Have you ever been on a hiking trail and thought, “I wonder how this got here?” Look at the trail the next time you go on a hike–really look at it, and notice the footbridges, boardwalk, rock steps, and switchbacks. Whether you’re at Mount Rainier or the Hoh rainforest, that trail under your boots was built by someone, probably several people, and is likely maintained regularly by hard-working volunteers in brightly-colored hardhats.

Last year, volunteers with the Washington Trails Association (WTA) logged over 90,000 hours building and maintaining hiking trails on public lands. Many of those generous volunteers spent their vacation–yes their vacation–helping these trails. WTA hosts Volunteer Vacations all over the state.

Inexpensive? Check. Beautiful location? Check. Totally unique? Check. Incredibly rewarding? Check!

Imagine taking a Volunteer Vacation to a place like this: the trail to Hart Lake in the Glacier Peak Wilderness near Lake Chelan.

WTA’s Volunteer Vacations are extended trail maintenance work parties, lasting a whole week.  The first of 42 Volunteer Vacations scheduled for this summer begins March 27 on the Hoh Rainforest Trail in Olympic National Park. Enormous towering trees, rich moss-covered forest canopy, perhaps some dappled sunlight and the gentle calling of the Hoh River. Does it get any better?

So, what can you expect on a WTA Volunteer Vacation? There will be great meals, chats by the campfire, and llamas for companions. You might find yourself lingering over your lunch on a sun-drenched granite ridge top, awed by the natural scenery around you. Maybe you’ll form some friendships with kindred spirits that last a lifetime. Perhaps you will encounter a wild animal you have longed to observe, or make great strides in your plant identification skills. Oh, and you’ll probably want to hike a little, too. They give you a whole day off just to do that, like these folks did on a Volunteer Vacation to the Upper Stehekin Valley in North Cascades National Park.

And you will most definitely be making a difference, a contribution to hiking trails that will serve generations of hikers to come. That’s right, there’s some work involved– the “volunteer” part. Your crew might be responsible for building a new bridge across a stream, or restoring a damaged alpine meadow. You might be logging out a trail littered with downed trees after winter storms, or building a rock wall to support a slumping portion of trail. And after all that work each day, you’ll be ready to eat.

It’s a real community out there on a WTA Volunteer Vacation, and everyone contributes. In the morning and in the evening, everyone takes turns sharing in-camp chores like helping the cook, washing dishes and pumping water. But there will be plenty of time left over to sleep under the stars, eat and eat some more, explore, and relax.

No prior trail experience is necessary to take a Volunteer Vacation with WTA. There are variety of trips to choose from. Some are strenuous (vacationers backpack in to the work site carrying their own tent, sleeping bag and other personal gear.) Some are car camps.  WTA packs in the food, tools and other supplies on horses or llamas. A Volunteer Vacation with WTA costs only $165 ($125 for WTA members) and includes all your food, tools, and training.

So, where will you be spending your summer vacation?

More information: http://www.wta.org/trail-news/volunteer/vacations

Volunteer Vacations for youth: http://www.wta.org/trail-news/volunteer/youth

All photos are courtesy of Washington Trails Association.

It is officially my favorite month, in the kitchen and in the outdoors. Let’s see… the past few days I’ve made homemade chunky applesauce from the fruit of my parent’s Kitsap Peninsula orchard, pureed sugar pumpkin for upcoming fall recipes, and roasted the last of the garden cherry tomatoes. Now, I’m ready to get out and see some blazing fall color and run through a corn maze or two. Care to join me?

Oregon

This weekend (October 16 – 18) is Hood River Valley Harvest Fest, a classic fall festival that takes place right on the waterfront overlooking the Columbia River. Sample local apples, microbrews, wine, cider and artisan cheeses. Browse booths filled with local art and crafts. Enjoy live music and plenty of games and activities for the whole family.

Where to stay? Check out our Columbia Gorge cheap sleeps picks.

