Washpool National Park protects cool temperate rainforest east of Glen Innes, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area. The drive out is long enough to feel like a real day trip, and the reward is a sharp change from open tableland to wet forest, ferny gullies, and tall old-growth trees.
Use the picnic areas and short walks if time is limited. With more time, this is one of the best reasons to base yourself in Glen Innes rather than just pass through.