Truth be told, this is one of my favorite parks I have ever visited. The combination of forest, ocean, and mountains is just unlike anything in the United States. Below I will be discussing some highlights to hit if you have a limited amount of time here, some things I wish we could have done, and how to get here and where to stay.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

1: Be prepared to drive! The sheer size of Olympic can seem very daunting. Have no fear! You can still see and do many things even in a short amount of time. Just be prepared to drive around 30 minutes between each stop

2: Be prepared for the weather. Olympic has a series of “Micro-climates”, which means the temperature could change by 30 degrees between each stop, and it could be raining or not raining from stop to stop. Have clothing for all seasons and dress in layers.

3: Olympic seems very isolated at times. Keep in mind where gas stations are and places to stop and eat. Cellphone service can be spotty so I would do your research before entering the park. Or just make sure you have a full tank of gas and food in your car! Forks is a great place to stop if you are passing through.

4: If you plan on visiting any other national parks this year, I would highly suggest investing in the America The Beautiful Pass. Two visits to any national parks that calendar year and it is paid for! It gets your entire car into any park for free, speeds up your time spent at the ranger booths, and can be used at national monuments, forests and a variety of other areas (it is only 80 dollars for the year and two people can be put as owners on it, so worth it).

5: You might notice that we did not go to Hurricane Ridge (One of the most popular attractions at Olympic). Hurricane ridge has a very small number of clear view days, so the national park service has a live stream to show visitors the conditions at the top. On the day we visited, it was storming at the top of the ridge on the live stream, so we chose not to spend the hour driving to the top. Check the conditions at the top before making this drive or you could be in for a nasty weather surprise. Just because it is beautiful at the bottom does not mean it will be at the top (remember the “micro-climates).

How To Get Here/ Where to Stay:

Most people traveling to Olympic are coming from the Seattle Area. You will most likely take a Ferry (see map below) across to Kingston or Bainbridge Island. Don’t be fooled by your Apple Map, it took us about four hours to get to Port Angles. Port Angeles is a small port town with some touristy food stops and hotels. If you are balling on a budget like us, I would suggest looking into Air B&B. Our stay was $30 in Port Angles. Our host was very kind, our room clean, and breakfast provided! Many of the food stops were touristy and over priced for what it was, but many places were right on the water which was nice!

Our Day in Olympic National Park:

1: Hoh Rainforest

We began our day early driving from Port Angeles to the Hoh Rainforest. This was our farthest drive of the day, taking about an hour and a half to get to the visitor center. I like to start by going to the farthest thing I am going to do that day or starting at the busiest attraction to beat crowds (which Hoh is both). The Hoh Rainforest is the only rainforest in The continental United States. Hoh is typically the coldest and rainiest area of the park, so bundle up for your hike! There are two short nature walks through the forest from the visitor center (Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail), after filling your water bottle I would do both! This is a place unlike anything I have ever seen, so green and beautiful! If you are looking for backpacking opportunities, The Hoh River Trail is a 17 mile trail that goes all the way to Glacier Valley!

2: Ruby Beach

After The Hoh, we packed up and headed for the beach! Expect a big temperature jump as you head west. Heading south towards Kalaloch, there are stops for beach access for miles! We chose Ruby Beach because it is home to “The Tree of Life” as seen below. Head down the trail and hang out on the beach, head south along the beach to find this off the beaten track location. There was no one at the tree when we were there! After Ruby, head further south for lodging, food and coffee options.

3: Soleduck Falls

This is an easy trail .8 miles long to a lovely rambling falls. The colors are so vibrant and beautiful! After leaving Ruby Beach we headed back north toward Port Angeles to get to Soleduck. Don’t skip this accessible and beautiful hike!

4: Crescent Lake

Close to the northern entrance of Olympic is Crescent lake. This is a great place to stop and find some solitude or enjoy a picnic lunch. The water is so clear you can see logs at the bottom of the lake! This is an easy roadside stop that you can spend as much or little time at as you want.

If you have more time to spend at this beautiful park this is where I would suggest going:

• Hurricane Ridge: See my weather warning at the top. Weather permitting, this is a must see spot!
• Deer Park: a beautiful spot to camp and hike!
• Spend more time at any of the beaches. There are even small cabins you can rent that overlook the ocean! This would be a great family or romantic getaway
• Take a Ferry to Victoria in British Columbia! While not in Olympic, this is easily done in a day from Port Angeles
• There are so many more hiking trails, but many require multiple miles of hiking. If you spend a week here, choose some longer day hikes to escape the crowdsI

I hope you enjoy your time exploring this beautiful and unique park!