When I plan a camping trip there are a few comforts that are non-negotiable, even when hiking deep into the backcountry. One is warmth, and I have a ridiculously low-temp sleeping bag with a waterproof shell to ensure I will never again stay up all night shivering.  The other is hot morning coffee, preferably ready within 5 minutes of  getting out of the tent.

The truth is, coffee tastes damn good on a chilly morning after a night of sleeping under the stars, no matter how you make it.

There are probably a dozen ways to make coffee at camp, and every caffeinated camper has their own morning ritual. I have one myself and I call it “the cone”, but I also love experimenting with new methods to make coffee at camp. From the classic cowboy method to fancy backcountry espresso, here’s how Northwest campers get their morning buzz in the wilderness.

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EASY: The Drip Cone

Drip, drip, drip…

This is our go-to method of making coffee at home, and it’s easy to just pack the plastic drip cone and disposable filters for a car camping trip. This method is a cinch. Simply place the paper filter into the cone, add one heaping tablespoon of ground coffee per person (pre-grind your beans at home), position it over a cup or pot, and lastly add boiling water.

The red plastic cones are lightweight and cheap, but for backpacking trips when space is at a premium, try the GSI Outdoors Collapsible Java Drip (shown on the left) made of silicone. It weighs in at 4.8 ounces.

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LIGHT: Instant Coffee

For backpacking I often keep it simple, meaning instant. And I don’t mean Folgers Crystals. Starbucks makes a variety of instant coffees called Via that will totally challenge your notion that “instant coffee sucks.” Via doesn’t suck. We even keep some around the house just in case we ever find ourselves out of beans. Although I would always opt for freshly-ground at home if given the choice, Starbucks Via is a fine substitute in the backcountry. Not only is it easy-peasy (just add boiling water, mix it right in your cup) and lightweight to pack in, there are no water-soaked coffee grounds to pack out.

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FAMILY STYLE: French Press

Making the morning coffee at camp for a crowd is always a little tricky, so I love this 48-ounce REI Table Top French Coffee Press.

French press makes the job of preparing a large batch of coffee a cinch, and this special vessel keeps it hot. And it is durable stainless steel, not glass–perfect for the rough and tumble of a lively campground.

If you aren’t familiar with using a french press, the main thing to know is that your coffee should be ground more coarsely than, say, drip coffee. I usually do one rounded spoon of ground coffee per cup.

You put the ground coffee in this thing, then fill it with boiling water and let it steep for exactly four minutes. Then, slowly press down the plunger, which has a very fine-mesh screen – this pushes all the coffee grounds down to the bottom. Serve it from the same vessel. See? Easy.

Clean-up tip: The only thing that isn’t so easy with french press is the clean-up; rinsing the grounds off the screen can be a pain at camp where there’s no running water and garbage disposal. Try dunking the plunger into a clean bowl of water and swishing it around to get the grounds off.

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CAMPING CLASSIC: The Percolator

We used to “play camping” when I was a little kid in the 1970s, getting out all of our camping dishes and pots and chairs in the middle of winter. My favorite item was the old metal percolator. I loved assembling all of the parts and pretending to cook up coffee on our “campfire.”

If you’re looking for a dose of nostalgia in your morning cup of joe and don’t mind keeping an eye on the dome, try a percolator. One of these candy-hued enamel models from GSI will add a splash of retro to your morning picnic table.

To make the coffee, assemble the percolator and fill it with water to just below the basket insert. Then put the coffee grounds into the basket, about 1 heaping tablespoon of ground coffee per cup of water. Next, bring the percolator to a low boil. You can do this on a camp stove or over a campfire. You will know it is near a boil when you start to see liquid popping into the dome. From here, you want to lower the heat and just simmer for another 5-10 minutes. If you are using a campfire, move the percolator away from the direct flame so it can simmer instead of boil.

The trick to perfecting coffee in the percolator is to keep an eye on the translucent dome. If the coffee is too pale it won’t be strong enough, but if you let it go too long it gets dark, strong and very bitter. That’s because coffee in a percolator will continue to “percolate” through the grounds again and again until you stop the process.

Percolator coffee has a bit of a bad rap among coffee connoisseurs for being flavorless or charred, and of course the Northwest is a hotbed for coffee snobs. Again, the trick is to keep an eye on it, and your coffee will turn out just fine. So is anyone making camp coffee in the percolator here these days? Oh yes — for more see our reader responses below.

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EURO: The Moka Pot

Maybe you’re an Italophile, or perhaps you love things that are beautifully-designed, in which case I’ll bet you already have one of these beautiful little moka pots. My mid-century modernist self has had one of these on my covet list for years, but for some reason I’ve never taken the plunge and purchased one.

This is not a percolator. A moka pot operates in different way and the mechanism results in strong coffee that reminds me of espresso, but without the crema. These pots are often referred to as “stovetop espresso machines” though purists will argue that the result is not true espresso. Blah.

If it can go on a stove at home, it can go on your camp stove, and many campers love these because it means they can sip delicious espresso at sunrise in the backcountry. The pots feature a unique octagon shape first designed in Italy in 1933. To make coffee, you fill the lower chamber with water and the middle filter with ground coffee (a fine espresso grind is preferred). Then place the pot on the stove and heat it until the water boils. This begins a pressurizing process that forces the water up through the espresso and into the pot’s upper chamber, ready to be served.

Many popular manufactures of moka pots are still Italian brands, and you will pay a bit more for an imported one from Italy. Try the Alessi Moka Stovetop Espresso Maker or the Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker (both make 3 cups).

