Trip to Olympic National Park - Washington State
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
general
In the northwest of Washington State lies the Olympic Peninsula on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The Olympic National Park, located on this peninsula, includes the center of the peninsula and part of its western coast. This is an extremely diverse park that combines views of high mountains, some snow-capped, with ancient rainforests, spectacular and fragrant carpets of flowers, interesting beaches dotted with islands and islets, and of course, wildlife. It is recommended to dedicate two full days to visiting the reserve because it is divided into several areas, each different and unique. Port Angeles, the largest town on the Olympic Peninsula, can also be reached by ferry from Victoria, making it very convenient to combine a visit to Olympic National Park after a trip to Western Canada before arriving in Seattle.
For those arriving at the reserve from nearby Seattle and reaching Port Angeles, it is advisable to start the trip at the Olympic National Park visitor center located near the city of Port Angeles to receive recommendations on places worth visiting, hiking trails, and to purchase an annual or single entry pass to the national parks (annual subscription price is $80 per vehicle. For a week, the price is about $30).
Recommended Hotels in Olympic Park:
Two nearby towns in a convenient location, where it is recommended to live and set out from for trips in Olympic National Park, are:
Sequim
♦ Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites North Sequim
This is a recommended motel from the Holiday Inn chain. The hotel has an indoor swimming pool active all year round, a gym, and a restaurant. The price includes breakfast. Free internet and parking.
♦ Quality Inn & Suites at Olympic National Park
The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and a gym. Each room has a refrigerator and a microwave. The price includes breakfast. Free internet and parking.
Or: Port Angeles
A luxurious and high-quality lodge, with an (outdoor) pool, jacuzzi, and gym. With a restaurant and in every room a microwave and refrigerator. Free internet and parking.
A campsite located on the seashore with high-quality and well-equipped cabins in several sizes suitable for 2-6 people. Free internet and parking.
♦ For those also traveling in Seattle: Recommended hotels in Seattle
Map of the park and its surroundings:
Book guided tours from Seattle to Olympic National Park from GetYourGuide.com:
Trip to Hurricane Ridge
The name of this ridge was given to it because of the strong winds that occur there in winter, which reach hurricane force (75 mph). From Port Angeles, drive to the local Hurricane Ridge visitor center. It is recommended to stop here and observe the view overlooking the high mountains and the surrounding carpets of flowers that emit pleasant scents.
To book from the Viator site:
Day trip to the northern part of Olympic Park in a small group: Best of Olympic National Park from Seattle: All-Inclusive Small-Group Day Tour
A five-minute drive further from the visitor center, you reach a parking lot from which the trail to the summit begins. The length of the trail is 2.5 km to the summit with an ascent to a height of about 240 m. Medium difficulty level. Along the trail, you see views of the partially snow-capped mountains and fragrant flower carpets everywhere in a variety of colors: orange, yellow, white, and purple. You can also observe plenty of wildlife: deer grazing, squirrels, and birds. From the summit, a 360-degree panoramic view can be seen. To the south, you see the Olympic Mountains, and if there are no clouds and visibility is good, you can see the coastline and the sea to the north, Vancouver Island in British Columbia, and the San Juan Islands. The climb is definitely worth the great view. The trip duration is about two hours.
Trip to Marymere Falls near Lake Crescent
This waterfall is popular due to its convenient accessibility near Highway 101 in the north of the reserve. From a parking lot near the shore of Lake Crescent, there is a hiking trail leading to the waterfall located inside an ancient rainforest with giant trees, most of which have parasitic moss growing on them, typical of a very humid place.
The trail has a moderate incline for the most part and is about 1.5 km long. The waterfall's height is about 30 meters. The trip duration is less than an hour.
Olympic Park – Pacific Coast Area
The coastal area is characterized by very high precipitation, which is why there are ancient and dense rainforests reaching right up to the shoreline. Therefore, you should equip yourself with suitable clothing because the weather changes fast.
To reach the reserve's beaches, drive south from the town of Forks on Highway 110 and turn towards Rialto Beach on a road called Mora Road. Pass the Mora ranger station and continue to the beach where there is a parking lot, camping, and restrooms. This beach is full of driftwood that the sea has washed up all along the shore. It is worth arriving at low tide and walking on the wide sandy (dark sand) beach. In the sea not far away, there are several rocky islands that, together with the many pieces of driftwood, give this beach a unique and beautiful appearance.
