Olympic National Park Must See Attractions
The park is in charge of 73 miles of primitive coastline, with dramatic cliffs, headlands, islands and sea stacks. And fair warning: It’s also home to a population of black bears that like to sniff around camp in search of scraps. If you want to extend your hike, continue on the Spruce Nature Trail 1.
10 must-see attractions in Olympic National Park
What’s not easy is trying to decide what to see. But for those of us with only a week or a few days to tour the Olympic National Park Must See Attractions, how do you choose what to do? While Glacier National Park To Great Falls Mt a recent five-day trip to the park, I ran into this problem head-on. You can essentially divide the national park into the accessible west side, the rugged east side, and the sprawling wilderness in the middle.
From there — depending on what kind of adventure you seek — you can craft an itinerary that threads in and out of the park, traveling along Highway to see a wide variety of spectacular sights. Every traveler is going to have their own opinion, but to my mind these are 10 must-see attractions in Olympic. See the map below.
Quinault River The aquamarine Quinault River is an absolute beauty. It flows along a park road east of Quinault Lake, but the best way to see the river is by hiking the East Fork Quinault Trailwhere it winds through canyons, past riverside campsites and is fed by many trickling creeks. If you’re looking for a quick tour, the 5-mile hike to Pony Bridge and back Olympic National Park Must See Attractions a classic. If you want a longer adventure, however, the Enchanted Valley see below can’t be beat.
Enchanted Valley One of the greatest treks in the Pacific Northwest, the hike to Enchanted Valley is a mile adventure that rewards you with one spectacular sight. In spring, dozens of towering waterfalls pour from the snowcapped Olympic peaks, feeding a lush rain forest below. On the banks of the river sits Olympic National Park Must See Attractions gorgeous three-story chalet, built nearly a century ago but long since closed to the public, as the eroding shoreline continues to force the park Olympic National Park Must See Attractions shuffle it back.
And fair warning: It’s also home to a population of black bears that like to sniff around camp in search of scraps. Hoh Rain Forest Fed by up to 14 feet of rain each year, the Hoh Rain Forest is one of the best remaining examples of temperate rain forest in the U.
If you want to extend your hike, continue on the Spruce Nature Trail 1. Rialto Beach Rialto Beach is a place of instantaneous awe. Nearly every feature of the Pacific coast is there: sea stacks, offshore islands, tide pools, coastal forest and rocks of magnificent design. It’s found west of Highway at the end of Mora Road, where you can camp, explore the beach or backpack up through the coastal wilderness. The park is in charge of 73 miles of primitive coastline, with dramatic cliffs, headlands, islands and sea stacks.
With a permit, you can backpack as much as you want, and Olympic National Park Must See Attractions camp just about anywhere above the high tide line. Be sure to check a tide table, though, and time your trek accordingly. Lake Crescent There’s no mistaking the beauty of Lake Crescent.
With water that runs from deep blue to turquoise and crystal clear in the shallows, it’s truly a gem on the north end of the park. The lake is eight square miles and up to feet deep, perfect for a day of kayaking or canoeing. Surrounding the lake are the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, ringing the blue lake with forested peaks of green. Lake Crescent Lodge On the southeast shore of Lake Crescent is the beautiful Lake Crescent Lodgea place with historic…
Top Attractions in Olympic National Park
If you’re looking for a quick tour, the 5-mile hike to Pony Bridge and back is a classic. The lake is eight square miles and up to feet deep, perfect for a day of kayaking or canoeing. In spring, dozens of towering waterfalls pour from the snowcapped Olympic peaks, feeding a lush rain forest below. Lake Crescent Lodge On the southeast shore of Lake Crescent is the beautiful Lake Crescent Lodge , a place with historic significance and modern amenities.