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LOW FI: Cowboy Coffee

The first time I prepared cowboy coffee I was appropriately camped in a part of California that was notorious as a filming location for all those John Wayne cowboy flicks.  Out there on the wide-open range, cowboy coffee wasn’t half bad.

This preparation method is simple and requires no special equipment beyond what you’ll already have with you – a stove or fire, a pot, and some water. Boil the water in a pot then and add the ground coffee to the pot (the same ratio you would use for french press is fine – one rounded spoonful per cup of water). Remove the pot from the boil, give it stir, then let it all steep for about four minutes. The coffee grounds will have settled onto the bottom of the pot. Pour the coffee into cups, being careful not to disturb the settled grounds. The more careful you are, the fewer grounds you’ll be picking out of your teeth later. I’d recommend a course grind for the coffee, similar to french press. It the coffee is a drip grind it might have trouble settling.

Another option is to put the ground coffee into a vessel, such as a large jar or serving carafe  and then pour the boiling water on top of it. Give it a stir, let the grounds settle and the coffee will steep.

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

How do You Make Your Coffee at Camp?

Jill Jordan-Summers: “French press, but if in a bind instant coffee.”

Kim Sharpe Jones: “French press for car camping, Via instant for backpacking!”

Hannah Coffelt-Hollett: ”Melitta Coffee Cone – grind my coffee before we leave the house – YUM!”

Susan White: ”Any way I can! Usually boil water and use a plastic cup drip thing with #2 filter. One cup at a time. It’s wonderful that way.”

James DeVore: “We have a Coleman stovetop drip maker for our travel trailer.”

Susana Muñoz Meister: ”We love our REI french press. Nothing like a cup of bold coffee sitting by the campfire.”

Angie Perry Wright: “French press. Easiest way ever!”

Craig Romano: “Just add hot water!”

Renae Meredith: ”In the past I’ve taken my Italian Moka pot and used it on the camp stove. It worked great.”

Julie Smith: “Perk it over a campfire in a old-fashioned metal coffee pot. Best coffee ever.”

Jennifer Johnson: ”I either use one of those old-fashioned percolators with the glass knob on top (did that this weekend) or if I’m in a hurry, I’ll use Via instant (that’s what goes backpacking).”

What about YOU? How do you make your coffee at camp?

photos of camping coffee via flickr creative commons. See the piping hot originals here:  bfowler, uncleweed, vina.mae, madame.furie, fiederels, chiot’s run, JABoyce, nebarnix, melonlemonlime, lumachrome, InspirationDC, smcgee, ah_blake, SerenityRose, chbrenchley, Brainsonic, AndrewYang, Kevin_Morris, deucer, dave_ewald, Rishi S, Zhao Shouren, DrBjorn, cafemama, Zach Bulick, Synne Tonidas, The Rocketeer, yoppy.

At 4,400 feet elevation, the White River Campground melts out a bit later than other Mount Rainier campgrounds, but that’s okay. You’ll want to save your trip here for late July or early August anyway when the wildflowers that carpet subalpine meadows 12 miles up the road at Sunrise are in full bloom.

Campsites directly on the river are the most spacious and enjoy the view of Mt. Rainier towering overhead. No RV hookups, and the sites are small for RVs of any size, but perfect for tent campers. Hike right from the campground if you want–the Wonderland Trail passes right through here, and the Glacier Basin Trail begins here– it takes day hikers to the snout of Emmons Glacier and eventually makes its way to the summit.

Need a hiking guide to Mt. Rainier for your camping trips? Try Day Hiking: Mount Rainier by Dan Nelson, published by The Mountaineers Books.

Location: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
campground info | 360-569-2170

Details: 112 sites. No group sites. $12 a night. Late June – September. Water and flush toilets. No reservations; all sites are first-come, first-serve, so have some backup campgrounds in mind (Silver Springs and The Dalles are nearby).

photo: White River by Einahpets32.

When I was a child growing up in the Midwest going camping meant three things: camping by a lake, swimming in a lake, and fishing in a lake. (It also involved picking ticks off once getting out of the lake. If there’s one thing I don’t miss about the Midwest, it’s the plethora of ticks!)

A friend recently asked me for a recommendation on a few great lakefront campgrounds in Washington, and it got me thinking. I don’t think of the Northwest as having a lot of lowland lakes like say, Minnesota, but as I started to list off the best lakeside campgrounds in the state I realized there are quite a few of them. And then I decided the list was too great to not share with everybody.

Below are my top picks for places to pitch your tent beside a lake in Washington. See all of these plotted on a map here.

Are you looking for a more comprehensive guide to Washington camping? I recommend Ron Judd’s Camping Washington : The Best Public Campgrounds for Tents and RVs–Rated and Reviewed published by The Mountaineers Books. Ron has been camping in Washington since he was a child and his writing is punctuated with his signature humor.

Need camping gear? My car camping checklist is here, and I’ve included my gear recommendations in the list. The best one-stop shop for all things camping, from cookstoves to sleeping bags, is REI.

Enjoy, and happy lakeside camping!

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Moran State Park, Orcas Island

Pick a freshwater lake to camp on – there are two. Although visitors might expect a huge state park in the San Juan Islands to have saltwater shoreline, this 5,200-acre park has very little. But Moran State Park does have four freshwater lakes, old-growth forest, hiking trails and its own mountain (Mt. Constitution, and you can hike to the top). My favorite place to camp at the park is at Mountain Lake where you’ll get a bit more privacy. Ferry lines can be a bear in summertime, but you can walk on with your camping gear and pay just $12 round-trip to take the Orcas Island Shuttle to the park.

