The state of Washington is home to fifteen national parks including alpine and subalpine landscapes. In this gallery, The Alpine Northwest, we represent three of these impressive national parks, Mount Rainier National Park, Cascades National Park, and Olympic National Park.
Mount Rainier reaches 14,410 feet above sea level, is an active volcano, and spawns five major rivers. The lower slopes includes old forests and abundant wildlife leading to wildflower-filled meadows.
The North Cascades consists of an alpine landscape located only a short distance from Seattle. The rough mountain peaks include more than 300 glaciers contrasted by valleys of forests and lakes.
Olympic National Park boasts nearly a million acres protecting a vast wilderness, diverse ecosystems, and human history. Known for its diversity, Olympic National Park not only includes glacier-capped mountains but also rain forests and coastline.
This gallery includes digitized maps of these parks made available in the University of Kentucky Libraries’ collection. Before browsing the maps, take a look at Charley Harper’s commissioned work, The Alpine Northwest, interpreting the intense range in elevations and vast diversity in the apline and subalpine landscapes.
Learn more about all the national parks and sites in Washington, on its official website.
