When is the best time to visit the Rainforest and, for that matter, the rest of Olympic National Park? I am considering July or October and thought that October would offer lush, green growth, whereas July is drier and perhaps less "spectacular". Is this so? Do the increased crowds of summer make a significant difference? And, of course, would the drier summer weather make my visit more reliably rain-free, for touring and short hiking, and tip the balance in favor of a summer visit?

July, July, July, July!

Don't worry about it not being lush and green - it's always lush and green. Even during the dry months (July-Sept) dew from the overnight fog/low clouds keep the Hoh green. By mid-October, you can count on the area being pretty much "socked-in" by low clouds & rain. Still terrific even that time of year, but given a choice, I would certainly opt for July (and I've lived in the Seattle area for 30 years).

Ken

I visited Olympic in August a few years ago. It was not really all that crowded, especially the more remote parts of the park (like, along the ocean). Mt. Rainier had 10x the crowds.

The Hoh rain forest was amazing. I couldn't imagine it ever, ever being dry or not lush. It is a true rain forest. As soon as we entered it, it started raining. When we left, it stopped.

It was a bit chilly in August, so I imagine October would be even colder. We only had one night of rain in our 9-day trip, not including the rain forest. Though most days were rather cloudy. Your best bet would be to do a search on monthly climate averages on some town near Olympic, like Sequim.

Sequim is NOT a good choice for looking at climate averages (especially in regards to rain). It is probably the driest place in Western Washington since it sits in the "rain shadow" of the Olympics. All that rain that falls in the Hoh is stuff that didn't make it over the Olympics to Sequim. Look at Forks (or the Hoh itself) if you want to see climate infor for the rainforest area.

Ken

Thanks Ken and Suzanne for your prompt responses and suggestions. July it will be! I am planning on driving to Port Angeles from Seatac and spending 3 nights there as my base for the northern half of the Park. Then two nights on the western side, for easy access to the Rainforests and the Coast. Any thoughts or recommendations on easy hikes, things to see, places to stay, restaurants etc?

Accommodation on the Pacific side is pretty scarce, so book something (refundable) now as a fail-safe. The old Quinault Lodge is picturesque (i.e., old) and there are a couple of other resorty places in the area. The hotel and cabins at Kalaloch are more expensive than they deserve to be, but supply and demand has its ways. There are a few motels in Forks and many more south of the park in the Hoquiam/Aberdeen/Ocean Shores/Copalis area. The big Quinault native casino/hotel complex near Ocean Shores could be a fallback. Good restaurants are scarce; if the weather drives you to think about a couple of hours' drive for a great meal is okay, the choice would be The Ark in Nahcotta on the Long Beach peninsula. Not especially convenient to the ONP coastal strip, but worth a detour.

As for places on the coast to see, Ruby Beach and Rialto Beach probably top the list, but there are umpteen paths down to the sand/rocks here and there. You'll find plenty to fill your time.

Regarding the best time to visit the Hoh valley, actually the spring can be amazing. The Roosevelt Elk resident in the park overwinter in the lowland rainforest areas, and tend to eat much of the low growth and underbrush all winter. Thus in the early spring, you can sometimes walk through the forest with surprising long-distance visibility, under the canopy of trees and hanging moss disappearing into the mist. Eerie and very cool.

We explored the olympic pennisula last summer as part of our 7th western adventure. I would recommend staying in Olympic Nat'l Park if possible to explore the eastern part of the park. Lake Cresent Lodge was very close and comfy and the view was wonderful.

The day we explored Hoh Rainforest, we drove on south and stayed at the Best Western Lighthouse Inn, on the Pacific Ocean in Ocean Shores, WA. We had an awesome oceanfront view and we also went horseback riding on the beach the next morning.

BTW, there is NOWHERE to eat within the rainforest so plan accordingly. However, just outside the entrance is a fun dive called the HARD RAIN CAFE, where we had surprisingly good burgers and fries.

You'll LOVE this area of the country. Enjoy your trip!

Despite the cost, my top choice of where to stay is in the cabins at Kalaloch - I think they fill up fast though so you may be out of luck already. If that fails try the Iron Springs Resort - great cabins there (many with BIG picture windows and ocean views) - but again, they fill up fast. Being in Moclips, they are not as convenient to the park as Kalaloch, but the beach there is terrific and the cabins great (they even have a heated indoor pool).


Here's the link to their website (which does NOT do the place justice):

http://www.ironspringsresort.com/

If you are interested, I wrote a trip report about the resort here:

http://www.epinions.com/content_52598312580

Ken

PS: Here's a map so you can see where some of these places are:

http://www.gonorthwest.com/Washingto...c/mapwaol2.htm

What would be the weather like during the Memorial day weekend at the national parks in Washington.
Thanks

Memorial Day is generally a time when the odds are getting better for good weather. By, 'the national parks', I'm assuming that you are primarily talking about Rainier and Olympic, as opposed to North Cascades. Keep in mind that even in late May, there is still going to be snow covering trails and possibly roads at higher elevations. For example, at Mt. Rainier, the road to Sunrise may not be open yet.