Four days by car on one loop of the Olympic Peninsula: a lake and a rain forest of giant trees, sea stacks on the wild Pacific beaches, a deep blue lake and hot springs, then the mountain ridge and a Victorian seaport on the way back to Seattle.
4 daysAnyoneMid August14 places
Copy this plan to your own trips, then change anything you like.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
This plan works for 2 to 6 days
Tap a number and the same city is rearranged to fit, with the must-sees kept.
Before Day 1. The Olympic Peninsula is far from the airport, so decide your direction and your beds before you land.Details
Getting here
Most visitors fly to Seattle and drive. Lake Quinault, where Day 1 starts, is three to four hours from the city by road around the south end of Puget Sound. Check the airlines and plan to leave the airport early on Day 1.
Your car
A car is the trip. The roads are long and winding, there are few places to buy fuel or food, and phone signal drops out in the forests and along the coast. Fill the tank in a town and carry water and snacks.
Ferries
The loop can also be driven the other way, starting with a ferry across Puget Sound. Ferries run on a timetable, and in summer lines can be long, so check the times and the reservation rules before you plan around one.
Rain gear and beds
The western forests are among the wettest places in the country and the coast is often cool and foggy even in summer, so bring a waterproof jacket. Rooms near the park are limited and fill early in summer, so book ahead. Day 1 starts at Lake Quinault, at the south of the loop.
Day 1. Lake Quinault and the south coast
4 stops · 37.1 mi
A long first day that starts with a lake, then a rain forest of giant trees, and ends on the Pacific beaches at sunset. Leave Seattle early, and keep a layer and a rain jacket in the car.
1
MorningWorth a short stop
Lake Quinault
A glacier-carved lake ringed by forest, with a historic lodge on its south shore. Walk a short stretch of the lakeshore or look across the water on arrival. It is a gentle place to arrive after the long drive from Seattle.
Go whenMorning, on arrival, when the water is still and the forest is hushed.
Local tip Walk a short piece of the shoreline before you go on. The lodge on the water is a historic building, so look in the lobby if you pass, but check ahead for what is open to visitors.
A temperate rain forest in the valley above the lake, known for record-size trees, and wet for most of the year. Walk a short loop under the cedars and spruces, where moss hangs from every branch.
Go whenMidday, when the mist has lifted and the light drops through the canopy.
Local tip Choose one short loop trail and walk it slowly. Keep to the path to protect the moss and roots, and carry a rain jacket, because showers come through even on bright days.
Food stops are few on the south side of the loop. Buy bread, cheese, fruit and drinks in a town on the way and eat at a picnic table with the forest around you.
Local tip Keep your food in the car or in a closed bag, since the raccoons and the ravens know what a picnic is.
About 51 min by car26.6 mi
3
AfternoonWorth the time
Kalaloch
A stretch of wide Pacific beach below a bluff, with driftwood, tide pools and sea fog. Walk to the old spruce known as the Tree of Life, rooted in a gully above the sand. Check the tides first and keep off the logs.
Go whenAfternoon at low tide, when the sand is wide and the tide pools are open.
Local tip Check the tide table first. The Tree of Life hangs over a gully above the beach and its roots are fragile, so look from a distance and do not climb on it. Never turn your back on the surf.
A beach of sea stacks and driftwood, named for the ruby-like crystals in its sand, with Destruction Island and its lighthouse far offshore. Go for the last light, and climb down the short trail with care.
Go whenEvening, around sunset (about 8:27 PM), when the sea stacks go dark against the sky.
Local tip Stay off the driftwood logs, which can roll or be moved by a wave without warning, and watch the tide line. Check the weather, because fog often hides the horizon.
The coast is close, so fresh salmon, halibut or Dungeness crab is the dish of the region. A plain supper after a long day is the right ending.
Local tip Ask what came in that day, and book ahead in summer, because the towns on this coast are small.
If it rains. Showers are normal in the rain forest and add to the look. The lakeshore and the trees are lovely in drizzle, but the beach is a poor place in a storm. Keep Ruby Beach for a clearer hour.
