3 days around Olympic National Park

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 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 when Morning, 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.

   

   About 45 min by car21.6 mi
2. 2
   MiddayWalk as far as you like

   Dungeness Spit

   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 when Midday 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.

   

3. Lunch

   Dungeness crab

   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
4. 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 when Afternoon, 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.

   

   About 1 h 17 min by car47.6 mi
5. 4
   EveningWorth a short walk

   Marymere Falls

   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 when Late 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.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Travel from Marymere FallsAbout 37 min by car or transit14.7 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. 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 when Early 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.

   

   About 29 min by car or transit8.3 mi
3. 2
   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 when Early 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.

4. 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 56 min by car30.8 mi
5. 3
   MiddayWorth the time

   Quinault Rain Forest

   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 when Midday, 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.

   

   About 1 h 5 min by car38.3 mi
6. 4
   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 when Afternoon, 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.

   

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. Drive from Lake CrescentAbout 1 h 6 min by car39.0 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. 1
   MiddayCheck the tide first

   Rialto Beach

   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 when Midday 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.

   

   About 49 min by car24.5 mi
3. 2
   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 when Afternoon 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.

   

4. Lunch

   A picnic by the lake

   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 28 min by car or transit7.6 mi
5. 3
   EveningWorth the time

   Ruby Beach

   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 when Evening, 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.

   

   About 38 min by car15.9 mi
6. 4
   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 when Evening, 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.