Details: 151 sites. $12-$25 a night. Small RVs allowed but there are no hookups. Reservations here up to 9 months in advance; some campsites are first-come, first-serve. Reserve here for summer camping.

Lake activities: Swimming beaches, two boat launches, peddleboats and kayaks to rent. Fish in Cascade Lake for kokanee, cutthroat and rainbow trout.

What to bring:  Hiking shoes – the trail around Mountain Lake makes for an easy, relaxing morning stroll.

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Fairholme on Crescent Lake, North Olympic Peninsula

On the west end of Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park sits Fairholme Campground (open May through mid-fall). No reservations here, so the key is to arrive early before the weekend to snag a lakefront campsite away from the highway noise. The Fairholme General Store and a boat launch are nearby, and the campground has an amphitheater for summertime ranger programs.

Details: 88 sites. No utility hookups, though there’s room for small RVs to 21 feet. Restroom, but no showers. $12 a night. No reservations accepted; sites are first-come, first-served.

Lake activities: Lake Crescent is deep and stunning, and you’ll want to bring a boat (like a kayak or canoe) to paddle out into it.  There are swimming beaches and a popular swimming hole known as Devil’s Punchbowl (brrrrrr!).

What to bring: Mosquito repellent, your fishing pole, and a boat. Pack earplugs in case you end up at a campsite near the highway.

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Willaby on Lake Quinault, SW Olympic Peninsula

On the south shore of Lake Quinault is Willaby Campground, tucked into the mossy forest. It’s within walking distance (via a shoreline trail) to the historic Lake Quinault Lodge.

Details: 22 sites. $20 a night. No utility hookups, though there’s room for small RVs to 16 feet. No showers. Open May – September.

Lake activities: The campground has its own boat launch to get you into the water. The Lake is part of the Quinault Indian Nation, and so a Tribal Fishing Permit and Boat Decal are required; both may be purchased at local merchants.

What to bring: Your canoe or kayak for paddling on the lake. A book to read by the fire in the lobby of the Lake Quinault Lodge nearby.

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Ike Kinswa State Park on Mayfield Lake

Bring your bathing suits and water skis! Ike Kinswa State Park is 454-acres of forest on the north shore of 14-mile long Mayfield Lake, a reservoir located near Mossyrock in Lewis County. It’s the 46,000 feet of freshwater shoreline that draw campers here in droves, especially in warm summer months (though camping is available year-round).

Details: 103 sites (from primitive walk-in to full hookup) plus 5 cabins. $12-$37 a night for camping. Vault toilets and showers. Reserve here or call or call 1-(888)-CAMPOUT.

Lake activities: Water skiers love this spot, and you’ll be constantly reminded of this from the sounds of motors. Sunbathe on the swimming beach or enjoy the water (no lifeguard).

What to bring: Sunblock, a fishing pole and earplugs.

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Takhlakh Lake, SW Washington near Mt. Adams

Pronounced TOCK-lock, this beautiful lake is the only thing sitting between your campsite and Mt. Adams.  It’s one of the most stunning campsites in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and the season is short, so don’t dally.

Details: 62 sites. $16 a night. Small RVs ok. Vault toilets, but bring your own drinking water or a filter. Ten walk-in only sites. Elevation is 4,500 feet. Reserve here for summer camping or call 1-877-444-6777.

Lake activities: No motors are permitted here, just canoes and kayaks and tranquility. A 1.5-mile hiking trail runs around the lake.

What to bring: Mosquito repellent (crucial in early summer), your trout fishing pole, and a car that can handle a few miles of washboard road.

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Kachess Lake, East of Snoqualmie Pass

Let’s be honest here – Kachess Campground gets crowded. It’s close to Seattle and has plenty of group sites, so don’t expect any quiet, peaceful moments of solitude here. Instead, you’ll set up camp in the open ponderosa pine forest that surrounds Lake Kachess, a dammed reservoir, and enjoy plenty of lakeside family fun! And that’s what Kachess is all about.

Details: 120 sites. $20 a night, $40 for double campsites. No hookups. 42 of the sites can be reserved in advance. Reserve here for summer camping, or call 1-877-444-6777.

Lake activities: Swimming! Families come here in droves for fun in the sun. There is a boat launch nearby, and a hiking trail along the lake that leaves from the campground – the Little Kachess Lake Trail.

What to bring: Mosquito repellent, swimming inflatables and don’t forget the ear plugs.

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Lake Wenatchee State Park, North Cascades

All the comforts of a state park campground (gotta love those coin-op showers after a day on the sand!) with the alpine vistas of a national park. That is Lake Wenatchee, a beautiful and large camping park that sits in between Stevens Pass and the town of Leavenworth.

Details: 197 sites. $12-$37 a night. No hookups, RVs to 60 feet.  Reserve here.

Lake activities: One of the most scenic sandy swimming beaches in the state, and epic views are in store for you from the seat of your canoe. Off the lake there are miles of trails in the vicinity for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding.

What to bring: A swimsuit for sure, and a boat if you have one. Don’t forget to pack your camera and fishing pole.

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Lake Chelan State Park, North Cascades

A summer vacation on the glacier-carved, fjordlike Lake Chelan is a must-do for many Washington families, and Lake Chelan State Park is pretty much the epicenter of all that family fun. The 127-acre park is set in a ponderosa pine forest on the lake’s south shore, with 6,000 feet of public shoreline. A big bonus is the lake views from many of the campsites, and expansive lawns for playing frisbee in the sun. Some of the campsites even have their own docks! The walk-in tent sites are the most spacious and private.

