Olympic National Park

DAY 1 
Olympic National Park is located just west of Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula. The park is made up of nearly one million acres that encompass several distinctly different ecosystems – a mossy, old-growth rainforest, glacier-capped mountains, and the wild Pacific coastline. And to some, it’s also home to vampires and werewolves.

David and I began our Olympic adventure at Kalaloch Lodge, located on the west side of the park. We had just spent the day exploring Mount St. Helens, and arrived to Kalaloch in the early evening – just in time for sunset. Our cabin sat on the edge of a bluff giving us a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. We relaxed in adirondack chairs with a bottle of ginger ale and watched the sky fill up with hues of pink and orange. Later on we enjoyed dinner at the Creekside Restaurant, and fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves outside our cabin.

The plan for our first full day in Olympic National Park was to explore the rainforest and a couple beaches along the west coast. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the market, and drove north on Hwy 101 to the Hoh Rainforest. We started on the Hoh River Trail, which meanders 17 miles through the forest ending at the base of Mt. Olympus. We didn’t hike quite that far – we decided to stop at Tom’s Creek, about 3 miles in. The trail leading to that point was fully saturated in green – every tree was unbelievably tall and covered in different shades of green moss, and the ground was completely blanketed with massive, green ferns that were almost as tall as we were. We passed a small waterfall before arriving at Tom’s Creek, which was no more than a small, low flowing stream that crossed over the path. Although we hiked nearly six miles, we never really felt the need to stop and rest – which is a complete contrast to hiking in the high elevations of Colorado!

The next stop was the town of Forks – and if you’re a Twilight fan you know this was the primary location of the popular saga. But in reality, Forks was a small, sleepy town that you could drive through in a matter of seconds. There were several shops selling the book’s merchandise, and a billboard that marked the “treaty line” where vampires were not allowed to cross.

Just beyond the treaty line was Rialto Beach. Smooth pebbles and huge pieces of driftwood covered the shore. We sat and watched the waves crash into the sea stacks, and sifted through the colorful rocks around us – David even found a shark’s tooth! Ruby Beach was similar to this one, covered in a combination of sand, pebbles and driftwood. We arrived during low tide, which left several sea stacks exposed on the shore. In the distance we could see the small sliver of the lighthouse on Destruction Island, where three shipwrecks occurred in 1889. We made our way back to Kalaloch, and ended the night eating dinner by the fire in our cabin.

DAY 2
It was bittersweet checking out of our cabin. We would miss the amazing view of the Pacific Ocean at our doorstep, but it was time to pack up and move on to another section of the park. We grabbed breakfast at the lodge and hit the road with the intention of seeing everything between Forks and Port Angeles.

There was a sign on the side of the road for the Duncan Memorial Big Cedar Tree, so we decided to check it out. At first we thought it was a hoax – we continued down the gravel road, getting deeper into the woods, with nothing around but handmade signs pointing us in the direction of the tree. But after a few minutes we arrived – and it was massive! The tree was actually the largest Western Red Cedar in the world standing at 178ft tall and over 19ft in diameter! It really was incredible standing next to a living thing of this size.

Next up on our itinerary was hiking through the Sol Duc Valley, an area full of old-growth forest, subalpine lakes, and a river that serves as a main highway for Coho salmon. After grabbing some snacks at the hot springs resort nearby, we started on the Sol Duc Falls Trail. The path was absolutely gorgeous – walking in between beautiful mossy trees with leaves literally bigger than our heads. We also passed a mama deer with her two babies leisurely roaming just beyond the trail. After about a mile we reached the bridge spanning over the waterfall. The river flowed out of the dense forest, and spilled nearly 50 feet into the box canyon below us. It quickly became one of our favorite spots on the trip so far.

Before exiting the valley we visited the Salmon Cascade, and watched Coho salmon attempt to continue their journey upstream. In the span of about 30 minutes, we saw around 15 fish throw themselves at the rushing rapid in hopes to safely make it to the pool at the top. We could’ve stayed there all day rooting for them, but we had to continue our own journey north towards Port Angeles.

Around the corner was the Elwha River Valley, which unfortunately closed a couple days before due to construction, so our next stop was Crescent Lake. This glacially carved lake is known for its brilliant blue, clear waters caused by the lack of nitrogen, which inhibits the growth of algae. It was so pretty and serene; tiny waves gently rolled onto the shore as thick fog and clouds hung over the surrounding mountains. The nearby lodge was unbelievably charming; built in 1916 with a southern bungalow feel, and a beautiful enclosed porch boasting a perfect view of the lake. We made a note to stay here next time we visit.

Not far from the lake was the Storm King Ranger Station where the Marymere Falls trailhead was located. It was an easy, two-mile roundtrip hike through dense forest, over a handmade log bridge, and up a flight of dirt steps to the 90ft cascading waterfall. It was hard to believe that this secluded spot was only a mere mile from the parking area.

By the end of the day David and I finally arrived at our last destination – Port Angeles, the largest city on the peninsula. We checked into our hotel, and got a room facing the golf course and mountains. We headed downtown and ended the evening with an Italian meal from Bella Italia – which you guessed it, was named after the Twilight character.

DAY 3
It was our last day in Olympic National Park. So far we’ve seen its overgrown rainforest, untamed beaches and lush river valleys. Today it was time to see the mountains. Just south of Port Angeles was a 17-mile road that led to Hurricane Ridge, the most accessible mountainous area in the park. The route winded through a dense forest of Douglas fir until suddenly opening up, revealing the snow-capped Olympic Mountains. A visitor center sat on the edge of the ridge, with a balcony that showcased an expansive view as far north as Victoria, Canada! We hiked part of the Cirque Rim Trail, where we were greeted by a loud squawking crow and more sweeping vistas. On the way back down we passed a black-tailed deer grazing under a few trees whose leaves were already changing color.

East of Port Angeles was the town of Sequim, the lavender capital of N. America. Sequim lies in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, receiving less than 15 inches of rain per year. The mix of sunny skies and low humidity make perfect conditions for growing lavender. David and I couldn’t pass up visiting one of the many lavender farms, so we decided on Grays Marsh Farm – which not only grew lavender, but a variety of berries as well.

It felt like we were pulling up to a private French estate – a massive wall of Cypress trees surrounded the entire farm, and we were the only ones there. A nearby U-Pick stand had a chest where you pay using the honor system. We grabbed a box and ventured out among the endless rows of blueberries and blackberries. As you can imagine, the berries were so juicy and sweet. We picked enough to snack on throughout the rest of the day, and headed over to the lavender fields. The floral aroma filled the air as the lavender bushes hummed from the hundreds of honeybees relishing in the purple blooms. This was definitely one of the coolest experiences of the trip.

We grabbed lunch at the Dockside Grill overlooking the Sequim Bay, and headed to our next stop – the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. This area provides a habitat for more than 250 birds and 41 land mammals, and is also one of the world’s largest natural sand spits. It was a pretty interesting landscape. One side faced the crashing waves of the strait with small pieces of driftwood washed up on the sand, and the other side was a gentle, calm cove where harbor seals are often seen resting with their pups.

Continuing east David and I made a brief visit to Port Townsend, a coastal town known for its 19^th century Victorian buildings. We drove around a few neighborhoods admiring the beautiful architecture of the houses, along with the deer that made themselves at home in their front lawns. We spent the rest of the evening back in Port Angeles leisurely exploring its downtown and relaxing at our hotel.