RV Trips From Seattle — 6 Routes With Cost, Distance, and Best Season
Typical rate: $1,600-$5,300 depending on route length
No city launches an RV trip to more national parks than Seattle — three of them sit within a day’s drive. Mount Rainier floats on the southern horizon, the Olympic Peninsula’s rainforest and wild coast lie a ferry-and-a-drive west, and the jagged North Cascades rise to the northeast. Beyond them, the Pacific Coast rolls south and the Rockies wait east. Here are the six best trips from Seattle, shortest to longest, each with what it costs and when to go.
Why does Seattle work as a launch city?
Three national parks within a day, and the coast and Cascades on top. Seattle rents above the national median — our July 2026 pull put the median at $150/night, and a Seattle Class C runs $195-$220 — and Pacific Northwest fuel is among the country’s priciest, so budget a bit higher here than in the South or Mountain West. What you get for it is unmatched park access and some of the most dramatic scenery in the Lower 48.
The best RV trips from Seattle
1. Mount Rainier (2-3 days)
The best short trip — ~$1,600-$2,200 for two. Wildflower meadows at Paradise, old growth at Ohanapecosh, and the mountain filling the sky. No timed-entry reservation for 2026. See the Mount Rainier NP guide.
2. Olympic National Park (4-5 days)
Three parks in one — ~$2,000-$2,800. Rainforest, glaciated peaks, and wild Pacific coast on a loop of the peninsula. Works much of the year. See the Olympic NP guide.
3. North Cascades (3-4 days)
The quiet alpine one — ~$1,800-$2,400. The North Cascades Highway (SR-20) through the “American Alps,” open roughly late spring to fall. Fewer crowds than Rainier, jaw-dropping passes.
4. Pacific Coast to San Francisco (7 days)
The great coastal drive — ~$2,800-$3,800. Down the Washington and Oregon coasts through the redwoods to the Bay. Full Pacific Coast Highway guide.
5. Seattle to Yellowstone (10 days)
The cross-mountain epic — ~$4,600-$5,300. Rainier, the Idaho Sawtooths, and Yellowstone, best as a one-way to Jackson. Full Seattle-to-Yellowstone guide.
6. Seattle to Glacier (7-10 days)
Big-sky Montana — ~$3,500-$4,500. East across Washington and the Idaho panhandle to Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road (keep the rig under 21 feet or ride the shuttle). Full Glacier guide.
Which trips need the earliest booking?
| Trip | Distance (round trip) | Budget (2 people) | Book-ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Rainier | ~200 mi | $1,600–$2,200 | 6 mo (campgrounds) |
| Olympic | ~400 mi | $2,000–$2,800 | 6 mo |
| North Cascades | ~300 mi | $1,800–$2,400 | 3–4 mo |
| Pacific Coast to SF | ~850 mi | $2,800–$3,800 | one-way, 2–3 mo |
| Seattle to Yellowstone | ~1,400 mi | $4,600–$5,300 | 6 mo, one-way |
| Seattle to Glacier | ~1,100 mi | $3,500–$4,500 | 6 mo |
Bottom line
Seattle is the best national-park launch city in the Pacific Northwest — three parks within a day, plus the coast and the Rockies beyond. Start with a short Rainier or Olympic loop, graduate to the Pacific Coast or the cross-mountain Yellowstone run, and budget a little extra for Northwest fuel and rentals. See our Seattle city guide, the Washington state guide, and the Mount Rainier and Olympic park guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best short RV trip from Seattle?
Mount Rainier, about two hours south — a 2-3 day loop to the wildflower meadows at Paradise and the old-growth forest at Ohanapecosh, for roughly $1,600-$2,200 for two. Olympic National Park is the other great short trip: a 4-5 day loop of rainforest, mountains, and wild coast. Both are close enough to do on a long weekend from a Seattle launch.
Do you need a reservation for Mount Rainier in 2026?
No. Mount Rainier dropped its timed-entry reservation system for 2026, so you can drive into the Paradise and Sunrise corridors without a permit — just a park entrance pass. The catch is parking: the popular lots fill on summer weekends, so be through the gate early. Campgrounds (Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh) still book six months ahead on Recreation.gov.
What's the best long RV trip from Seattle?
Two stand out. The Pacific Coast Highway run down to San Francisco — rainforest, the Oregon coast, and the redwoods — is the classic, and the cross-mountain haul to Yellowstone through the Idaho Sawtooths is the big Western loop. Both have full day-by-day guides. A one-way drop makes either far easier than retracing the miles home.
How much do RV trips from Seattle cost?
A short national-park trip (Rainier, Olympic) runs $1,600-$2,400 for two; the Pacific Coast to San Francisco $2,800-$3,800; and the 10-day cross-mountain haul to Yellowstone $4,600-$5,300. Our July 2026 pull put the national median at $150/night, but Seattle rentals run above it and Pacific Northwest fuel is among the priciest in the country — the two things that push these budgets up.
When should you launch from Seattle?
July through September for the mountain parks, when the high roads (Rainier's, the North Cascades Highway) are fully open and snow-free. The Olympic rainforest and the Pacific coast are doable much of the year, though you'll trade summer's dry weather for the Northwest's famous rain in the shoulders. Winter closes the high country but keeps the coast and lowland forests open.
What size RV should you rent from Seattle?
A Class C, 26-30 feet, handles the national-park campgrounds and the mountain grades. Keep it toward the smaller end (or a Class B) if the Pacific Coast Highway is on the plan — Highway 1's curves reward a shorter rig. For the cross-mountain Yellowstone or Glacier runs, 26-30 feet is the sweet spot; just remember Glacier's Going-to-the-Sun Road needs a rig under 21 feet or a shuttle.