Details: 109 tent sites and 35 utility hookup sites sites. $6 a night. Plenty of restrooms and showers. Reserve here.

Lake activities: The hum of a jet ski is almost a constant companion in this part of the lake. Swimming, boating, fishing – you name it, you can do it here.

What to bring: Sunblock and a big, floppy hat.

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Alta Lake State Park, Methow Valley

If Lake Chelan State Park is too noisy for your tastes, head instead to nearby Alta Lake State Park. It’s plenty big at 181 acres, and sits at the end of the Methow Valley where the pine-forested mountains meet the desert. The lake is about two miles long and a half mile wide, and the park has a nice sandy swimming beach. A boat launch will get you out onto the water so you can fish for trout. When hiking in this area, keep an alert eye out for rattlesnakes.

Details: 90 tent spots, 32 with electrical hookups and RVs to 45 feet. $12-$37 a night. Restrooms and showers. Reserve here for summer camping.

Lake activities: Trout fishing, swimming and sunbathing, boating.

What to bring: Your fishing pole and beach gear.

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Curlew Lake State Park, Colville

The 5.5-mile Curlew Lake is set in a dry lodgepole pine forest near the town of Republic. Both Great Blue Herons and Bald Eagles nest here, and I’ve seen a number of other bird species as well; the park is known for wildlife watching. Another feature unique to this park is its seaplane dock. The best camping spots are walk-in tent sites on the lake.

Details: 57 tent spaces, 25 utility spaces, 2 primitive sites. $12-$37 a night.  Reserve here.

Lake activities: Go swimming. Fish for your dinner – this lake has a nice population of rainbow trout. They used to pan for gold here – maybe it’s worth a try!

What to bring: Your fishing pole and a pan to fry those trout in. Bring binoculars to get a good look at the birds.

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Even MORE Lakeside Campgrounds!

Sullivan Lake State Park, Colville National Forest

If Washington’s far northeast corner feels a bit like Idaho, you won’t find us complaining. Just don’t forget your trout fishing pole! Sullivan Lake promises brown and rainbow trout for the patient and hungry, plus swimming and water skiing.  Just three miles from here is the border of the Salmo-Priest Wilderness and the last old-growth left in Eastern Washington. Oh, and there are grizzlies in them there hills, along with bighorn sheep, woodland caribou and moose. Sullivan Lake Campground  |  (509) 684-7000

Steamboat Rock State Park, Grand Coulee

In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is a recreationist’s paradise in the middle of Banks Lake. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground. Steamboat Rock State Park draws water-lovers to its sandy swimming area and three boat launches. The park has 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline, so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the best freshwater fishing in Washington is had in Banks Lake, which is full of walleye, bass and perch.  Steamboat Rock State Park  |  (509) 633-1304.

Bonaparte Lake, Okanogan Valley

The Five Lakes area near Tonasket is remote and quiet. Bonaparte Lake is known for good swimming and great fishing; fish for brook, rainbow and lake trout. A trail to the top of Bonaparte Peak leaves from the campground.  Bonaparte Lake Campground  |   (509) 486-2186.

View The Northwest Best Lakeside Campgrounds in a larger map

photos: summertime on Ross Lake by 1yen, camping at Moran State Park by ManuelW,  water-skier on Mayfield Lake by Kenneth B. Moore, Takhlakh Lake by Bret Vogel, Lake Crescent by Gone-Walkabout, camping at Lake Quinault by Quiltsalad, swimming at Lake Kachess by the Spring Family, Canoe on Lake Wenatchee By Baha’i Views / Flitzy Phoebie, Lake Chelan by Simonds, Alta Lake by Manuel W., Curlew Lake State Park by Jack Crossen.

This is part of a series on Wine Tasting for Beginners in the Pacific Northwest. See the whole Wine Tasting series here.

Have you pondered why Washington is known for full-bodied Merlot while Oregon is famous for its fruity Pinot Noir? Location, location, location. The topography and climate of the Pacific Northwest is incredibly diverse, and this diversity is reflected in our wines.

When you visit a particular wine region, you’ll encounter some of the same wine varietals again and again. For example, Oregon’s most famous AVA is the Willamette Valley south of Portland and this region is best known for its Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris because those types of grapes thrive in its moist, cool climate. Washington’s Yakima Valley has an arid climate and long days of sunshine, conditions well-suited to Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Hold up, what’s an AVA? In the US, designated wine grape-growing regions are called American Viticultural Areas, or AVA’s, distinguishable by geographic features, topography, climate and official boundaries. Click here for more vino vocab.

Headed out on a wine tasting trip? Brush up on your varietal knowledge. Read on for the most common types of wines crafted in the Pacific Northwest:

Merlot

the star varietal of Washington state

Why drink it: Merlot is accessible to softer palettes, and more luscious than its red cousins. Washington Merlots stand out from the crowd with voluptuous flavors of currant, licorice, and dark cherry. Whatever the movie Sideways did to elevate Pinot Noir, it did the same to crush Merlot (no pun intended), though it’s debatable if Merlot production actually suffered as a result. California cultivates more Merlot grapes than Washington, but many wine lovers believe Washington crafts superior Merlot wine, probably due to a combination of unique factors like dry desert climate through harvest time and basalt-rich soils.

Where to taste it: Throughout Eastern Washington, specifically in Walla Walla, Red Mountain and the Yakima Valley.

Cabernet Sauvignon

the spontaneous hybrid grape that went on to rule the wine world

Why drink it: Is your palette ready to graduate to a powerful red with tannic architecture, dominated by black fruit with notes of tobacco and cedar? Or maybe you just love grilled red meats and want a wine that stands up to your manly palette. This wine ages well and bottle aging is often necessary for a Cab to reach it’s full potential.

