Okay, now I want to know who the other poster is with five in her name.

I just returned from this trip the other day and wanted to share - First of all, MANY, MANY THANKS for all the suggestions and advice! It was an amazing adventure! I started out making plans for the route Gardyloo suggested and ended up reversing course based on availability of making reservations for kayaking and rafting. After arriving in Seattle, I spent the afternoon there before heading up to the San Juan Islands via Whidbey Island, camping at Deception Pass, and the ferry out of Anacortes. A pitstop at Whidbey Island Pie for a slice of Loganberry pie is something I made sure to do and would highly recommend!! Thanks to starrs for the Outdoor Odyssey kayak suggestion - three days of kayaking and camping were incredible. We were fortunate to see orcas (which hadn't been spotted for the last couple months), so many seals, and several bald eagles.

After kayaking, I spent the night at Washington Park Campground (lovely) in Anacortes. Hunting is prohibited in Anacortes and there are deer everywhere. It was quite unexpected - they are practically domesticated and will walk right up to you. Leaving Anacortes, I headed east to Marblemount for rafting on the Skajit River (thanks again, Gardyloo ) Unfortunately, rafting on the Skykomish River was already booked, so that will have to wait for another trip.

I continued my journey east, leisurely following the Cascades Loop back to Seattle, stopping in Mazama, Winthrop, Lake Chelan, Snohomish, and a few other towns. In all honesty, if I were to make the trip again, I would skip the Cascades Loop past Winthrop - I'd turn around there and drive back west through the Cascades - the views are completely different in the opposite direction, and the valley drive is a bit lackluster after the majesty of the mountains. Lake Chelan and Leavenworth are touristy, and the orchard processing plants definitely detract from the scenery.

For the most part, the campgrounds were lovely and well maintained - Kayak Point, Twenty Five Mile (Lake Chelan), Colonial Creek, and Troublesome Creek are memorable.

One thing to remember if you plan on a similar trip - check out the Washington State Parks Discover Pass and the US Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Pass - you won't need them for camping, however, many trails require a fee and if you plan on stopping often, it can add up to pay the day fee at each spot as opposed to buying one of the passes. They are separate passes and do not overlap. Check them out before purchasing.

Oh, and Deception Falls (not to be confused with Deception Pass), off Hwy 2 near Skykomish, was a fantastic easy hike with stunning falls and beautiful scenery.

All in all, the trip was amazing!!!

It sounds amazing! So glad it was a great trip and you enjoyed the OO kayaking. I REALLY need to get there. I've been trying for about eight years now!

Thanks for the trip report!