I grew up in the South and attended college only a few hours away from my hometown. When the local economy started to slip, I began to expand my career horizons by investigating opportunities outside the area. As luck would have it, I landed a job soon after graduation and relocated to the Pacific Northwest. Knowing the trip would take several days, I packed up my truck and headed out onto the highway.

I’ve always been an outdoorsy type, so I consulted a lodging directory to find campgrounds along the route. I managed to save money that otherwise would have been squandered on motel rooms. While some of the campgrounds were subpar, the facilities at the Banks Lake campgrounds stand out for their immaculate upkeep and the outdoor activities that were easily accessible. By roughing it, I arrived in town with a few extra tales to tell my new friends and co-workers.

Despite living in Western Washington for nearly my whole life, I decided to go to college in Spokane, on the eastern side of the state. Before I left for the first time, I heard horror stories about how Eastern Washington was a vast wasteland with nothing to do. Admittedly, I left for Spokane less than enthused over the prospects of entertainment.

During my four years in Spokane, I came to appreciate all of that Eastern Washington has to offer. While it may not have the urban life of the Seattle area, there are exquisite Eastern Washington camping sites and opportunities to experience the great outdoors. One of my favorite places to visit while I lived there was the majestic Banks Lake, just miles away from Grand Coulee.

No trip to Grand Coulee would be complete without a stop at the Grand Coulee Dam. One of the summer highlights is the evening laser light show at Dam that is projected onto the dam’s wall.

The area around the dam has an abundance of camping options, including cabins, villas, resorts and setting up your own tent. Banks Lake campgrounds located around Banks Lake also offer many recreational options such as boating, fishing, kayaking as well..

If you live in the Washington area and are looking for a way to spend a sunny afternoon, there is a huge array of hikes at your disposal. In fact, if you’re an avid outdoorsmen, Washington is a great place to live. To that end, one of the most beautiful places to take a day hike is Rachel Lake. An alpine lake starting at Box Creek, the trail is four miles in and four miles out. It offers many gorgeous views, some waterfalls, and several river crossings.

The highlight of the hike is the lake itself, which is a completely clear and stunning blue. It does require a rather steep and difficult ascent to get to that view, however. This can either be a full day’s hike, or a short hike followed by an overnight camp. Rachel Lake, however, is just one opportunity for Washington camping. The state is filled with amazing, challenging, and pristine campgrounds.