Where to taste it: With more than 10,000 acres planted, Eastern Washington grows a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and this wine is produced at wineries all over the state.

Pinot Noir

the noble red grape of Burgandy

Why drink it: It’s a fruit-forward, light to medium-bodied red wine that is less likely to give you a headache thanks to its lower tannins. Oh, and it pairs exceptionally well with grilled Northwest wild salmon! Pinot Noir is known for its layered complexity, and is one of the most exciting wines to compare as you go from winery to winery.

Where to taste it: This is the granddaddy of Oregon grapes, and the first wine grape to be widely grown in the Willamette Valley where the topography and climate is perfect for it. If you want to taste Pinot, go to the Willamette Valley.

Chardonnay

making a comeback, without the oak

Why drink it: Put aside your memories of oak-clobbered California Chardonnay from the 90′s. Northwest Chardonnay grapes are grown in our cooler climate and the emphasis is on balanced, fruit-forward wines with crisp acidity that pairs well with food. If oak is used at all, it is used with restraint and the flavors it imparts are more nuanced. While the Chardonnay grape doesn’t have a very distinctive flavor on its own (in my opinion) it excels at expressing terroir (see our Vino Vocab lesson).

Where to taste it: All over the Northwest, from the hotter, longer growing season of Walla Walla to the cool, moist Willamette Valley.

Pinot Gris

crisp, bright and citrusy

Why drink it: While mass-produced Pinot Grigio (that’s the Italian name for the grape) is anything but exciting, Oregon’s Willamette Valley produces some wonderful Pinot Gris that pair well with classic Northwest fare like oysters or grilled salmon. Many Willamette Valley Pinot Gris wines are laden with fruit flavors from melon to lemon zest. When tasting, seek out wineries that craft Alsatian-Style Pinot Gris and ask about the differences in the style.

Where to taste it: Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Washington produces plenty of Pinot Gris grapes as well, some for white blends and some for single varietal wines, but you will still come upon it more in Oregon.

Riesling

residual sugar at its finest

Why drink it: First off, drop your preconceived notions about this wine and second, don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. Washington has become known for producing great Riesling, and it’s actually one of the first grape varieties grown in the state so they’ve had a long time to get it right. Most Washington Rieslings these days are vinted in an off-dry style, making it a versatile wine to pair with food. We love to drink dry Riesling when we make Indian food at home.

Where to taste it: All over Eastern Washington; the state has more than 6,000 acres planted with this grape.

Sauvignon Blanc

delightfully dry and refreshing

Why drink it: If you like an herby dry white wine with lively acidity, try Sauvignon Blanc. Take a sniff when you swirl to see if you catch a note of freshly-cut grass. In fact, drink it on freshly-cut grass! Sauvignon Blanc makes a great picnic wine on a hot summer day.

Where to taste it: These grapes are widely planted throughout the Northwest from Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley to Lake Chelan, so you’ll find this wine at tasting rooms all over.

Semillon

beautifully balanced and aromatic

Why drink it: When these white Bordeaux grapes are grown in the ideal conditions (hint: not too hot), Semillon is subtly complex and fruity with notes of melon, fig and pineapple. This is one of our favorite wines and the main white wine we served at our tapas-style wedding dinner.

Where to taste it: Throughout Washington and Oregon, but not in huge quantities yet. You’ll occasionally come across Semillon in the Yakima and Columbia Valleys.

Chenin Blanc

poised for a comeback

Why drink it: Although Chenin Blanc isn’t a particularly fashionable varietal for the masses these days (less than 300 acres are planted with Chenin Blanc in Washington), its  vivacious acidity makes it a unique and usually winning choice with food. Like Reisling, it pairs well with spicy dishes like Thai or Indian curries.

Where to taste it: If Washington had such a thing as “old-growth vines” they would be Chenin Blanc; some of the Yakima Valley vines still in production date back many decades. You’ll also come upon Chenin Blanc when tasting in Walla Walla.

Want to know more about Wine Tasting for Beginners in the Pacific Northwest? See the whole Wine Tasting series here.

photos: wine bottles at Kana Winery by By donireewalker, wine tasting by Rperro,  Syrah Grapes in Washington by DavityDave, grapes by Tim Norris, Chime Pinot Noir By michaelnpatterson.

Here’s what’s on our bucket list for the month of MAY.

Farmers Markets Begin! Across the Northwest, farm-fresh eggs and spring radishes are on their way to a neighborhood farmer’s market near you. We love to scout out farmer’s markets when we travel around the Northwest for the best in local baked goods, arts and crafts, and even wine tasting. Find a local market in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Bellingham, Spokane, Port Townsend, the Methow Valley or Eugene.

Call it hometown bias (or unabashed pride), but we think the Seattle International Film Festival, launching its 39th run May 16, is the coolest, most awesome film festival in the world! Springtime in Seattle just wouldn’t be the same without it. This year SIFF will screen a whopping 447 films. That’s a lot of popcorn! The SIFF Box Office opens in person and online May 2.

Like your meals on wheels? Mobile food carts and trucks are showing no signs of abating in popularity, and for gourmet budget eaters like myself that’s a good thing. Have your pupusa and eat it too at the Mobile Food Rodeo in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, Sunday May 5 from noon – 7pm. Eat from 36 food carts and wash it all down in the beer garden.