Like the spooky stuff? Get hands-on at “Fields of Fear“–A Halloween Experience Unlike Any Other! at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. It’s a 30-minute live performance, complete with strobe effects, loud noises, and terrifying situations, and the audience participates (note you will be required to walk for the entire length of the performance.) Runs October 21 – 31. Tickets here or call 503-516-4840.

Want to know where to spot golden aspen and fiery vine maple? Keep up with the Oregon Fall Foliage Blog, or call the Oregon Fall Foliage Hotline at 800.547.5445 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Washington

Don a dirndl and grab your beer stein! There’s still one weekend remaining of Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest, the next best thing to being in Munich (October 16 – 17). Live it up with live music, authentic German food, arts and crafts, Bavarian clothing, and activities for the whole family.

Staying overnight? In a town with few budget options, the affordable Mrs. Anderson’s Guest House stands out for its warm hospitality and Victorian charm. Located in the heart of downtown, its nine rooms (starting at $39) are decorated with turn-of-the-century antiques, quilts, and vintage clothing. Buffet breakfast included.

Get lost in a maze of maize near Olympia. The Rutledge Corn Maze is one of the most haunted corn mazes you’ll find, and there are acres of pumpkins to boot! Bring your sweetie and a thermos of hot cider for a romantic ride in a horse drawn wagon to the pumpkin patch, and pick out a pumpkin together. Kids will love having their faces painted, joining a carving contest, and guessing the weight of the magic pumpkin. Weekends through October 31 in Tumwater (click for directions).

Make a weekend of it with an overnight stay in Olympia at the Fertile Ground Guest House ($110) where beautifully-furnished rooms in a 1908 craftsman offer comfort and tranquility. Breakfast (included) from the organic garden is healthy and delicious.

British Columbia

It’s all about getting spooked in Vancouver this fall. If you were a fan of the Vancouver Museum‘s annual Haunted Trolley Tours, you will be disappointed to hear they canned it. This year, though, they’re going even darker. In the spirit of Ravishing Beasts, their soon-to-open feature exhibit, the museum is hosting a Halloween-inspired event on the evening of October 30 that includes music and a cash bar, guided tours of the exhibit, and a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic Psycho, the film that left an indelible mark on the practice of taxidermy. Buy tickets in advance here.

All aboard! It’s  the Stanley Park Ghost Train, through November 1 from 6 to 10 pm nightly. Share your train ride with zombies and witches. Kid’s activities include face painting, a shadow puppet theatre, and the always-popular Children’s Haunted Farmyard and its spooky animals.

Make it a weekend trip with one of our suggested Vancouver cheap sleeps.

Photos: Shaded pumpkin by sarahbest. Apple picking by Bryan Danger Wheeler.

It’s hardly a secret that I’m a bird nerd. In fact, I hold a locally-esteemed title, “Master Birder,” obtained after a year of study and classes with Seattle Audubon where I learned such things as the paritization habits of the female Redhead duck and how to definitively tell a Lesser Yellowlegs from a Greater Yellowlegs. And yet, I haven’t been “birding,” save for seeing the occasional chickadee or Steller’s Jay in my backyard, for a good long while.

Maybe, then, I should head over to the Washington state coast this weekend for the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival. If I do, it is almost guaranteed I’ll have the chance to try out my ID skills on some Greater Yellowlegs!

Truth be told, you don’t have to be a Master Birder, or anything close to it, to thoroughly enjoy the hundreds of thousands of northbound migrating shorebirds that make a pitstop in the Grays Harbor estuary each Spring. You will, however, need a pair of binoculars, a spotting scope, and a map that will get you to such bird-rich locales as Bowerman Basin and the Sandpiper Trail. A good field guide is an essential, too; I recommend the National Geographic guide to the birds of North America. No spotting scope? You will likely meet other birdwatchers along the way, often with their scopes already perfectly focused on a Ruddy Turnstone or Semipalmated Plover, and it’s always okay to politely ask to take a peak through a fellow birdwatcher’s scope.

