The Best Places to Photograph in Washington

Mount Rainier National Park by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0

The state of Washington has much to offer for landscape and nature photographers. Its three national parks, wilderness areas, state parks, and other parks provide plenty of amazing scenery that is perfect for photography. In Washington you’ll find beautiful beaches and coastlines, soaring mountain peaks, impressive waterfalls, colorful flowers, and picturesque river gorges.

The only down side is that some of the wilderness locations are rather remote and not easy to access. Regardless, there are still plenty of amazing things to see in Washington at any level of adventure. On this page we’ll mention some of the most noteworthy locations for photography in Washington. The interactive map below shows the location of each spot mentioned on this page.

This page will continue to be a work in progress, so please feel free to leave a comment with your own suggestions of great places to photograph.

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is a gem of the National Parks Service that offers a great deal of diversity and many different opportunities for photographers. Located in northwestern Washington, it includes beautiful Pacific coast and beaches, mountains, meadows, and temperate rain forests. Below we’ll look at some of the specific areas of interest within Olympic National Park.

Lake of the Angels, Olympic National Park by Nick Mealey / CC BY 2.0

Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh Rain Forest is one of the most popular sections of Olympic National Park among photographers. This lush forest lies on the Olympic Peninsula along the Hoh River. The Hall of Mosses Trail is a short (less than 1 mile) trail that is a great way to easily access the area. Other backcountry trails are available as well. The Hoh River Trail leads 17 miles to Glacier Meadows.

Hoh Rain Forest by Doug Dolde / CC BY-SA 3.0

Quinault Rain Forest

Like the Hoh Rain Forest, the Quinault Rain Forest is another excellent location for photographers. It is located in the southwestern area of the park. The 31-mile Quinault Rain Forest Loop Drive is a great way to see the area, with opportunities to stop and hike.

Quinalt Rainforest by Gary Windust / CC BY-ND 2.0

Second Beach

Among the beaches within Olympic National Park are first, second, and third beach. Although they are adjacent to each other you cannot access one from other due to the rocky headlands. First beach is the easiest to access and often crowded. Second beach is still relatively easy to access, less crowded, and it features beautiful coastline that is ideal for photography.

Second Beach by Esther Lee / CC BY 2.0

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach, along Highway 101, is another beautiful beach within Olympic National Park. Here you will find a number of sea stacks that are perfect for photographing.

Ruby Beach by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0

Rialto Beach

North of first, second, and third beach is Rialto Beach. This rocky beach is another great location for photographing the coast.

Rialto Beach by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0

Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is a mountain area in the northern part of Olympic National Park. It is easy to access and offers stunning views from the Hurricane Ridge viewpoint. Several hiking trails are available along the road near the visitor’s center.

Hurricane Ridge by Doug Kerr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is a beautiful glacial lake with stunning blue water. This area of Olympic National Park can be conveniently accessed by Highway 101.

Lake Crescent by Adbar / CC BY-SA 3.0

Marymere Falls

Marymere Falls is located near Lake Crescent and is accessible with an easy one-mile hike.

Marymere Falls by Jeff Gunn / CC BY 2.0

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is located about 100 miles southeast of Olympic National Park. Mount Rainier rises abruptly from the surrounding area, making it a beautiful and impressive sight. The park also features wildflower meadows and old growth forests. There are many different trails for exploring the park on foot.

Mount Rainier National Park by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0

Looking across the Chinook Pass Highway by Peter Stevens / CC BY 2.0

North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park lies in northern Washington along the Canadian border. This park offers stunning, undisturbed nature that is perfect for photography. The challenge with photographing North Cascades is the remoteness of the area. State Route 20 is the best way to access the park by car. Backpacking is a popular activity here, and if you have the opportunity to explore the wilderness you are sure to come away with some stunning photos. Points of interest within the park include Picture Lake, Maple Pass, Heather Pass, Lake Ann, and Diablo Lake.

Diablo Lake by Jeff Gunn / CC BY 2.0

Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is managed by the National Parks Service as part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. It is adjacent to the south unit of North Cascades National Park. Although this area offers amazing scenery, it requires some effort to photograph. There are no roads leading to it, and access is available by floatplane or a ferry from the south end of Lake Chelan.

Lake Chelan by Mournlight / CC BY 3.0

Cape Flattery

Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point in the contiguous United States. It is reachable by a short hike, part of it on a boardwalk. Not only is it of interest because of the location, but also because of the beautiful coastline that is ideal for photographs.

Cape Flattery by Anupam_ts / CC BY-SA 2.0

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve

Ebey’s Landing is on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound of northwest Washington. The island is easily accessed from the mainland by State Route 20. At Ebey’s Landing you can take an auto tour or hike to view and photograph the nature.

Ebey’s Landing by Martin Bravenboer / CC BY 2.0

Deception Pass, Skagit Bay

Deception Pass is a straight that separates Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, and it is part of Deception Pass State Park. The park also includes 3 lakes. It is the most-visited state park in Washington, and with the beautiful scenery it is easy to see why.

