Top Things to do in Olympic National Park
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The Olympic Coast national park.
Restaurants in Olympic National Park Campgrounds
1. Hurricane Ridge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,790 reviews
A 17-mile stretch of winding road through dense forests and alpine ice-covered peaks.
Reviewed By Panda_Bear_Will
My wife and I visited Olympic National Park six years ago on a single day excursion from Seattle; we were able to see Lake Crescent and the Hoh Rain Forest briefly on that trip and I knew I needed to return one day to explore the park more fully. The Hurricane Ridge Road was closed on that previous visit, so returning to see it and hike the entire Hoh River Trail to the Blue Glacier on Mt. Olympus became bucket-list items shortly thereafter. I was able to return to Olympic and spend six full days exploring it as fully as possible. This review will really cover the park as a whole rather than Hurricane Ridge, but the 17 mile road which is easily accessible from Port Angeles is definitely a must-see for any visitor. Olympic is really divided into 3 distinct ecosystems: the mountains, surrounding rain forests, and coastal beaches. In order to get the true Olympic experience, a person should make it a point to dedicate at least a full day to each region. The sheer size of the park requires a good deal of driving to hit each individual region; one will mostly traverse the perimeter the park on Highway 101 and several roads leading deeper into the interior will allow access to areas such as Hoh, Quinault, So Duc, etc. Port Angeles to the north of the park provides the most choices when it comes to food and lodging; the western part of the park is serviced by the small town of Forks and to the extreme southwest, Aberdeen. The eastern edge of the park doesn't have much in the way of points of interest within the park besides some lesser-used trails, but it is a pleasant drive with occasional small towns like Hoodsport worth exploring for a bit. Distances between these points of interest are considerable as you're looking at a several hour drive between them. There are enough gas stations and other services that you're never quite "off the grid" for that long, but having a good idea of the layout of the park will save unneeded driving (though the scenery is usually so lush and inviting that the miles kind of melt after awhile). With that said, the following provides the highlights of the park, IMO, while doing so in a logical counter-clockwise fashion for people driving in from Seattle: 1) Hurricane Ridge. On a clear day, the views of the Olympic Mountain range are pretty amazing from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. The key word is "clear". Olympic is famous for its considerable rainfall and chances are you will encounter rain at several points throughout the day even during the summer. I recommend following the weather forecast and allowing for a possible return trip to Hurricane Ridge, if necessary. The first day I visited, clouds and rainfall offered tantalizing glimpses of the mountains beyond but nothing more. I return the next day and was treated to glacier-covered mountains and a lush alpine scene that was delightful to hike just around the parking lot (managed to see a hare, deer, and marmot within 10 minutes of the short hikes adjacent to the parking lot). Unfortunately, the Hurricane Hill trail further beyond the visitor center was closed for restoration. This area is the highlight of Olympic for me. 2) Lake Crescent. Returning to Highway 101 and heading west, the highway will eventually hug the shores of this large lake with mountains surrounding it. A popular short but very steep hike up Mt. Storm King will challenge even the more fit hikers (to reach its true summit, one must use several ropes for assistance). The highest waterfall within the park, Marymere Falls is also a short walk from the lake parking lot. 3) Rialto Beach. With its mountain ranges and lush rain forests, its easy to overlook the third aspect of Olympic NP which is actually very unique within the National Park system: the extended coastline of undeveloped wilderness. There are actually three areas of such coast line which are part of the park: the far northwestern reaches of Washington state which will include Lake Ozette, Rialto Beach which is west of the town of Forks, and the beaches running along Highway 101 in the southwestern portion of the park. I visited Rialto Beach and was treated to a leisurely hike along a beach trail leading to a rock arch (called "Hole in the Wall"), various other rock formations, and tide pools. This is some of the last extended undeveloped wild coast line within the US and is definitely worth a visit for anybody with several days to visit the park. 4) Hoh River Rain Forest: Upon my visit several years ago, I was most bummed to only spend about 30 minutes in this legendary forest which is often described as "enchanted" and "fairy-tale like". The Hoh River Trail extends for 17 miles (actually closer to 20 per several apps and devices I used to judge the distance) to the Blue Glacier on Mt. Olympus. For years, I dreamed of not only returning to the forest, but backpacking the trail all the way to the end. I was able to do so and while it was a very rewarding experience, I can say that the rain forest scenery and vibe does become a bit redundant after several miles. Most visitors will likely go no more than to 5 Mile Island for a day hike (the trail is very flat, so covering such distance is not much of a chore) and I believe that's sufficient. For those looking to backpack beyond, the trail remains flat to the 12.4 mile marker before climbing in elevation to Elk Lake. Beyond that, Glacier Meadows campsite beckons, but not before climbing down an unnerving ladder required to navigate a rock slide which wiped out the old trail. The climb to the Glacier itself is considerable and the distance (especially with a full backpack) makes this quite the workout. However, it was a lifetime experience that I'll cherish forever. For non-backpackers, the Hoh Forest is one of the more easily accessible rain forests within the park, but the scenery is pretty similar for most of them: lots of lush vegetation. 5) Lake Quinault. A scenic lake with some of the few actual lodgings within the park boundaries. This area also provides access to several more trails, both short and long distance, that seemed very enticing. In conclusion, Olympic may not get the headlines of more noted parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon, but its lush surroundings and highly varied landscapes makes this one of the best parks in America.
2. Ruby Beach
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,233 reviews
Dramatic Pacific coast beach with a rugged shoreline.
