Carb up before that long wilderness sojourn at Enumclaw’s long-running breakfast favorite,
The Kettle (1666 Garrett St., 360/825-7033, Tues.–Sat. 5 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–2 p.m., closed Mon.). You can’t go wrong with the house specialty omelettes, biscuits and gravy, or a towering stack of flapjacks. All servings are enough to stuff an elephant, so don’t be afraid to split a plate.

The funky painted redbrick and green trim exterior draws you into the lively din at The Mint Alehouse (1608 Cole St., 360/825-8361, Mon.–Thurs. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–midnight, Sun. noon–10 p.m.), a local watering hole and eatery guaranteed to fill you up. The menu is big on pizzas, salads, and sandwiches, with a few nacho and quesadilla options thrown into the mix as well. Beer connoisseurs will appreciate the 31 different brews on tap, as well as the proudly displayed tap handle collection, prized for its diversity.

Get fresh produce, flowers, and arts and crafts at the Enumclaw Country Market (1421 N. Cole St., 253/939-1707, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat. late Apr.–mid-Oct.) next to the visitors center.

If you’re hankering for real old-fashioned burgers and fries, keep driving south past Enumclaw into Buckley and swing into Wally’s White River Drive-In (282 Hwy. 410 N, 360/829-0871, Sun.–Thurs. 8 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 8 a.m.–10 p.m.). They serve up the best hunks o’ beef in the area.