Learn about Olympic National Park’s ecosystem: alpine forests; sub-alpine meadows; rainforests; rugged Pacific Coast, and soak in hot springs overlooking glacial lakes.
This is a great drive in itself rounding Olympic National Park, but you must take some side trips into the park. Drive U.S. 101 all the way from Port Angeles to Quinault. There are several suggested excursions into the park that include Port Angeles up to the Hoh Rain Forest and the Hurricane Ridge.
You might also consider visiting Sol Duc Hot Springs, Queets, Lake Mills, and Graves Creek. The Olympic National Park surrounds 7,965-foot Mt. Olympus and has one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth, including sub-alpine meadows, rainforests, alpine forests, and the rugged Pacific Coast. This is stunning “Big Country” at its best. Hot springs overlook magnificent glacial lakes. There are more than 600 miles of hiking trails.
In Port Angeles, you could drive out Race Street to Hurricane Ridge Road for fabulous sceneries or you can take a ferry 18 miles across the Strait of Juan DeFuca to beautiful Victoria, British Columbia. The town is also a major log-shipping center with huge logs floating in the harbor and timber boats bound for the Orient. Near Lake Crescent is the mesmerizing 90-foot Marymere Falls. The Hoh Rain Forest is a dense woods filled with moss-draped Red Cedar, and trails bordered with big lush ferns. Check out the Kalaloch Information Station just before hiking on the beach, because tides can come up very quickly. There are tall stacks of land that was once part of the mainland, but now tower over the beaches and surf, separated by the constant soil erosion.
Starting Point:
Port Angles, WA
Distance of Drive:
124 miles
Must Eat:
Camp 7
6080 U.S Hwy 101, Amanda Park, WA 98526
Phone: 360-288-2662
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Pizza
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Year round
Points of Interest on Drive:
Hoh Rain Forest
Olympic National Park
Pacific Science Center
Marymere Falls
Tagged with: best time:yearround • hot springs • Washington
Filed under: Best Road Trips