I like watching nature documentaries, there's something about unwinding with your family while you watch wild animals go about their daily lives in 4K. It's the best thing ever for those of us that want to take in the explosive and colorful sights of nature without feeling the dreadful urge to go outside.

Photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash
Photo by KAL VISUALS on Unsplash
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National parks are a great way to get that organic release of emotion you get by watching movies or nature documentaries. You can be in awe of mountains or starstruck by wild animals like eagles or beavers. Washington has some of the best national parks in the whole country.

Photo by Zane Bolen on Unsplash
Photo by Zane Bolen on Unsplash
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While most people think of Yellowstone or Yosemite when asked to name national parks, Washington has a couple that rivals even Old Faithful's stomping grounds.

Mt. Rainier National Park boasts a great view of its crown jewel.

Photo by John Peters on Unsplash
Photo by John Peters on Unsplash
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Mt. Rainier National Park is a celebration of the legendary mountain. Each year, people trek through the park where 10,000 people will try to reach the top, and half of them will make it all the way. Be careful though, as 400 people have died trying.

North Cascades National Park is the youngest of Washington's national parks.

Photo by Rich Martello on Unsplash
Photo by Rich Martello on Unsplash
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While beautiful, North Cascades National Park is a wilderness, meaning that there's a lack of things to do that aren't hiking but you can camp!

Theodore Roosevelt initially named Olympic National Park the Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909.

Photo by Zetong Li on Unsplash
Photo by Zetong Li on Unsplash
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Perhaps Washington's best national park, Olympic National Park features beaches, mountains, and glaciers. The park features a wide array of activities for guests including skiing lessons.

LOOK: Must-do activities at every national park

Stacker lists the must-do activities at every national park ranked by the annual number of visitors. 

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

 

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