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10 Top Adventures for July in the Northwest States

RV parks in the Pacific Northwest Spectacular aerial view of Shoshone Falls or Niagara of the West, Snake River, Idaho

Southern Idaho is defined by extremes: Raging waters, tall peaks, vast deserts. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Check out these fantastic destinations and RV parks in the Pacific Northwest and let your imagination run wild. Find a destination below and then book a stay at a nearby RV Park (click on the links for more information).


Idaho

Marvel at the Niagara of the West

Southern Idaho is home to the “Niagara of the West,” the 212-foot Shoshone Falls, which are even taller than their famed cousin back east. No trip to the Gem State is complete without experiencing the spectacular sight up close and personal and the best place is to start is at scenic overlook that extends from the opposing cliff face. There are also hiking trails and a swimming area, so you can easily spend an afternoon experiencing everything the falls have to offer. Just two miles to the west, visitors can check out the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon Jump Site, where the famous daredevil attempted to jump across the river in a rocket-powered motorcycle. Although the jump failed, Knievel survived to jump another day.

Inferno Cone trail on Craters of the Moon. Getty Images

Walk on the Surface of the “Moon”

Explore otherworldy landscapes right here on earth. Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, in south-central Idaho, preserves 1,100 square miles of erie volcanic landscape including almost all of the Great Rift area. Backyard geologists will delight at the three lava fields, more than 25 cones and 60 lava flows—ranging in age from 15,000 to 2,000 years old. Big Cinder Butte is one of the oldest basaltic cinder cones in the world. History buffs will enjoy seeing part of Goodale’s Cutoff—part of the Oregon Trail.

Stay here during your Idaho visit:

Buffalo Meadows RV Park, Fort Hall
Anderson Camp, Twin Falls


Montana

Hone Your Fly-Fishing Skills in Livingston

Southeast Montana is home to a fly-fishing heaven. Renowned for the films Livingston spawned and the fly-tying innovations created here, you’ll be hard pressed to match this small town’s influence on the fishing culture. Make your first stop the Dan Bailey fly fishing shop on Park Street for the best fishing equipment. The Livingston Depot Center is a restored 1902 train station that now operates a museum and community center—stay for one of the talks to learn the singular history of the bustling town. It’s also an artist’s haven, with many writers, painters and actors making their home here. South Main Street has galleries and boutiques on nearly every corner.

Photo: PIxabay

Go to the Sun in Glacier National Park

You haven’t been to a national park until you’ve been to Glacier National Park. Montana’s crown jewel is located on the state’s northern border with Canada. Sprawling across more than a million acres, the park is home to 740-miles worth of regularly maintained hiking trails that snake deep through lush forests and around crystal-clear mountain lakes. It’s also home to the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 52-mile scenic byway that shows off the park’s best views. A drive along the Going-to-the-Sun Road takes you through the heart of the park’s majestic snowcapped peaks and sparkling lakes. For an unforgettable adventure, hike to a glacier or waterfall.

Stay here during your Montana visit:

Billings Village RV Park, Billings
Ennis RV Village, Ennis
West Glacier RV Park & Cabins, West Glacier


Oregon

Learn Native American History in Pendleton

Located on the famed Oregon Trail, Pendleton in northwest Oregon is a window to America’s history of indiginous people and pioneers. At Heritage Station Museum, unravel 10,000 years of Native American history at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute and go on the Pendleton Underground Tour to follow a maze of tunnels once used to hide gambling dens, brothels and other illegal activities. If you’re visiting in September, be sure to check out the Pendleton Round-Up, a weeklong festival consisting of rodeos, parades and concerts.

School of fish in “sandy shores” exhibit at Oregon Coast Aquarium. in Newport, Oregon. Getty Images

Go Deep in an Aquarium

Sure, you’ve been to an aquarium. But have you ever been surrounded in an undersea environment? You’ll find an experience like no other at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. Walk through a clear underwater tunnel, with sharks, sting rays and fish swimming overhead. Touch sea anemone and explore tide pools, get an up-close view of an octopus, or watch the sea otters romp.

Stay here during your Oregon visit:

Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort, Bend
Seven Feathers RV Resort, Canyonville
Diamond Lake Resort & RV Park, Diamond Lake
Logan Road RV Park, Lincoln City
Olde Stone Village RV Park, McMinnville
Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort, Newport
Wildhorse Resort & Casino RV Park, Pendleton
Holiday RV Park, Phoenix
Jantzen Beach RV Park, Portland
Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort, Salem
Phoenix RV Park, Salem


Washington

Watch the Water Follies in Richland

Each July at the Tri City Water Follies, you can marvel as hydroplanes glide over the Colombia River at over 200 miles per hour and F-22 Raptors and vintage P-51 Mustangs zoom overhead. In Kennewick, the Benton Franklin Fair and Rodeo draws more than 120,000 visitors each August for a Western-themed Grand Parade followed by all manner of summertime fun, including a demolition derby, a carnival, local art community exhibits and performances, a concert series (featuring Joan Jett in 2017) and one of the region’s wildest rodeos.

Photo: Pixabay

Hike, Bike or Kayak in Seattle

Seattle is an urban wonderland of great coffee houses, museums and entertainment venues. It’s also a great place to work up a sweat. The entire Seattle area is laced with terrific cycling paths; the Burke-Gilman Trail unfurls for 14 miles from Ballard to the northern fringes of Lake Washington. For urban kayaking, Lake Union affords great views of the Seattle skyline, and you can paddle alongside some restaurants and bars that line the waterfront. Park your kayak and grab a beer, or other cold refreshment.

https://blog.goodsam.com/2017/spotlight-grays-harbor-long-beach-ocean-park (Clamming?)

Stay here during your Washington visit:

Lake Pleasant RV Park, Bothell
Toutle River RV Resort, Castle Rock
Elma RV Park, Elma
Kenanna RV Park, Grayland
Brookhollow RV Park, Kelso
Columbia Sun RV Resort, Kennewick
Harmony Lakeside RV Park & Deluxe Cabins, Mossyrock
Horn Rapids RV Resort, Richland
Little Creek Casino Resort RV Park, Shelton


Wyoming

Cruise Through Old West History in Cody

Cody has so many museums that showcase Western history that a visitor can get a good workout just wandering around them for a day. The most popular attraction here is the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, an amalgamation of five museums covering over 300,000 square feet. Included in the center is the Buffalo Bill Museum, the Whitney Gallery of Western Art and more. Take a walk along Cody’s Old West Trail Town, where streets are lined with 25 preserved buildings from the 1800s. Check out original cabins used by Old West outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Yellowstone National Park. Photo: Derwiki

Watch for Wild Things in Yellowstone

Yellowstone became America’s first national park in 1872 and continues to dazzle visitors with abundant wildlife and explosive geysers scattered across 3,000 square miles. Take a wildlife-watching tour for bears and buffalo or hit the trails for bicycling and backpacking fun. Boating and angling opportunities are available in the park’s rivers and lakes.

Stay here during your Wyoming visit:

Ponderosa Campground, Cody
The Longhorn Ranch Lodge and RV Resort, Dubois

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