Day 2. The Hoh and the wild north coast
3 stops · 58.9 mi
A day from the deepest green to the wildest sand. A famous rain forest in the early morning, then a beach of sea stacks and a rock arch, and a sunset walk on another. Check the tide table before you start, and allow about an hour and a half on the road between the Hoh and Rialto Beach.
Drive from Ruby BeachAbout 49 min by car24.6 mi
Where Day 1 ended.
Breakfast
A hearty breakfast
The Hoh is a long drive from a town, so eat well first: eggs, oatmeal or a breakfast sandwich, and a thermos of coffee for the road.
Local tip Fill your water bottles before you leave and buy snacks for the beach.
1
MorningWorth the time
Hoh Rain Forest
One of the largest temperate rain forests in the country, where maples and spruces are draped in moss and ferns. Walk the Hall of Mosses trail early, before the car park fills, and keep to the path.
Go whenEarly morning, before the car park fills and the mist is still in the trees.
Local tip The short Hall of Mosses trail is the one most visitors walk, and a longer trail leads along the river. Keep to the paths, and check ahead for the road and for how busy the car park is.
A rugged beach of driftwood and sea stacks near La Push. At low tide a beach walk north of the car park leads to Hole-in-the-Wall, a rock arch that you can pass through. Check the tide table before you go.
Go whenMidday at low tide, when the walk to Hole-in-the-Wall is open and the sand is wide.
Local tip Read the tide table before you set out, because the arch can be cut off at high tide. Stay off the logs, keep a long way from the surf and turn back when the water rises.
Pack lunch and eat on the sand above the tide line, looking at the sea stacks. There is no food near the beach, so bring enough for the whole day.
Local tip Pack out all your trash and keep food closed away from gulls and ravens.
About 9 min by car or transit1.4 mi
3
EveningWorth the time
Second Beach
A beach reached by a short forest trail near La Push, with sea stacks rising out of the surf. Go for the sunset{sunset}, and keep off the big logs, which can roll in the waves. The land belongs to the Quileute people.
Go whenEvening, around sunset (about 8:27 PM), when the sea stacks are black against the sky.
Local tip The trail through the forest is short and can be muddy. The land belongs to the Quileute people, so keep to the beach and the path, and watch the logs and the tide.
If it rains. The Hoh is at its best in the rain, so go early whatever the forecast. Keep off the beaches in heavy surf or high wind, and check the tide before Rialto.
Day 3. Hot springs and the blue lake
4 stops · 48.8 mi
A day of fresh water after the salt. A waterfall in an old forest, a soak in the hot springs, then a deep blue lake and a short walk to another waterfall. The roads are good, but the drives are long.
Drive from Second BeachAbout 1 h 5 min by car37.8 mi
Where Day 2 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time
Sol Duc Falls
A waterfall that splits into channels and tumbles into a gorge, at the end of a short walk through old forest. The trail is easy, and the sound of the water grows as you near it. Go early, before the car park fills.
Go whenEarly morning, when the forest is quiet and the falls are loud.
Local tip The path is short and mostly flat, with a wooden bridge above the gorge. Keep behind the rails, because the rock is wet and slippery.
About 13 min by car or transit2.6 mi
2
MiddayA warm pause, check ahead
Sol Duc Hot Springs
A resort in the valley with soaking pools heated naturally by hot springs. Check ahead for how the pools run and whether you need to book. A warm soak is a welcome pause on a cool day.
Go whenMidday or late afternoon, after the walk.
Local tip The pools are part of a resort, so check ahead for how they run and whether you need to book. Bring a towel and a swimsuit, and shower before you soak if asked.
Lunch
A soak and a sandwich
Hot springs make you hungry. Bring a sandwich and fruit and eat in the sun after a soak,.
Local tip Drink plenty of water after the hot pools.
About 24 min by car or transit6.4 mi
3
AfternoonWorth the time
Lake Crescent
A deep blue lake, one of the clearest in the state, with mountains on its shores. Walk a lakeshore trail or look across the water. The lake is cold and very deep, so be careful if you swim.
Go whenAfternoon, when the water is a deeper blue and the light is warm.
Local tip The water is very cold even in summer, so enter slowly if you swim. The Spruce Railroad Trail on the northern shore is a flat, easy walk beside the water.