Cinco de Mayo is, of course, May 5th! It seems like this holiday, a celebration of Mexican culture, becomes a bigger party every year. Contrary to popular belief it is not Mexico’s Independence Day – that’s September 16 and honors Mexico’s independence from Spanish rule in 1810. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican Army’s surprise victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. My favorite spot for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Seattle is Aqua Verde Cafe and Paddle Club on Lake Union (hint: rent your kayak and take a paddle before you have that second margarita.) Portland will celebrate all weekend long with Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Waterfront Park (admission is free).

Feel that spring breeze? That’s a kite-flying breeze, and it’s calling out for a kite. All you need is some wind, a kite, and a wide-open space free of tree branches and powerlines. We like this Prism Stowaway Delta Kite because it’s big, easy to assemble and stable in the wind so that you can fly it with pride even if you’re a total novice.

Looking for kite-flying hotspots? Check out this piece on flying kites near Seattle I recently penned for Parentmap.

The Rockaway Beach Kite Festival (May 18-19) on the Oregon Coast is a beautiful spectacle, whether you fly your own kite or not. Professional and amateur kite fliers take over the beach, and the blue sky is filled with color and movement.

photos: SIFF line by joshc, pinata by By garlandcannon, kite by Vironevaeh.

One of the greatest assets of living near so much water is getting out into it.

Spy Houseboats on Seattle’s Lake Union

In the middle of Seattle is a big, beautiful lake ringed with funky houseboats and city parks, including the emerald hilly jewel, Gas Works Park. From your kayak (rent them and all the equipment you’ll need from Northwest Outdoor Center in the Westlake neighborhood) you can paddle around and give yourself a tour. The experienced staff at Northwest Outdoor Center can give you a quick lesson on how to paddle, steer and stay safe on the water. Watch out for the float planes!

Paddle Around Nature at the Washington Park Arboretum

One of our favorite sunny day excursions in Seattle is to pack up a lunch, rent a canoe from The University of Washington waterfront activities center (WAC) ($9 an hour / $11 an hour on weekends) and then paddle over to the Washington Park Arboretum. There are marshes you can paddle in here that are full wildlife like ducks, herons, turtles, and bald eagles.

Explore Bellevue’s Mercer Slough

Rent a canoe or kayaks at  the Enatai Beach Boathouse (see rates) and paddle from there into the Mercer Slough, an amazing urban wetland complex. Even better, go on a half-day guided canoe trip with a park naturalist from here into the Mercer Slough for just $16 each (Saturdays and Sundays, May – September, 8:45am).

Kayak the Willamette

The best way to see Bridgetown’s bridges is to paddle right under them. Rent a couple of kayaks from Portland Kayak Company on Macadam Avenue ($10 – $20 / hour or $50 – $75 for the whole day) and launch into the Willamette River right there. Your choices include paddling up the river towards downtown, around Ross Island, or across the Willamette to explore Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

See Victoria’s Inner Harbour… from the Harbour

Rent your kayaks at Ocean River Adventures in Victoria BC, then set out for a tour of the inner harbour, where float planes land, foot ferries zip around and seals play. You’ll have the best photo op of The Empress Hotel from anywhere. Here’s a fun idea: pack some scones and a thermos of Earl Grey and have High Tea out on the water.

photos: Kayaking Lake Union and the Arboretum by Jeff Wilcox, child in kayak by B. Dewey, canoe in Mercer Slough by NWTripFinder.

Dear TripFinder,

Dear Lara,

I remember the first time I hiked in an old-growth forest, and I’ll bet your son will, too. My first was on Mount Rainier National Park’s Grove of the Patriarchs trail during my very first visit to Washington. The sheer beauty of the green forest layers and the awe-inspiring diameter of the trees were certainly a few of the reasons I moved to across the country to Seattle in the summer that followed. A hike among giants will do that to a girl.

You don’t have to drive all the way to Mount Rainier or the Hoh Rainforest to hike among old-growth, though these truly ancient forest ecosystems are unique and well worth the time it takes to get there. Technically, an old-growth forest is a stand that has attained great age (say 150 years or greater) without significant unnatural disturbance such as logging, and that applies to nearly all designated wilderness land that is forested throughout Washington state.

So, where to hike? The great news is, you don’t even have to leave Seattle to hike among old-growth trees. You’ll see a nice remnant old-growth stand in West Seattle at Schmitz Preserve Park, with rich layers of native undergrowth. South Seattle’s Seward Park has old-growth trees as well.

Maybe you’re looking for a bit more trail, wildness and solitude than a city park can provide. Here are two of my favorite old-growth forest hikes just outside Seattle.

Denny Creek Trail

One of the closest old-growth hikes is the Denny Creek Trail (4 miles round-trip to the turnaround at Snowshoe Falls, 9 miles round-trip if you hike all the way in to Melakwa Lake). Oh, and about that old-growth; this popular trail boasts excellent examples of ancient mountain hemlock and superb Pacific silver fir. Novice hikers and small children will find the walking easy and pleasant up to the smooth, natural waterslide at 1.3 miles, where kids can indulge in some water play on a hot summer day. Solitude seekers with good knees should continue on and up to the pass, where Melakwa Lake sits waiting for another rest stop just on the other side. To get there, drive I-90 East to Exit 47, then make a left then a right at the T in the road.  Shortly thereafter turn left onto Denny Creek Road, FS58. Drive 3 miles more and just before the campground turn left on the signed road and follow it to the trailhead parking lot. A Northwest Forest Pass is required.

• For this and other old-growth hikes in the Snoqualmie Pass corridor check out Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Pass by Dan Nelson, published by The Mountaineers Books.
• Read more about the Denny Creek Trail on Weekend Hike.