Deception Pass by Patrick McNally / CC BY 2.0

Alpine Lakes Wilderness

In central Washington the Alpine Lakes Wilderness offers stunning beauty. There are nearly 50 trailheads and more than 600 miles of trails to access the area. There are more than 700 lakes and ponds in this mountainous wilderness, making it perfect for photography.

Robin Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness by Jeff P / CC BY 2.0

Gifford Pinchot National Forest

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest covers well over 1 million acres in southern Washington, near Mount Rainier National Park. It is much more than just forest, including mountains, river valleys, waterfalls, and volcanoes. It is divided into several different sections. Some points of interest include Mount Adams, the Mount St. Helens Area, Johnston Ridge Observatory, and the Indian Heaven Wilderness. It also includes many picturesque lakes.

Lower Falls in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest by Crispycarp / Public Domain

Mount St. Helens by PublicDomainPictures / CC0

Steptoe Butte, Palouse

Steptoe Butte is a rock butte in the Palouse Hills of eastern Washington, and contained in Steptoe Butte State Park. It rises 1,000 feet from the land around it. Steptoe Butte can be the subject of photos, and it also provides a vantage point for photos of the surrounding area. A paved road winds around the butte leading to the summit.

Palouse Hills from Steptoe Butte by Lynn Davison-Suckow / CC BY-SA 2.0

Palouse Falls State Park

Palouse Falls State Park is about a 1.5 hour drive southwest from Steptoe Butte. The almost 200-foot waterfall is the main attraction of the park, but the 370+ foot canyon surrounding the Palouse River is beautiful on its own. This is a fairly small state park and not much hiking is needed to catch the amazing views.

Palouse Falls

Riverside State Park

Riverside State Park is located in eastern Washington, just a few miles northwest of Spokane along the Spokane and Little Spokane Rivers. There are more than 50 miles of trails in the park to help you find great views.

Riverside State Park by Kidron Cool / CC BY-ND 2.0

Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is a beautiful area of both Washington and Oregon. We covered the area in detail in our summary of the best landscape photography locations in Oregon. While the Washington side of the Gorge does not feature all of the amazing waterfalls that the Oregon side has to offer, there is still plenty of beautiful scenery along the Columbia River in Washington.

Columbia River Gorge by Don White / CC0

Beacon Rock State Park

Beacon Rock State Park in the Columbia River Gorge includes river shoreline as well as forested uplands. Beacon Rock, an 800+ foot volcanic plug is one of the main features of the park, and something that will certainly interest photographers.  A one-mile trail to the summit provides amazing panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge.

Beacon Rock State Park by US Geological Survey / Public Domain

Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls is a 270-foot waterfall on the Snoqualmie River about 30 miles east of Seattle. This popular destination is easy to access and very photogenic. A small park with an observation deck makes it easy to catch a view of the impressive falls. There is also a trail that leads to a view of the falls from the bottom.

Snoqualmie Falls by Meher Anand Kasam / CC BY-SA 3.0

Cape Disappointment State Park

Cape Disappointment State Park is located in southwestern Washington where the Columbia River flows into the Pacific Ocean. The park includes a beautiful beach, tidelands, marshes, lakes, and old-growth forest. It is also home to two lighthouses. This is a great place to photograph the Pacific coast and the Columbia River.

Cape Disappointment State Park by Adbar / CC BY-SA 3.0

Fields Spring State Park

Fields Spring State Park is in the mountains of southeastern Washington. From here you’ll find stunning views that include views of the northern end of Hells Canyon, the Wallowa Mountains, and the Grand Ronde River.

Fields Spring State Park by dsdugan / Public Domain

Dosewallips State Park

Dosewallips State Park is located in northwestern Washington, near Olympic National Park. The park offers saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal and freshwater shoreline on the Dosewallips River.

Dosewallips State Park by BlueCanoe / CC BY-SA 3.0

Wallace Falls State Park

Wallace Falls State Park is located about 50 miles northeast of Seattle, on the west side of the Cascade Mountains. The park includes old-growth forest, three waterfalls (all over 200 feet), and four backcountry lakes, giving photographers plenty of options. Twelve miles of hiking trails make it possible to explore the park.

Wallace Falls State Park by Joe Mabel / CC BY-SA 3.0

Skagit Valley

The Skagit Valley of northwestern Washington is home to a popular tulip festival. This is an awesome location for photographing fields of beautiful, colorful flowers.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival by Abhinaba Basu / CC BY 2.0

Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southern Washington on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains at the base of Mount Adams. it includes marshy wetlands and grasslands and is home to many species of birds as well as elk, deer, coyote, and otter. A gravel road leads in to the refuge and from this road and other roads in the refuge you are likely to see much wildlife. The two-mile Willard Springs Trail can be hiked to get a different view.

Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge by USFWS / CC BY 2.0

Want to learn more about neighboring states and provinces? Please see:

• The Best Places to Photograph in Oregon
• The Best Places to Photograph in Idaho
• The Best Places to Photograph in British Columbia

License links: CC BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 2.0, CC BY 3.0, CC BY 2.0, CC BY-ND 2.0, CC0