Kanasket-Palmer State Park

About two years ago I took a spur of the moment motorcycle ride. It was a beautiful day and I thought it would be nice to get outside for a bit. I ended up riding 400 miles, visited three state parks, and got home 14 hours after I left. The first place I decided to stop was Kanasket-Palmer State Park. It's only a few miles east of where I grew up, but for some reason, I had never visited it before.

Unfortunately, I think many people equate the the Green River with Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer. It's a shame that such evil has come to represent so much natural beauty for so many people. It's a stunning piece of nature that winds from the Cascade Mountains to the south end of Seattle where it flows out into the Puget Sound as the Duwamish Waterway. The park is quite beautiful, sitting in the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Kanasket-Palmer is situated in a horseshoe bend of the river. The riverbed is very rocky, but the ground is mostly flat, so it has an air of tranquil activity. There were a lot of people out, but they were staying in the shade which allowed me to get some nice uncluttered photos. The smell of the river and the forest is wonderful. It's a perfect place to relax. I hadn't intended on going to this park when I left. I was riding through eastern King County and saw the sign for the park. I figured now was as a good a time as any to check it out. I made the right choice.