A waterfall of about 90 feet at the end of an easy forest trail of under a mile from the lake. The path is dirt with two wooden bridges, and soft in the light of late afternoon.
Go whenLate afternoon, when the day-trippers have left.
Local tip The trail starts near the lake’s ranger station and is under a mile each way. Cross the two bridges slowly, and keep to the path.
Port Angeles has plenty of kitchens near the harbor, with crab, salmon and burgers. Choose a table with a view of the water and the mountains beyond.
Local tip Book ahead in July and August, and try to eat before the ferry crowds arrive.
If it rains. A wet day suits the hot springs. Do the soak first, then see the falls and the lake when the cloud lifts, and leave the lakeshore walk for a drier hour.
Day 4. The ridge, a long spit and a seaport
3 stops · 53.9 mi
A day to end with the mountains and the water. The high ridge in the morning, a long sand spit on the strait, then a Victorian seaport for the afternoon. Watch the weather, since the ridge can disappear into cloud, and allow about an hour on the road between each stop.
Travel from Marymere FallsAbout 37 min by car or transit14.5 mi
Where Day 3 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time, check ahead
Hurricane Ridge
A mountain ridge about 18 miles by road from Port Angeles, with views across the Olympic Mountains. In summer it is a place for easy walks. The road can close in bad weather and in winter, so check ahead with the park.
Go whenMorning, before cloud builds on the ridge.
Local tip Check the road and the weather with the park before you drive up, because the road can close in cloud or snow. Bring a warm layer, since it is cold at 5,000 feet even in summer.
The longest natural sand spit in the United States, jutting about five miles into the strait, inside a wildlife refuge. Walk as far as you like along the sand and turn back when the tide says so. Check the tide and the rules.
Go whenMidday on a falling tide, so you can walk out and back with room to spare.
Local tip Check the tide table, because the walk narrows at high tide, and read the refuge’s rules for dogs and for the nesting season. Carry water and a hat, since there is no shade.
The crab is named for the village on this very spit. A crab roll, a crab salad or a plate of cracked crab is the right lunch after a walk on the sand.
Local tip Ask for it fresh, and expect to use your hands.
About 41 min by car17.8 mi
3
AfternoonA seaport stroll
Port Townsend
A seaport of Victorian buildings at the northeast tip of the peninsula, known for boatbuilding and a lively main street. It lies in the rain shadow of the mountains, so it is often sunnier than the west coast.
Go whenAfternoon, when the shops are open and the light is on the water.
Local tip Walk Water Street first, then climb to the bluff above for a view of the roofs. Check the ferry timetable before you leave the town.
A cone from a shop on the main street, eaten on the way to the waterfront, is the right last treat of the trip.
Local tip Take a seat on the waterfront and watch the ferry come in.
If it rains. Cloud often covers Hurricane Ridge. If the views are lost, go to Dungeness and Port Townsend first, which are drier, and return to the ridge only if it clears.
Departure day
After the last day. The way back to Seattle crosses water or winds around it, so leave more time than the map says.Details
The way back
From Port Townsend the usual ways back to Seattle are over the Hood Canal Bridge and a ferry from Kingston or Bainbridge Island, or the long drive around the south end of Puget Sound. Check the ferry timetable the evening before, and leave early on a summer weekend.
Your flight
Do not plan a big sight on the day you fly. Traffic around Seattle and delays at the ferry can make the drive twice as long as usual, so book a flight with a buffer.
Returning the car
Fill the tank in a town before the airport. If you rented the car in one city and leave from another, ask your rental company about the rules for dropping it in a different place.
If you have a few hours
Walk the waterfront in Port Townsend once more, or take a last coffee with a view of the strait, then go.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Olympic National Park?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to September are the most comfortable months for walking around Olympic National Park. This plan is built for mid August, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 4 days in Olympic National Park, planned for mid August. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 11.0 to 39.3 miles between its stops, and 121.8 miles in all across 4 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
3 days in SeattleAbout 70 miles awayAn easy add-on
6 days in VancouverAbout 100 miles away
Heart of the Canadian Rockies, 10 Days | Calgary to VancouverAbout 370 miles away
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