It’s travel day again — time to pack up and move from one smoky place to an even smokier one. We’re headed to Leavenworth, WA, near the Little Giant Fire. We chose it because Steve and Stacey Mitchell plan to stop there on their way to Canada, so we figured we’d find a campground and meet up next week. As luck would have it, Thousand Trails had a spot available — even better, it’s free with our membership.
Lynn was up just after 5 a.m., her usual travel‑day rhythm. She enjoyed her coffee while watching a red sun rise through the haze, indoors this time since the chairs were already packed away. Kirk rolled out at 8:30, and by 9:30 we were on the road. The drive is 125 miles northwest, approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with an ETA of 12:10pm. Kirk has chosen the less windy route due to warnings on our RV Life app to not take the direct route which is not big rig friendly and has a lot of narrow windy roads.
Around 10:30, Kirk decided he wanted to measure the trailer’s width. With all the warning signs about vehicles over nine feet wide, he wanted to be sure we’d fit. We pulled off the road and realized — somewhat hilariously — that we were in George. The place looked familiar only after we stopped. A quick measurement confirmed we’re 8 feet 6 inches wide. Perfect. No issues. Time to move on. After driving the same stretch of highway several times this week, the scenery was familiar: apple orchards, farmland, crop signs, fields, repeat. Since we had some time to kill, we stopped off at a roadside produce stand around 11am which had RV parking. We browsed and picked up some fruit, snacks and beef sticks and hit the road again.
The drive started out pretty drab — the smoke thickened mile by mile, muting everything around us. But once we slipped through Leavenworth’s Little Bavaria and began climbing into the Stevens Pass stretch of the Cascade Loop, the whole scene changed. Even with the haze, the mountains, the river, and the forests had that dramatic, layered beauty you only get in the canyon. We even spotted what looked like an eagle — the photos are a bit blurry since we were moving, but the shape and coloring sure seemed right.
We arrived at Thousand Trails–Leavenworth around 12:45 p.m. It’s about half an hour north of town and closer to the Little Giant Fire than downtown. We knew the fire was active and we are hoping for the best. The campground was nearly empty — probably because most people are leaving fire zones, not heading toward them! Per the Watch Duty app, the campground is just a few miles outside of Evacuation Zone Level 1 (Get Ready stage). We aren’t exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. LOL.
The afternoon was spent wandering the campground, settling in, and taking it easy. It’s a huge property tucked into the trees, dotted with cabins, tiny houses, and a full network of trails — including a bike path just for kids 11 and under. Honestly, that one is probably more Lynn’s speed these days, but after the crash a few days ago, riding is off the table for now. Upon hooking up to the site, Kirk found a leak in one of the water filters which he’ll have to investigate later. For now, it was a simple disconnect to stop the leak.
The main lodge is a great hangout spot, and the campground is packed with activities: a pool, tennis courts, mini golf, cornhole, a baseball field, volleyball, disc-golf, basketball and pickle ball courts. There are plenty of walking trails — a win for Lynn — but the bear warning signs are hard to miss. Her walks will have to be cautious ones, and with the heavy smoke hanging over everything, they’re postponed for now.
Around 7 p.m., Lynn got a Life360 alert saying we’d suddenly landed in a flash‑flood zone. A moment later, her sister texted that she’d received the same alert for Lynn and wanted to make sure we were okay — maybe we should move?? Fires nearby, flood warnings popping up… quite the combination. Thankfully, nothing actually happened and everything stayed calm.
A light drizzle and some thunder rolled through between 8 and 10 p.m. We hoped it might help dampen the fires, clear the air — and also hoped lightning wouldn’t strike, since lightning is what started the Little Giant Fire, now at 127,000+ acres and only 5% contained (started July 15th – almost a month ago). By 9:45 p.m., the air quality hit “hazardous” (AQI 305) which was a bit alarming, but we stayed inside and all was fine.
It’s definitely smokier than Othello and you can smell the fire. We’re hoping for the best — and hoping the Mitchells can still make their way to Leavenworth next week.
In the end, nothing caught fire, flooded, or tried to eat us, so we’re calling it a win
Weather – (Leavenworth, WA) – High 80*, Low 59*. Winds 3-8/16 mph. Rain = 30% (<.05″). Slightly humid. Hazardous air!
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing to report.
Notable – Stevens Pass/Cascade Loop. Little Giant Fire. Smokier skies. Hazardous air.
