I flew up to Seattle for a long weekend because I have been dying to check out the national parks in Washington. I was only there for the weekend in February and they had gotten a fresh few inches of snow so I chose to hit Olympic National Park since my rental car didn't come with chains and I would not be allowed to drive most of Mt. Rainier.
That being said I was also forced to cut out a few hikes within Olympic National Park because the road that goes beyond the Visitor Center required chains as well. Weather can't be controlled so I had to skip out on a few hikes I had planned, but there is plenty to see in this park that it will kept me busy!
This is a picture of my google maps. You can see that Olympic National Park is easy to get around because its driving around a circle and then going down different side roads. This makes it fairly easy to car camp and hit a lot of the must-sees in the park.
I drove my rental car from Seattle airport to my first camp spot about an hour from the entrance day 1 so I could start any hikes early if necessary. It was still getting dark by 5pm at this point in the year, so starting early gave me an advantage.
Weather & What to Bring
Washington is known to be rainy and overcast most of the year so I definitely brought:
- rain coat
- thermal/fleece layers
- waterproof hiking boots
- extra socks and shirts in case I got wet
- gloves for the mornings and nights to cook in
I had weather mostly in the 50's in February and at night it was high 30's. I slept in the car I rented since I didn't want to pack a carry on bag for this weekend trip. I had my sleeping bag, pillow, MSR travel stove top, and bought fuel and food once I landed.
Camping
There are plenty of campgrounds around the park where reservations can be made like, Cottonwood, Forks Sol Duc, Kalaloch, and many more on the west side of the park. I prefer to find first come, first serve spots so I can plan my day with any adjustments in them.
There are pull off roads available I used for camping as well as some of the roads that lead back into official campgrounds have primitive spots if you drive far enough in. The roads are all dirt, or in Seattle's case, mud. Make sure you have good tires, and traction boards just in case.
What To Do:
The best part about Olympic National Park is it can be for all levels of hikers and outdoorsy people. Hikes vary in skill level from a stroll to scrambling over rocks, and a lot can be seen from the roadway to where you can pull off and go wander. Below are some of the places I hit that I enjoyed and would definitely go back for. The weather will change the mood and how far of a visual you have, especially when you are at some of the beaches.
At Staircase Ranger Station
Staircase Rapids is the first hike to check out, with the trailhead located right next to the ranger station. If you want to gain some more elevation for expansive views Mt. Rose Trailhead will be the place to go. It winds you to the top to cool out over the lake.
The other noteworthy hike is Mount Ellinor Upper or Lower Trailhead depending on your skill level. I hiked the upper trail and was met with amazing views.
Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center
This is the section of the park I was not able to enter because I did not have chains, but the places I saved are well regarded by most visitors as must-do. Sunrise Point Trail is worthy of the early wake up to this hike and Klahhane Ridge Trail allows for exploration along the Hurricane Ridge.
Mora
This section of the park is home to the famous Rialto Beach with the hole-in-the-wall everyone walks down to. I had extremely foggy weather making the scenery moody but also didn't allow for much visuals in either direction. Although it wasn't raining the ocean water sprays and having a rain coat for this area was super nice.
You can walk along the beach to the right to find the hole-in-the-wall. The tide will be high in some areas depending on the time of day so either wear waterproof shoes or be prepared to get wet. By the time I hit this beach the tide was too high to walk to the hole without swimming out to it. Exploring this beach is fun all the same even if you can't make it all the way down.
This area is also great for climbing through the trees washed ashore to look for mushrooms if that is something that interests you. They will grow on the branches and sometimes can be covered up, and if you look carefully you will come across a few different varieties.
Second and Third beaches are also located in this area which will be partial though the forest and trees to get to the them and then you can walk the shoreline.
Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center
This section of the park is by far my favorite. Its deep in the forest so the surroundings are very quiet and serene.
The trees are my favorite part in the forest because the moss is caked on every branch and gives a spooky, the trees are alive feeling. This is a must stop on your list for Olympic. The road that leads into the park will have campgrounds and people starting early to fish in this area. The end of the road is a parking lot and there are a few hikes to choose from depending how far you want to walk. One of the small loop trails will bring you abruptly into the moss covered trees and will not require a ton of hiking.
Kalaloch Ranger Station
The only place I did stop for sunrise on this drive was in Ruby Beach. This area has multiple numbered beaches to also camp and spend the day at.
The mornings are very clear and the tide is low on these beaches. Its very flat so walking with morning coffee was incredibly relaxing. Along this beach walk is also the Tree of Life that has become better known in the last few years.
Quinault Rain Forest Ranger Station
At this last section of Olympic I drove the small loop around this quiet area meant for boating and fishing. Bald Eagles are known to be sitting in trees along the road as well as waterfalls that butt up right next to the pavement. This is a good section for a scenic drive.
There are a few good hikes that take you back into the trees. I decided to explore Colonel Bob trailhead for the day. Big Spruce Trail and Maple Glade Rain Forest Trail were also regarded as a good hike to go on. I also hit Quinault Rain Forest Trail which is a small loop but walks you along giant trees and a river.
Olympic National Park is a park worth visiting multiple times to experience it in different seasons especially if you like seeing spring flowers. I was a bit too early for that. This section of Washington is a cool place to explore over a long weekend!
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