Reviewed By Brian0ntheGo - Bradenton, United States
If you are visiting the Olympic Peninsula, make sure you include a stop at Ruby Beach. After visiting the rainforests and the mountains of the region, you'll appreciate the seaside beauty of this picturesque spot. It is just a short walk down to the beach area from the parking lot, and once on the beach, you'll be busy taking pictures of the amazing rocks that stand out of the ocean, the piles of driftwood, the tidal pools, and the crashing waves. While we were there in the afternoon, sunsets must be amazing on clear days. If you want to picnic, make sure you bring your supplies with you as there are no stores anywhere close by. You'll be glad you visited Ruby Beach!
3. Olympic National Forest
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 603 reviews
Pristine forest surrounding the Olympic Mountain range.
Reviewed By PatriciaK815 - Haymarket, United States
This is a beautiful forest that is definitely a place to visit. If you like to hike, this is perfect and has a number of trails through the forest, over creeks, with mushrooms, soft underbrush and ferns, and sun shining through the trees.
4. Hoh River Trail
5. Hoh Rain Forest
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,443 reviews
The Olympic Coast national park.
Reviewed By traveladdict3500 - Hasselt, Belgium
Hoh Rain Forest is one of the nicest places I have ever seen in the world. You have to be here very early to beat the crowds but it is worth losing some sleep for it. After 11AM this place is so crowded with people, it is hard to enjoy the atmosphere. We were here at 8AM and had all the time in the world to do the "Hall of Mosses" trail with very few other people around. This place is magical ! You feel as if you are walking in a fairy tale forest with old trees and lots of mosses growing on those trees and sometimes dangling from the branches. We left at 11.30AM and the parking lot was completely full, there was a cue of cars trying to find a place to park and a cue of cars waiting at the ranger check point.
6. Second Beach Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 374 reviews
Dense and marshy forest trail on the Olympic Coast.
Reviewed By RalphieBoy2020
Very nice beach near Salt Creek campground. Tide pools and really worthwhile at low tides. Lots of parking available.
7. Rialto Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 692 reviews
Pacific coast beach.
Reviewed By miklospat - Sequim, United States
This is a beautiful beach and even wheelchair accessible close enough to enjoy the view and the sound of the surf. Picnic tables near the parking lots. For easy access go the north end of the parking lot past the restrooms and follow the path. They usually clear most of the driftwood logs for easy access here. Access elsewhere usually involves climbing over a lot of logs. Nice walk to hole in the wall at the end of the beach, but be advised that you may need to cross a creek that may be ankle deep to go that far except in the middle of summer when it dries up. Just a great beach with sea stacks, tide pools, huge driftwood logs, colorful beach rocks, close forest cover, and a huge expanse of beach to explore. Does require an Olympic park pass and dogs are not permitted past the creek.sunrises ok sunsets are better.
8. Hoh River
9. Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 271 reviews
A 454-mile drive through Olympic National Park.
Reviewed By GoAlong2 - Seattle, United States
The Olympic Peninsula is one of our favorite vacation places for exploring natural beauty. There are dozens of side trips off the main highway that will take you to wonderful places to visit and enjoy nature. While it is physically possible to do the loop in one long day, you’ll only be able to see 2 or 3 sights and you’ll spend most of your time in your car. Taking two days will let you add 2 or 3 more sights, and spending three or more nights will enable time to explore a wide range of activities. Starting from Seattle and going counter clockwise, here are some of my favorite highlights: - the ferry ride across Puget Sound with views of the city and mountains - Dungeness Spit, long hike to a lighthouse on the Straits of Juan de Fula. - Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic National Park, a 17 mile drive up a scenic road to 5200 ft in elevation to enjoy trails through meadows and stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. Not to be missed! - Elwah Valley, Olympic National Park, if you have extra time, you can visit a pretty waterfall and hike up an abandoned road to where a dam was removed. - Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, the winding highway along the shore is scenic. Stop at the lodge for a meal, or for kayaks or swimming. There is an easy 1 mi hike to Marymere Falls too. - Sol Duc, Olympic National Park, this side road takes you to Sol Duc Hot Springs, a rustic resort with hot spring water piped into pools. Further up is an easy 1 mi hike to a pretty waterfall in a lush forest. - Neal Bay, visit the Northwest most point in the US at the end of a 1 mi trail to see cliffs and rock formations and a bird covered island. This is on a Native American reservation with a good museum in town. This is a bit further off the loop. - Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, due west of the town of Forks, explore the wild coast with massive seastack rock formations and sea life. - The Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, hike short trails from the visitor center to see lush growth and gigantic trees covered in moss. With up to 17 feet of rain, everything is overgrown. - Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, easy access to a beach where a river meets the ocean. Large rocks and sea stacks with tide pools teaming with life at their bases can be explored. - Kalaloch, Olympic National Park, near the lodge is a wide sandy beach. There are cabins here if you reserve far in advance. - Quinault valley, there is another rainforest trail here on National Forest land, a beautiful old lodge, and the worlds largest spruce tree. Further up the road are some small waterfalls. - Ocean Shores, sleepy resort town with wide sandy beaches you can drive out on. North from there are more beaches and sandy cliffs. There’s plenty of natural wonders to enjoy on the Olympic Peninsula. We love going back to explore more.
10. Crescent Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 772 reviews
A scenic lake.
Reviewed By marktS5189DV - Hillsboro, United States
Driving from to/from Port Angeles on the101 to the Olympic National Forest you will be treated to one of the most breathtaking lakeside drives you will ever take. we saw a pair of bald eagles fishing . absolutely gorgeous
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