Washington State is located in the far Northwest of the United States, bordering Canada and on the Pacific coast. The state of Washington is assigned to the western states of the USA. The capital of Washington State is Olympia. Washington is also known as the ” Evergreen State,” a fitting name.
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Washington State Capitol in the capital Olympia
The Puget Sound on the Pacific characterizes the western part of the country. Another defining element in the US state are the really high and rugged mountains. The state of Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, has very fertile soil. Numerous orchards produce fruit for the entire United States.
Diverse natural landscapes
The extremely densely forested state of Washington in the northwest of the USA also has desert-like regions, canyon-like river valleys and long stretches of beach on the Pacific Ocean. The humid rainforests in the country are very valuable and are therefore under protection. Washington State is a popular tourist destination and a popular place to live within the United States due to its diverse landscapes. In 2019, Washington State was home to approximately 7.6 million people.
Orca off Henry Island in Puget Sound
Olympic Peninsula and Olympic Mountains
Far to the west of “Washington State” are the Olympic Mountains, located on the “Olympic Peninsula”. The capital Olympia is located in the northwest of the peninsula, as is the very densely forested Olympic National Park. The highest mountain in the Olympic Mountains is Mount Olympus at 2,428 meters. By American standards, Olympia is not a large city with well under 100,000 residents. By far the largest city in the State of Washington is Seattle with around 750,000 inhabitants in 2019. It is followed by the cities of Spokane and Tacoma with around 220,000 inhabitants.
Washington State attractions
Museum of Flight
Dam – Grand Coulee
Safeco Field
Fremont troll
Husky Stadium
Camano Island
KeyArena
Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Art Museum
Space Needle Seattle
Seattle Art Museum
Century Link Field
Jimi Hendrix’s tomb in Renton
Columbia River Gorge
State Capitol Building at Olympia
Cascade Range Volcanoes
The landscape of the state is shaped by two mountain ranges within the country. From north to south, fairly centrally in the middle, the ” Cascade Range ” mountain range runs through the state of Washington. The Cascade Range mountain chain is known for its numerous volcanoes, some of which are still very active. Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, with consequences that are still clearly visible today. The area around Mount St. Helens is now protected as “Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument”.
Mount Shuksan
Mount Shuksan is a mountain in the Cascade Range in North Cascades National Park. The more famous Mount Baker is nearby. The border to neighboring Canada to the north is not too far away.
Mount Shuksan with mountain lake – North Cascades
Natural Treasures in the Pacific
There are several small islands on the Pacific coast of Washington State that are known for their beautiful and protected nature. Few people live on the islands. Therefore, the flora and fauna of the islands is still original and mostly inaccessible to humans. The impressive mountains in the State of Washington offer numerous opportunities for leisure activities, hiking, mountaineering and skiing for the population of the state and for tourists all year round.
Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound
In the north of the Olympic Peninsula, the “Strait of Juan de Fuca” forms the border with Canada and the island of Vancouver Island, province of British Columbia. Northeast of the Olympic Peninsula is Puget Sound, an intricate system of waterways and islands. These islands are sheltered close to the mainland and are mainly connected to the mainland by bridges, but can also be reached by ferries.
Islands on Puget Sound
San Juan Islands
Lummi
Harstine
Vashon
Anderson
Bainbridge
Camano
whidbey
Largest Cities in Washington State
Seattle
Tacoma
Bellevue
Everett
Kent
Renton
Olympia
Spokane
Kennewick
Pasco
Richland
See Countryaah for more cities in the state of Washington.
National Parks in the State of Washington
North Cascades National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Olympic National Park
Map – State of Washington – USA
Map of Washington State in USA. Washington State is part of the western states and is geographically located in the northwest of the USA, on the border with Canada. The map shows the neighboring countries, the country’s largest cities, the country’s rivers, lakes, national parks, as well as the course of the highways and the most important transport links. The area of the State of Washington is 184,665 km². Olympia is the capital of the US state. Approximately 7.62 million people live in the State of Washington in 2019.
Mount Rainier National Park – Washington State
Volcanic region with high mountains and forests
Mount Rainier National Park is located in the US state of Washington, in the Northwest of the USA. The national park was founded in 1899. The size of the Mount Rainier protection area is 954 km². Up to a million tourists visit the sanctuary in the state of Washington every year. The climate in the national park is characterized by its mostly high humidity. It often rains, forests are often covered in fog and mountains are hidden behind a wall of fog. Mount Rainier is a glaciated, snow-capped, volcanically active mountain (4,395 meters high) with an impressive silhouette.
Mount Rainier in the national park of the same name
Mount Rainier is an active volcano in a series of high mountains found in the national park. The city of Tacoma on Puget Sound in Washington State is the closest to Mount Rainer National Park. The capital city of Seattle is just an hour’s drive away. Six watercourses flow from Mount Rainier towards the valley, providing abundant water to the region.
To protect against exploitation
Soon after white settlers settled in the American Northwest in the mid-19th century, industrial exploitation began in the Mount Rainier area. Mining and forestry tried to develop the resources to achieve financial success. The national park was set up to counteract the resulting complete destruction of nature in the region. In Mount Rainier National Park, some historical and industrial buildings from the beginning of the 20th century have been preserved in addition to the flora and fauna that are worthy of protection.
Mountain forests with Mount Rainier as a backdrop
Historic Places in Mount Rainier National Park
At the northern entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is a special building complex consisting of three buildings. These early 20th-century structures have held US Historic Place status for about 20 years. The historic “Paradise Inn – Hotel” on site from 1916 also has this protection status. Further, the buildings ” Yakima Park Stockade Group ” in the protected region are protected as “Historic Places” of the USA.
Rich flora and fauna
Due to the different climate and vegetation zones in Mount Rainier National Park (from 500 meters above sea level to 4,392 meters above sea level), the animal and plant world in the protected region is extremely species-rich and diverse. Especially in spring and summer, endless meadows with blooming wild flowers delight the human eye.
Flower meadow in Mount Rainier National Park
The humid climate leads to excellent growing conditions for plants in the park region. There are some hot springs in the sanctuary. In addition to large mammals such as black bears, pumas and mule deer, reptiles, amphibians, fish in rivers and lakes, birds of prey, owls and other species of birds, as well as smaller mammals and rodents are numerous and species-rich in the protected area.
Free time activities
Hiking, biking, fishing are popular pastimes in Mount Rainier National Park. Hiking is one of the most common leisure activities in the varied region. The network of hiking trails in the protected area has a total length of around 420 kilometers. Unique panoramic views can be caught along the hiking routes. Hikers can circumnavigate Mount Rainier itself on the 150-kilometer Wonderland Trail. On the way, the hiker crosses dark forests with an original flora and fauna. Challenging rock climbing in the mountains of the national park is also very popular. Helicopter, light aircraft and seaplane flights are offered to Mount Rainier to enjoy the unique panorama from the air.