For a day or two of coastal birdwatching, plan for varied weather. It may be warm and sunny, but it could be chilly and rainy. You will most certainly want to dress warmly, preferably in layers that you can shed as the day warms up. Having good rain gear on hand is essential. Wear sturdy boots, like hiking boots, over wool socks to keep your feet dry. Most birders carry their field guides and a notebook to take field notes in a waterproof satchel or backpack. Bring plenty of water to drink and snacks to munch on, and pack a thermos filled with a warm beverage like coffee or cocoa to warm up with between stops.

When to go see shorebirds? As The Olympian’s outdoors writer Chester Allen so aptly pointed out, the shorebirds stick around for several weeks after the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival, so for the best shot at seeing the greatest numbers and varieties of migrating shorebirds in and around Gray’s Harbor County, plan your trip for sometime between now and mid-May.

Where to stay? The Glennacres Historic Inn in Westport is a terrific comfy choice on this part of the coast for the choosy cheap sleeper. Lovingly-decorated rooms range from $50 – $75 a night and include a generous dose of warm hospitality. Call 1-800-996-3048 or click here for reservations.

Shorebirds on the Washington Coast by Steve Voght.

April is next week! Behold, Tulipa gesneriana.

Tulips are fortunate to have many fine associations, such as early Spring and Easter. You’ve likely started to see them for sale at your local farmer’s market. They earned a black mark in history, however, when they were popularized during Tulip mania in Holland in the 1630s, resulting in one of the first documented economic bubbles. Though often associated with Holland, both the flower and its common name actually hail from the Persian empire.

Tis the season for tulip festivals in the Pacific Northwest. Head to the Willamette Valley for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Oregon, and to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Washington.

The shot of those perky red tulips above was taken on my visit to the Skagit festival in 2005. For more travel photos, check out the Photo Friday virtual exhibit at Deliciousbaby.com.

If you live in Oregon, you’ve probably heard that your state is having a big birthday this year. The actual big day to mark the sesquicentennial was this past Saturday, February 14, but this state knows how to party, so the celebrations last all year long.

One of the coolest sesquicentennial celebrations I’ve seen so far is over at the Oregonian newspaper. Travel and outdoors writer Terry Richard, who blogs at Travels with Terry (maybe you’ve seen the link in our blog roll) recently wrote an amazing tribute to the great state of Oregon. In honor of Oregon’s 150th birthday, he came up with 150 places that should be on every Oregonian’s list to see — from A (Alvord Desert) to Z (Zumwalt Prairie). (And, might I argue, every Washingtonian’s list, too).

I pored over Terry’s list of 150 best places in Oregon and was surprised I had only visited 17 of them! Made me feel quite the poseur. Then I looked at the bright side: there are 133 great places in Oregon I have yet to visit!

Have a look at the list for yourself. How many have you been to? Which is your favorite? And where do you hope to go next? Tell us and I’ll try and find you a cheap sleep nearby.

Photo: That’s me, enjoying Oregon as I walk through a hazelnut grove near Corvallis.

There is no cheaper sleep than the free kind.

Travel Oregon is giving away a free trip to Ashland, Oregon to the Shakespeare Festival. The prize package, themed “Escape to Ashland,” includes accommodations for two at the Ashland Springs Hotel as well as play tickets. I admit it – I entered! So by posting it here I’m just inviting a bunch of competition. Oh, well. If I win, you can always check out the cheap sleep there that I wrote about last year.

February must be the month for giveaways, because Snohomish, Washington is getting in on the action, too. Enter to win their $400 package that includes a romantic night at a charming B&B, dinner for two, a massage, chocolates, candles, and more. (You are, of course, competing with me in this drawing as well!)

Here’s a giveaway that everyone is eligible for: free rides on Washington State Ferries. Book accommodations on the San Juans or the Kitsap Peninsula and ride the ferry round-trip for free. See www.VisitSanJuans.com or www.visitkitsap.com for details and participating B&Bs and inns.

