Boo153

My first time here! Hello
We will be traveling there in July, covid 19 willing.
We will have about a week and will also be going to north cascades national park after. We will be driving from Anacortes,I know there is a fair amount of driving in our plans but I don't mind driving, 4 hour round trip is something I do quite often. I know we want to get to 1st and 2nd beach, also ruby beach, sol Duc,hoh rainforest, and high ridge trail. Our plans are not set in stone but I'm the person who likes to make my plans and then adapt as necessary. I love any body of water, especially the ocean and waterfalls. We both like to hike although husband prefers less strenuous hikes up to 5 or 6 miles round trip. We are basically loners, although to be fair, husband is much more outgoing than me. I don't like shopping or going out to dinner. Dinner because I'm cheap and shopping because I'm lazy. When I look at an object, I try to decide if I like it well enough to dust it...I own very few knick knack I would like input on best star gazing sites. After 30 years, we've been overrun by developers and I miss the night sky.
Sorry for the length, trying to cover all bases and I'm curious as to what you all like the best in the park. I'm not trying to get you to plan our trip, just always open to new ideas.
Hopefully, this made a modicum of sense

Michael

Consider visiting Meah Bay which has an interesting museum of a recovered long house that was buried in mud for several hundred years. We had excellent smoked salmon purchased in the village. From there it is a short drive to the easy trail that leads to Cape Flattery, the western mpst point in the Continental U.S. You can combine this with your stay on the western side of the Olympic range.


and also the rain forest:

mms

July is probably optimistic for visiting here. Right now everything is shut down on that side of the water. The Makah tribe is not letting outsiders visit either, so that takes Neah Bay off the table until they make a change. Not knowing where you are coming from, have you booked flights/car/hotels?

Why High Ridge Trail? Hurricane Ridge trail has much better views and is not difficult and is right there.

Good thing you don't care for shopping or going out to dinner, as the ONP its very remote these are not really things to do there.

Trying to do ONP and the North Cascades in a week is really rushing it. We do a lot of hiking/backpackjng all over these areas and know that this summer is a total game changer and we won't know what will be open for a while. I would seriously rethink this trip and look at it for 2021.

Boo153

mms, I mistyped on the trail, hurricane, not high ridge.
The week is for Olympic,then we will move to cascades.
Everything I've booked is fully refundable. I just prefer to make my plans and then adapt as necessary.

Boo153

Michael. Both of those sound great. If the timing works out, we will definitely go to meah bay. And extra thanks for the smoked salmon notice...it is my weakness

mms

Boo--It is New Bay, not Meah Bay If your trip does pan out, I think you would like Marymere Falls. It is a walk, not a hike, and not long at all, but very pretty. The Hoh River trail is great, but it goes 17 miles. Most people go to at least 5 Mile Island, but that would be 10 miles which I am guessing is out for you. It is easy though as it is flat, so maybe take a full day and do it leisurely? Otherwise the Hall of Mosses trail there is like a mile long, so you could do that. You could do a portion of the Ozette Triangle, just go out to the beach and back, which is 6 miles. It is a beautiful hike, but very remote. I really think though that with so many closures this year that putting this off would be better unless everything suddenly opens up, which I highly doubt. Plus, the locals are not wanting visitors as they are not wanting people to come who may be carrying the virus. The Olympic Peninsula has asked people that do not live there to not come to visit, even for those of us that live nearby. Just something to think about.

Boo153

Mms, sorry about the new bay area error...I appreciate the troubles and I know we may be postponing. Already had to do that with our original anniversary trip to Utah.
But I only work with fully refundable flights, car rentals, etc and right now everything is cheap
Marmere falls sounds great. I'm pretty sure I couldn't drag hubby 17+ miles.So hall of mosses is on my list, as is Ozette triangle. Remote is right up my alley!
Any suggestions for star gazing? Also, sunrise,sunsets? We will stay on east coast time and take the extra 3 hours!

Michael

Neah Bay--my typo.

suze

I guess it can't hurt to plan a refundable trip. But events are being cancelled (or going live stream only) already here in Seattle out through the summer months.

mms

Ugh my typo too, lol. Neah Bay.

I totally understand wanting to go somewhere and having to cancel. We had to cancel two trips this spring and are waiting to see on our August trip.

The Hoh River trail is 17 miles one way, but only 5 miles to 5 Mile Island. Even doing the 10 miles is easy and the area at 5MI is a great place to stop. Nd have lunch.

If the Makah tribe opens their land, go to Shi Shi beach for sunset.

if you can talk your husband into 9 miles, the Ozette hike is even better than just the shorter out and back. Along the beach are huge rocks with petroglyphs.

The first thing though would be to see if hotels etc will even make a reservation. I tried to reschedule one trip for October and that place is still not taking any reservations, to give you an idea of what it is like out here.

Boo153

Mms, I'll have to work on the 9 miles. I am always interested in petroglyphs.
I appreciate the advice on checking hotels, etc. Our beaches are not taking visitors
Shi Shi beach sounds wonderful. I'll have to look up distances, etc
The one thing that makes trips like this fairly easy for us is we are entirely flexible. If Washington is still having issues,I'll postpone it and I'll look elsewhere. There is a ton to see in this world.😊

mms

Boo--Honesly, I would still postpone this trip. There is s much to see and even if things start to open, it will most likely be very limited and you will not get the full experience. If this were me, I would plan this for a year from now when things should be settled down and you can rally delve into the area. Otherwise you are really shortchanging yourself, especially for the NC that are so limited on a good day.

melproffit

cancelling looks like a better idea now. washington stay at home order extended through May 31. there is a plan to open public lands but this looks to NOT include national parks. also 4 phase plan introduced by governor for opening businesses. more research may be needed but might want to look elsewhere.

Boo153

Thanks. I'm keeping up with the NPS.