Skookum Flats

This close in trail is an easy drive past Enumclaw, and a relatively easy hike for the elevation-challenged. The treasures are big Douglas firs and western red cedars growing along the banks of the rushing White River. Some trees are five or six feet in diameter, although the stand of old-growth is relatively young (about 250-300 years old) by Northwest old-growth standards. Don’t expect solitude at the peak of hiking season; the trail’s gentle grade and easy access attract both hikers and mountain bikers. It’s a 12 mile loop, or for a shorter hike turn around at Skookum Falls just 2 miles in.  To get there, take SR 410 east from Enumclaw towards Mount Rainier for about 24 miles to the Huckleberry Creek Road, FR73.  Turn right and drive .5 miles to the trailhead, on your left. A Northwest Forest Pass is required.

• For this and other kid-friendly hikes in Washington check out Best Hikes with Children: Western Washington and the Cascades by Joan Burton, published by The Mountaineers Books.
• Read more about the Skookum Flats Trail on Hiking With My Brother.

Hope this helps! Don’t forget to look up recent WTA trip reports from other hikers before your trip. Happy Hiking!

Got a burning travel question? You ask, we’ll answer.

photos: entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the Denny Creek Trail by heystax, Denny Creek Waterfall by Cocoa Dream, Trillium in bloom on the Denny Creek Trail by heystax.

This is part of a series on Wine Tasting for Beginners in the Pacific Northwest. See the whole Wine Tasting series here.

Do you know what fruit-forward means? How about tannin, or terroir? Students, gather ’round.

You don’t have to be ultra-knowledgeable about the world of wine to enjoy visiting wine regions and tasting rooms. In fact, like we told you in Wine Tasting 101, the point of visiting wineries is to learn. Still, you might feel more comfortable starting your visits with a little wine knowledge under your belt.

WINE JARGON: Common Terms to Know

You’ll probably hear these words pop up during a wine tasting, so here are some basic definitions as I have come to understand them.

Vineyard. Easy enough: a yard full of grape vines, Tarzan-approved. It’s where they grow the grapes for making wine. A vineyard is not necessarily attached to a winery. Some vineyards only grow the grapes, then sell the grapes to local wineries.

Estate. You will sometimes see this on wine labels. In the wine world, an estate-bottled wine means that 100% of the grapes used were grown in the winery’s own vineyards.

Terroir.  Nope, this is not a small, nippy winery dog. This word is a little tricky in both pronunciation and meaning. First, it’s pronounced tear-wahr, and it loosely translates to “a sense of place.” This word is used to sum up the many small physical differences that set a vineyard apart from others–it’s soil, subsoil, drainage, slope, sunlight, altitude, climate, microclimate, *nano* climate… you get the picture. These climatic differences influence the wine in many ways.

Reserve. Think of it this way – the winemaker wants to share something special with you–select grapes, select aging, select wine. That said, there’s no U.S. regulation stating when the term can be used, so Reserve can be as subjective as any other marketing word, like Quality or Natural. When it comes to the tasting room, a Reserve wine might garner an additional tasting fee, so ask what makes it so special before you pluck down $5 for a few tiny gulps.

Vintage. If a bottle has a year on it, it means the grapes were primarily grown and harvested in that year. Unless you’re talking about Champagne or Port, having the year on the bottle doesn’t necessarily signify anything great is going on inside that bottle. But it makes for nice conversation. Most wine enthusiasts agree that 2008 vintage for Oregon pinot noir is superb.

Acidity. Many factors go into the acidity of the wine, but the end result is too much acid and you have a tart, sour wine. Too little acid and the wine is flat and boring.

Dry. Opposite of sweet. I know, I thought dry was the opposite of wet too. Yet, here we are.

Oaked. This is when wine has been subjected to some serious oak exposure and subsequently has picked up some complex buttery, toasty and/or vanilla flavors. How does wine get oaked? Some wines are aged in oak barrels, usually French oak, or alternatively oak chips are added at some point in the fermentation or aging process.

Full-bodied. This term is often used when a wine has some complex flavors going on, and it evokes rich texture and robustness. Cabernet Sauvignon is an example of a full-bodied red wine. At the opposite end of the spectrum are light-bodied wines.

Fruit-forward. When you taste a fruit-forward style wine, you get fruit above any other flavors and nuances that may come from oak or terroir. Some will lack the complexity and layers of wines coaxed to completion in toasted oak barrels, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring–some of Oregon’s best Pinot Noirs are fruit-forward.

Tannin. Tannin is a compound found in grape skins, seeds and stems that gives red wine its texture, form and grip, as well as its staying power in a cellar. White wines are fermented primarily from the juice and therefore don’t usually have tannins. The exception is when they are aged in oak, in which case they can pick up the smoother tannins from the wood. When tasting wine, notice that tannin is something you feel more than taste.

Residual Sugar. All wines have some residual sugar, and the more it has, the sweeter the wine is going to be. The term refers to the amount of sugar in the wine that doesn’t get turned into alcohol during fermentation, and it’s expressed as a percentage. A dry wine typically has less than 2.5% residual sugar.

Finish. This is the last flavor or impression a wine leaves in your mouth after you swallow (or spit).  Its length is how long a wine’s finish hangs around in your mouth, though these words are used interchangeably sometimes.

Fermentation. To put it simply: yeast eat the sugar in the grape juice and make alcohol. The fermentation process may occur in stainless steel tanks, in an open wooden vat, or even inside the wine bottle itself.

On the Skins. This refers to how red wine gets its color and tannins–let it ferment on the squished skins!

Legs. Legs is what you get when the wine clings to the inside of the glass as you swirl it around looking clever. More clearly defined, legs means more alcohol or maybe more sugar, or possibly just really clean glasses.

