into the ‘Land of Plenty’ is what Oregon Trail pioneers called the fertile Willamette Valley. Home to two-thirds of Oregon's wineries and vineyards, this verdant valley is known as one of the premier Pinot Noir producing areas in the world.