Pinot noir and bicycling go together like bread and butter. If you don’t believe me, you’ll just have to try it and judge for yourself.

If you have a bike and a free weekend this month, head to the Willamette Valley south of Portland. You will not be disappointed.

August is perhaps the best month to tour Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country by bicycle. The Eola Hills Wine Cellars near Salem organizes Bike Oregon Wine Country every Sunday in August, at a cost of $65 per person. This fully-supported ride guides you through the scenic Eola Hills and Mid-Willamette Valley wine region, biking through lush vineyards and some of the most picturesque countryside in the Northwest. Short and long loops are available, ranging from 45 to 70 miles a day. All rides start at 8am at Eola Hills Wine Cellars. Lunch is provided at one of the participating wineries, and all wine purchased in-route is transported back to Eola Hills by a separate vehicle. After the ride enjoy a fantastic BBQ feast and a glass or two of Eola Hills wine. Click here for more info.

It’s not a bad deal for $65, but of course you can pack your own picnic lunch, put your bottle purchases in panniers, and do a similar route on your own. Try the Oregon Wine Center (503-228-8336) for brochures with maps to help plan your route. Their website also has wine explorer to help plan your trip. For more info and an inspiring read, check out this New York Times story from 2006 on touring wine countries (including the Willamette) by bike.

For a great night’s sleep in the area, check out the Bookmark Bed and Breakfast in Salem (503-399-2013), which has two charming rooms, $90 – $110 a night. After your long bike ride the day before, you’ll be delighted with a full, home-cooked breakfast, like Evelyn’s “Souffle” with Tillamook cheese, fruit salad, honey lemon muffins, juice, coffee, and tea. Children are welcome, but no pets. (Salem, for some odd reason, limits its B&Bs to only two rooms, meaning the local proprietors don’t make much money, but guests sure get plenty of personalized attention.)

The North Cascades Highway is expected to open on May 1, a pleasant surprise given the incredible snowpack in the Cascades this winter.

The Upper Skagit Valley, the gateway to North Cascades National Park, is a great destination in any season, and especially when Highway 20 is open so that day trips can be made up to the park. In wintertime, bald eagles flock here to fish in the Skagit River, and I once saw over 100 of these birds here in one January day several years ago. In spring you have lovely waterfalls, in summer enjoy warm hiking weather at higher elevations, and in fall, come for the foliage, from fire-hued vine maple to golden larches. Start your visit with a stop at the North Cascades National Park visitors center near Newhalem.

If you’ve traveled Highway 20 through Skagit County in years past, you may remember passing the cute cabins at A Cab in the Woods, where a bright yellow taxi cab once hailed you from the side of the road. This favorite cheap sleep changed ownership in recent years and changed its name, too, but the cabins are still there, and they’re still fantastic.

The place is now called Grace Haven (360-873-4106), and if the name sounds vaguely religious, it’s probably because it is — the place is sometimes used for Christian retreats, and pastors are invited to stay for half-price anytime. Also, in addition to the board games and magazines provided in each cabin, there is now some Christian literature for your perusal. So whatever your religious persuasion or lack thereof, be forewarned.

Each of Grace Haven’s five cozy cabins has a fully-equipped kitchen, living room with futons and a gas fireplace, and a bedroom with a queen size bed. The bathrooms are newly refinished with cedar lined showers (one cabin has a bathtub). Each cabin is stocked with complimentary coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and apple cider.

The charms extend outside the cabins as well. Like to grill? Each cabin has a charcoal grill and picnic table just outside. The grounds were designed with summer vacation in mind–there’s badminton and volleyball, a horseshoe pit, swings, croquet and ping pong. Rest between bouts in a hammock or toast marshmallows at the outdoor firepit. Pets allowed at two of the cabins ($10 / night per pet).

Grace Haven’s cabins run $80-85 winter / $95 – $105 summer. Discount offered for two or more nights. There are many places to eat in nearby Marblemount, but with the fully-equipped kitchen and cozy fireplace to eat beside, we see no reason to leave.