We hope you’ll enjoy the next part of our series on Northwest wines and wine tasting — it’s about the different varietals crafted in the Pacific Northwest. Be sure to subscribe to our monthly email newsletter here.

Rocks and birds. Hikes through desert wildflowers. Fragrant sagebrush whipping in the wind. Sleeping under a big sky filled with stars.

In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is a recreationist’s paradise. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground.

The Grand Coulee region is a geologic wonder and national treasure, so I’m puzzled that it’s skipped in most travel guidebooks to the Pacific Northwest. Maybe this will soon change. Awareness of this incredible region and its geologic past is rising as the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail comes to fruition, a 500-mile automobile route from Montana to the Pacific Ocean.

Steamboat Rock State Park sits like an island at the north end of Banks Lake, a man-made reservoir that fills the upper Grand Coulee. Before the Grand Coulee Dam filled this reservoir, Banks Lake was a dry coulee of the Columbia River. But it wasn’t always dry. At the end of the last Ice Age came the Missoula Floods–cataclysmic, periodic floods that swept across eastern Washington before plowing right through the Cascades and carving the Columbia River Gorge. As these floods eroded the Eastern Washington landscape, they left behind a lot of interesting features, including a remnant hunk of basalt in the middle of upper Grand Coulee. This columnar basalt bluff juts out of Banks Lake like a steamship, earning it the name Steamboat Rock.

Things to Do: You can camp and hike this region year-round, and Spokane-area residents do just that. Seattle hikers have discovered this area as they search out places to play in the springtime and early summer, before their beloved Cascades have melted out. There are several prime desert hikes in the vicinity, best enjoyed during the April and May wildflower bloom or in autumn.

For a power hike with a stunning view, climb to the top of Steamboat Rock  (4 miles round trip, 650 feet gain that involves a little scrambling). A shorter, easier hike is across Hwy 155 up Northrup Canyon, through fragrant sagebrush (also called wormwood) and showy desert wildflowers. Hike early in the morning during the summer months, and pack sunscreen.

For more awesome hikes in this region, pre-order the new Day Hiking: Eastern Washington guidebook authored by Craig Romano and Rich Landers, published by The Mountaineers Books. It gets released May 15, 2013.

Winter brings snowmobilers, nordic skiers and ice fishermen. Summer is reliably hot, and that draw water-lovers to the park’s sandy swimming area and three boat launches.  The park has 50,000 feet of freshwater shoreline, so there’s plenty of room for everyone. Some of the best freshwater fishing in Washington is had in Banks Lake, which is full of walleye, bass and perch.

Gear to Bring: Strong bug repellent is a must here in summer, and a mosquito net hat will come in handy when the air is still, especially at dusk. Pack sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your skin on exposed hikes. Bring along your binoculars whatever time of year because you’ll see plenty of birds unique to the sage / shrub-steppe habitat, from sage thrashers to kestrels. Bring a canoe or kayak to paddle around the lake. And don’t forget to pack your fishing pole!

Camping at Steamboat Rock State Park

The campground is open year-round, though services are reduced in winter months. Two campground loops include 26 tent sites, 100 utility hookup sites, one dump station, five restrooms (four ADA) and six showers (four ADA). The park also has 12 primitive non-reservable boat-in campsites with vault toilets and water.

Want more privacy? There are more than 70 primitive campsites north of the main park on the shores of Banks Lake, accessible off Hwy 155 at Jones Bay and Osborn Bay. These have vault toilets but no running water available. Northrup Canyon has five campsites for equestrian campers, and they require a reservation. To reserve call (509) 633-1304.

Make your campground reservations here or call (888) CAMPOUT. Sites are reservable for dates May 15-Sept 15 only; first-come, first-served the rest of the year.

Getting There

Steamboat Rock State Park is about four hours’ drive time from Seattle. Located on Banks Lake 11 miles south of Electric City, Wash., and 16 miles north of Coulee City, Wash. in Grant County.

View Larger Map

photos: Columnar Basalt Study from Steamboat Rock State Park by Pictoscribe. Hikers by Dierken.

Who, Who, Who are you?

Even looked up to see two big brown eyes silently returning your gaze? Owls are more common than you might think, even in urban parks of the Pacific Northwest.

This curious owl in the photo is a Barred Owl (notice the vertical bars of brown on its chest). These owls relatively common in forested urban parks like Forest Park in Portland, Stanley Park in Vancouver and Discovery Park in Seattle. We see them occasionally when we’re on walks through Lincoln Park near our home in West Seattle.

The Barred Owl is a “cousin” of the Northern Spotted Owl, which is listed in the US as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. In most instances, it is easy to tell the two species apart, though I’ve been stumped a few times. Habitat is the first thing to consider if you’re trying to determine which of these owl species you are looking at. Barred Owls are far more common, of course, and inhabit mixed woods in our cities, suburbs and backcountry lands. Spotted Owls require older-growth, mature, moist forests. Their habitats do overlap on the edges of old-growth forest.

One key visual identifier is the markings on the chest. As its name suggests, Spotted Owls have spots, rather than bars.

See and Hear an Owl!

If you want to see and hear a Barred Owl for yourself, head to West Seattle’s Schmitz Park tonight (April 6) for a guided nature walk with naturalist Stewart Wechsler – Getting Dark – Owling Under Seattle’s Oldest Trees. The walk starts at 7pm. The cost is $15 adults, $10 kids. Get info here.

To learn more about the birds of the Pacific Northwest, check out BirdWeb, an online resource to birds from Seattle Audubon.