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Olympic National Park
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
14 reviews for Olympic National Park
Yes, it's beautiful. Yes, you should go. Some quick tips which may help if you do:
Must Do's:
1. Sol Duc Falls
2. Lake Crescent Lodge
3. Marymere Falls (more for the trail than the fall itself)
4. Ruby Beach
I would suggest that you skip the much ballyhooed Hoh Rain Forest. It's a bit out of the way from the main road and there are too many friggin mosquitos and wasps on the trails to make it worth while. Especially if you have completed the aforementioned Marymere Falls trail, rest assured you have seen enough rain forest to skip Hoh.
Enjoy.
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Breath-taking views. Variety of types of scenarios: mountains, beaches, quiet viewpoints.
If you love nature, you will be here sometime or many times.
I have been here many times. The long quiet drives. The huge trees. Silence in forests. I understand what the other reviewer said about no twanting to tell anyone about it. I am going crazy waiting for my next visit. Just go, just go.
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For the July 4th weekend, we spent time in sleepy Port Angeles and had a glorious hike upto Hurricane Ridge. Driving here is a little hairy for me, since I really would like a bit more guardrails, just be cautious.
It was a beautiful day! I couldn't believe how much wildlife I encountered: elk, deer, marmots, eagles, chipmunks and more. I've included quite a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. The actual hike upto the ridge took more out of me than expected, but maybe this is because of the high elevation in the middle of July.
You can easily spend 6 hours or more here, exploring the trails, taking in the views, picnicing, and shopping at the Visitor's Center (gifts, snacks, and educational displays). Highly recommended!
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went to Deer Park, I've gone camping a few places around Washington, and I would highly recommend ONP. Private, not too crowded even though it was the peek of summer. Quite a long journey from Seattle, had to drive to Edmonds and catch the ferry across, followed by about another 1 1/2 hrs of driving, but well worth it. I seriously can't think of a better place to go to camp in Washington.
Hurricane Ridge - there are some easy trails that a whole family can try and one moderately difficult one. Amazing views at every corner. Perfect picnic spot at the visitor's center. Worth the 40 minute drive from Port Angeles.
Good for: feeling alive with the sound of music
I'm going back...
But I don't want to tell anyone because I want it all to myself.
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Olympic National Park is one of the greatest spectacles in the United States. Getting there is not really a trip, so much as a journey. What should have been a 2.5 hour trip turned into a five hour tour. A five hour tour. What turned into a five hour tour became 24 hours in forest steeped in beauty.
Upon arrival, we bypassed the Elwha campgrounds for the Altair, a series of sites along the cusp of the Elwha River. Nearby trails, which take you up semi-steep ridges that overlook the lowland forest floor, lead to wooden bridges and sloping (at times slippery) paths to the edge of the park. There were a few more children present at our campground than expected, but the sounds of the river drowned out some of the noise.
We also drove up to Whiskey Bend, where we hiked to an overlook, identifying three black bears close enough to capture on film, but far enough to escape an "uncomfortable" encounter. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short by the discovery of a 2-person tent packed to meet the needs of three people*, a shortage of some basic "necessities", and a 16 hour trip back to the California Central Vally lying ahead.
The campgrounds were surprisingly sophisticated and there was also the town of Port Angeles a mere 10 minute drive from the park to make that Safeway run for firewood or Goodwill run for classroom chairs quite convenient. However, the nearness of the town doesn't take away from the pristine and primitive nature of the wilderness experience. I would highly recommend Olympic National Park for a two to three day camping excursion for girl scout troops, newlyweds, college dorm buddies, or an entire extended family.
*(I love my brother-in-law, but not that much).
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Beautiful park - but as others have posted, there is some construction at times and we ended up with a really long wait for some unknown reason (we couldn't tell what caused them to go to one lane when we finally got to pass).
Otherwise, very pretty location. :)
What would normally take 20 minutes to drive from Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge took a little over an hour. There is a cluster F of construction on the byway to the top of the mountain and it has been taken down to a single line road for a large section of the road. When we did arrive at the top, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The park is beautiful and the trails are very user friendly.
I would buy a seasonal pass and come here more if I did not have to spend an hour (sitting in line) going up the mountain and an hour going back down.
Look, you have to take the winding road up to Hurricane Ridge even if you're afraid of heights and you're flanked the entire time by latte-crazed triathletes on your right and the Harley Riders for Jesus on your left. You just have to. Then if you find you can handle that, then take the Road From Hell to the Deer Park campground. It's 8 miles of vertiginous, rocky, "ohmigawd-you're-taking-me-to-Castle-Dracula" thrills.
Olympic National Park has a little bit of everything in a space about the size of Rhode Island (I think) - rain forest, pine forest, glaciated peaks, and the only 40-mile stretch of pristine beach on the entire west coast. I ran into a guy up there who said he'd been hiking it for 10 years and hadn't quite seen all of it yet.
If you go, and you have the time (and the lungs), take the Hurricane Ridge trail to the Klahhane Ridge trail over the ridge and down past Lake Angeles to the main entrance (10 miles). S'wonderful. You'll get views like this:
http://www.fototime.co...
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Hurricane Ridge- This is one of the most beautifull places in the world I have been to . Oddly enough the only place I think is more beautifuul is Hurricane Hole ST. Lucia . But honestly on a clear day you can just see for hundreds of miles in every direction. Your as close to heaven as you'll ever be while still breathing. If you are anywhere near Seattle this is a Must Do!!!!! You can go to hurricane ridge .com and check out the weather up there before you go . They will show pictures every fifteen minutes . I can't rate these pictures because none of them give due justice compared to seeing it for your self.
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Olympic National Park was basically my backyard growing up. It's beauty is sorely missed now that I live on the I-5 corridor. Where else can you drive up the mountain for a picnic, to the lake for a lazy afternoon, or to the ocean on a whim? If you love the outdoors there is more to do than time allows.
hurricane ridge is a must see at the park. newly paved road make the drive nice and the view is breathtaking. sol duc falls is worth a look too. will head back to check out the hoh rain forest next time. lots of trails to hike and campgrounds to camp at. this is a outdoorsman's playground and a photographers delight.
beautiful park, we walked around one of the Hoh Rain Forest trails and drove up to Hurricane Ridge and it was all gorgeous... even though we were in a cloud and the views up there were pretty much greyness.
