Olympic National Park & Discovery Trail

To the Northwest Coast natives, Quinault means “river with a lake in the middle.” It is the name of the land, the lake, and the tribe who lives here. The Quinault River basin famously holds six different species of record-sized trees. It’s a bit of a drive (~2.5hrs) from Seattle, but don’t worry, you will be craning your neck to catch a glimpse of the tops of the “Big Trees” before you get out of the van! Explore the network of trails along the lake this afternoon to see some of the largest western red cedar, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and Douglas fir trees on the planet. Sample a dozen or more varieties of native berries depending on the season. From Quinault we drive another half-hour to Kalaloch on the Pacific Coast.

Kalaloch means “a good place to land” and we think you will agree. In sharp contrast to the soaring inland forests, forbidding-looking tangles of gnarled spruce and wind-whipped shore pines line the coastal beaches. Take a walk on the beach, keeping an eye out for scurrying shore birds, surf-riding scoters, playful otters and soaring bald eagles. In the evening, the garnet-tinged sands and offshore haystacks of Ruby Beach form a photo-perfect sunset backdrop. Spend the night overlooking the beach at Kalaloch National Park Lodge.

Hike in the most famous rainforest in the park! Cited as being one of the quietest places on earth, Hoh means “whitewater,” an apt description for this boulder-strewn, braided ribbon of a river flowing from Blue Glacier on Mt Olympus – the lowest glacier in the lower-48 states. Begin at the Visitor’s Center on the Hall of Mosses Nature Trail and continue up the Hoh River Trail to Mount Tom Creek for lunch by the river. With any luck, we will track down an elk herd along the way, but regardless: colonnades of spruce stretch toward the sky, big leaf maples spread out over fern meadows, and lichens and mosses run wall to wall and floor to ceiling. There is more biomass here per acre than anywhere else on the planet! In this valley, you will inevitably run out of different ways to describe “green”. Spend the night in Forks, WA – once the logging capitol of the Olympic Peninsula, now famous as the setting for the “Twilight” teen vampire series. With a population of less than 4000 souls (werewolves and vampires are not counted), it’s still the “big city” on the peninsula’s remote westside. Stay at Pacific Inn Motel.

Today, after a short van shuttle (or optional 12-mile morning bike ride along Highway 101), we begin cycling east on the Olympic Discovery Trail. Beyond the dense forests, glacial-carved Lake Crescent makes a magnificent backdrop for much of the ride today. The clear, cold waters (you can see up to 60 feet down), and stunning depth (over 600 feet!) give the lake it’s blue-green color. Two species of trout found nowhere else in the world also call it home. We spend tonight at another National Park Lodge, either Lake Crescent National Park Lodge or Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. Both locations offer great short hikes through fabulous forests to wondrous waterfalls. It may cause you to stop and ponder which is more spectacular here: Is it the waterfalls themselves, or the old growth forests they reside within? Whatever you decide, it’s a special combination when you put the two together!

Rejoin the Olympic Discovery Trail where we left off yesterday and continue riding east toward Port Angeles along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Begin with a descent from Lake Crescent to sea level and savor dramatic coastal vistas at Salt Creek. Cross the recently unfettered Elwha River – the site of the largest on-going dam removal project in the world. Pedal into Port Angeles (pop. 20,000), the biggest city and the busiest port on the peninsula. Ride out Ediz Hook for a beautiful view of town with the snow-capped mountains as a backdrop before you make your way to the waterfront Red Lion Hotel, our lodging for the next two nights. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Today we ascend to Hurricane Ridge, the literal high-point of the tour. As its name suggests, wind truly shapes this land, gusting to over 70 mph, with snows 30-35 feet deep in the winter. Go for a hike through alpine meadows and tree islands, dodging black-tailed deer and Olympic marmots – an endemic and adorable species of giant ground squirrel. Revel in a panorama of sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Vancouver Island. Enjoy lunch with a view near the Visitor’s Center.

If you prefer, you can challenge your legs by riding your bike to the Ridge instead of taking the van. The overall 5% grade of this climb, ascending one vertical-mile in 20 miles, is relatively steady, making it somewhat easier than the statistics might suggest. If you choose to ride, there will still be time to enjoy a hike before we return to Port Angeles for a celebratory dinner at our favorite local restaurant.

Ride the Discovery Trail right out the front door of our hotel this morning. Continue east through forests dotted with farmlands to the small town of Sequim (pronounced “skwim”), the rain-shadow retirement capital of the peninsula and home to Western Washington’s only native cactus – the brittle prickly pear. While not quite a “desert,” less than 30 inches of rain fall here per year, compared to nearly 200 inches just 40 miles away at the Hoh! The area is renowned for its lavender festivals as well as the world’s first interactive elk-crossing. The female herd-leaders have been fitted with collars which set-off warning signals on the highway when they are in the area. Continue to Blyn for lunch before we load up bikes. Shuttle to Bainbridge Island where we catch a ferry into downtown Seattle – the perfect end to a perfect week!