On day 112 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive from Ellensburg to Seattle, the largest city in Washington state. We drive on the beautiful “Yakima River Canyon Scenic Byway”, the “White Pass Scenic Byway” and through the impressive Mount Rainier National Park. We drive on beautiful winding mountain roads with many rivers, lakes, dams, waterfalls and beautiful panoramas. Along the route there are many opportunities to park at lookout points to enjoy the view and take photos. Keep in mind that the number of gas stations in the park are few, so fill up where possible.

The first part of the drive is on the Yakima River Canyon Scenic Byway (Washington State Route 821), a 25-mile (40km) world-class drive for visitors and residents of Washington State. It epitomizes the Central Washington experience, from its scenic vistas of shrubs and steppes to its diverse recreational opportunities and rich geological, natural and cultural heritage.

We drive along the banks of the Naches River to the town of the same name where we take the “White Pass Scenic Byway”, this is a scenic stretch of US Highway 12 that winds through East Lewis County and provides access to the volcanic country and its vast expanses of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which is planned for the next trip.

The “White Pass Scenic Byway” is a total of more than 100 miles of scenic road with numerous recreational opportunities. It really is a paradise for outdoor and landscape lovers as there is plenty to do along the route. We drive about 75 kilometers from this beautiful Byway because we want to visit Mount Rainier National Park.
Along the Byway we stop at the Clear Creek Falls Overlook, a favorite rest stop just east of the White Pass Summit. In addition to restroom facilities, there is a dynamic view of Clear Creek Falls. Stretch your legs with a short hike to the edge of the canyon walls. It is also a good place to spot wildlife such as bald eagles, ospreys and moose.

The next stop is at the Mount Rainier Goat Rocks Observation Site, with great views of the snow-capped peaks of Mount Rainier and the Goat Rocks. Named after the goats that live in the area, the Goat Rocks are part of an ancient volcano that once stood over 3,000 meters high. After thousands of years of erosion, the highest point of the mountain range today is just over 2,400 meters.

We make a short visit to the Ohanapecosh Visitor Center, located at the entrance to the campsite of the same name, where there are displays about the animals and interesting details of the park and the surrounding area. Rangers are on hand to answer questions and the small gift shop offers educational books and other items for both adults and children.

And then it's time to drive into Mount Rainier National Park, we buy a day pass at the Stevens Canyon South East Entrance, the entrance fee is $30, you can also buy the pass online. Get ready for an extraordinary adventure in Mount Rainier National Park!

Mount Rainier National Park covers 953 km² around the 4392 meter high stratovolcano Mount Rainier, the highest peak in the Cascade Range. On March 2, 1899, President William McKinley established the park. It was the fifth national park to be established in the United States. The park is managed by the National Park Service.
The park is dominated by primeval forests, waterfalls, sub-alpine flower meadows and twenty-six glaciers. The park is home to approximately fifty different species of native mammals. Mule deer, elk, black bears, coyotes and bobcats live in the wooded areas of the park. The puma is found in the remote hinterland of the park. There are also many smaller species of mammals, such as porcupines, squirrels, raccoons and pine martens. The bird population contains more than one hundred and forty species. The largest bird species is the golden eagle, the hummingbird is the smallest.
There are many recreational opportunities in the park and it is therefore a popular park among nature lovers and adventurers. For travelers, there are many beautiful points along the route through the park to stop and enjoy truly beautiful panoramas of lakes, mountains and waterfalls.

We also plan lunch in the park at the Paradise Upper Parking Lot, where there are several options for something to eat and drink. You can also take a longer break here to take a hike or visit the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center, which offers exhibits, films, guided ranger programs, a bookstore, snack bar, gift shop and public restrooms, as well as informational brochures and maps .

A nice stop about 12 miles from the lunch stop is the small and free-to-visit Longmire Museum in the Longmire Historic District, which chronicles the history of Longmire. This was originally the park's headquarters. The Longmire Historic District is a small settlement with several historic buildings. Also take the short walk to the Nisqually Suspension Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the national park system and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Longmire Historic District. Like the other structures in the Longmire Historic District, it is an example of "NPS rustic" architecture, a design philosophy that seeks to make park buildings appear as if they belong in the natural spaces where they are built.

After leaving the National Park, we visit Dan Klennert's “Recycled Spirits of Iron Sculpture Park” (Ex-Nihilo). “Ex-Nihilo” is Latin for “Something created out of nothing”. The park is a random collection of animals, monsters, bikers and structures all born from the imagination and made from materials found by the artist.
Dan Klennert spent years creating this garden, his tools being imagination, welding skills and the junk others have thrown away or forgotten, such as rusty metal, scrap wood, animal skulls and bones. He searches abandoned farms and junkyards for this purpose.
This sculpture park is amazing: there is no place like it. You may feel like you've walked into a surrealist's studio when you see a giant seahorse made of horseshoes, a deer made of 'found' wood, a metal bird that just hatched from a giant egg, all scattered among various objects , such as gas pumps, lumberjack wheels, wildflowers, birdhouses and much more.
Dan Klennert has since turned over the park to local artist, Jay Bechtold. Dan now lives in warmer parts of the US. His work has been exhibited in multiple states in the United States, including Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Canada.

We drive north via the Alder Dam to Seattle, the end point of this beautiful day. Seattle is Washington's largest city and has a lot to offer its visitors. We will spend the night in one of the many hotels near the 180-meter-high “Space Needle”, built for the 1962 World's Fair. On the observation deck, which you can reach via a 43-second elevator ride, you will see the doodle- on-a-napkin concept that led to the Space Needle design. From the top you have views of Elliott Bay, the Cascade Mountains and even Mount Rainier.
In Seattle you can plan an extra day to visit one of the many museums; Museum of Pop Culture, the Pacific Science Center, the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum, the Seattle Art Museum, the Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle Asian Art Museum.
Highly recommended is a visit to the Boeing Future of Flight, one of the most important aerospace attractions in Washington state, 40 kilometers north of downtown Seattle. It is located in Mukilteo on Paine Field.