"The Second Beach" - 2nd Beach
To reach the next nearby beach located south of Rialto Beach and called by the original name "Second Beach," drive back to Highway 110 and turn south. From the parking lot, a trail leads to the beach passing through an ancient rainforest that is 1.3 km long.
Easy difficulty level. You reach a beach that borders the rainforest, and adjacent to the forest, on the beach, there is a line of driftwood that you must skip over to reach the sandy beach. Among the driftwood, several backpackers found a place to set up their tents and slept there for the night. In the sea not far from the shore, there are rocky islands with some trees on them, beautiful. About an hour should be dedicated to this trip.
Ruby Beach
Continue south on Highway 101 until you first reach Ruby Beach. On this beach, there are high and steep rocks both on the shore and in the sea, and here too the rainforest reaches a cliff right down to the sea, and tree trunks are scattered mostly on the beach.
Beach 4
Further south from Ruby Beach is Beach 4, which is essentially a viewpoint overlooking the beach adjacent to the parking lot.
Beach 3
South of Beach 4 is Beach 3, from whose parking lot a slightly steep walking trail leads to the beach. Here too, the forest reaches the beach, followed by a cliff. The sand here is slightly coarse but pleasant to the touch. Opposite this beach is a flat island with a lighthouse.
Hoh Rain Forest Reserve
To reach the Hoh Rain Forest reserve, drive from Highway 101 for about an hour southeast from the town of Forks. The amount of precipitation in this rainforest is over 3500 mm per year. In this park, there are giant Sitka Spruce trees (a type of pine tree) that reach heights of over 80 meters and a diameter of over 3.5 meters, and they are among the tallest of their kind in the USA. These are ancient trees, some over 500 years old. These trees grow only along a narrow coastal strip where the amount of rain is greatest. The height of these trees, their thick bark, and the fact that their branches start only at a height of dozens of meters above the ground allow them to survive for centuries even during forest fires.
From the visitor center of this reserve, three circular hiking trails go into the forest with lengths of 400 meters, 1000, and 2000 meters. These trails are easy to walk, they are level and lead to a variety of trees of different sizes with many ferns on them, giving them a unique look. Some of the trees are broken and crumbling and serve as a bed for the vegetation growing on them. There is also a stream with particularly clear water originating from a spring.
Another trail in the area is intended for experienced hikers equipped accordingly, as it leads to the Blue Glacier and is 18 miles long. For those interested, once a day there is also a guided tour by the rangers in the forest that lasts about an hour to an hour and a half. In this reserve, you can also see elk and bison.
Hiking Trails and Viewpoints near the Sol Duc River
Salmon Cascade - near the western part of Lake Crescent, there is a turn south from Highway 101 towards Sol Duc Hot Springs. On the way there, there is a viewpoint over the Sol Duc River called Salmon Cascade. In this river, young salmon make their way to the sea and after 2-7 years return to the site in the autumn to climb up the river to lay their eggs. Today it is difficult to see the salmon jumping upstream due to the heavy fishing in the river and the sea.
Ancient Grove
Further along the aforementioned road, you reach a circular hiking trail about 400 meters long inside a forest with trees hundreds of years old with ferns hanging from their branches. Part of the trail runs along the edge of the stream.
Long Sand Spit at Dungeness Bay
On the way from Port Angeles to Sequim, on Highway 101, there is a turn north towards the Dungeness reserve, which has the longest sand spit in the USA and which creates Dungeness Bay.
In the area, there is a high viewpoint over the bay and the sand spit, as well as hiking trails along the spit. The distance to the end of the spit is about 8 km, and everyone chooses to walk along it as far as they desire. It is enough to walk 1-2 km to be impressed by the uniqueness of the place, the sea, the sand, the trees, and the seaweed washed up from the sea.
U-Pick Berry Picking
Near the southern exit from Dungeness Bay, there is a turn east to a farm where there are strawberry fields of various types: (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, blueberries) that can be picked (in the summer of course) by yourself (U-pick) and purchased at a discounted price. The name of the farm: Graysmarsh Farm. Address: 6187 Woodcock Rd, Sequim, WA 98382.
Lavender Farms
The Olympic Peninsula area is also known for the many lavender fields growing in it, which reach their peak bloom in the summer months. It is nice to also visit one of the many lavender farms north of the reserve, in the Sequim area https://www.sequimlavenderfarms.org/ to see the purple carpets and be impressed by the variety of products produced from the purple and fragrant bloom. Some farms also allow U-picking of lavender flowers.
