Olympic National Park Itinerary
 

I've done a lot of research on ONP -- including some great messages in this forum -- but I'm having trouble figuring out a good timetable for our visit this September.

Here's my idea:

- Day One: arrive at Hurricane Ridge around noon and hike a bit. Travel to Lake Crescent; hike to Marymere Falls. Stay at Lake Crescent Lodge.

- Day Two: travel from Lake Crescent to Hoh Rain Forest and hike a little. Go to Rialto Beach. Return to Lake Crescent Lodge.

Is this cramming too much into too short a time? Will we kick ourselves if we don't see Sol Duc Springs (or any other sights)? Any advice would be appreciated.


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I wouldn't worry about missing Sol Duc-it doesn't really have a place on a two day itinerary.
Your two days are pretty packed-you won't be spending more than a few hours in any one place. But, if that's all the time you can spare, and you are okay with not spending much time at each place, then you probably won't be disappointed. I would definitely suggest not trying to add anything else.

Hi SZ, do you only have the two full days? Can you also spend the 3rd morning there? If you're also doing seattle or vancouver etc., i'd advise taking at least that next morning for ONP. We wrote the book on busy, full days (you can sleep when you're dead, or at least when you get home ;) ) but i really think day two is too jammed. You'll be driving most of the day. ONP is glorious and i'd hate to see you rush through it.

You have met the one problem with trying to see all that Olympic National Park has to offer in very short time: There is a bit of drive connecting each of the main sites.

I think you have a very good plan. We like Ruby Beach, which is probaby about the same driving distance as Rialto Beach. But I don't know Rialto Beach.

On the way back to Seattle you may want to check out Port Townsend, which is one of our more charming old towns. If you do, have lunch on the little deck at The Belmont (which is on the main drag).

Thanks, everyone. I'm finding it hard to figure out distances between the park's sights. I looked at the Port Angeles web site (http://www.portangeles.org/15.html), but that only shows how far things are from PA, not from each other.

If we could spread things out over three days, would it make sense to do it like this:

Day One: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent

Day Two: Lake Crescent to Hoh and back.

Day Three: Lake Crescent to Rialto (or maybe Ruby) Beach.

It still seems like an awful lot of driving, but that's probably unavoidable.

How much time would you allow for the Hoh? I thought two hours would be enough, which made me think we could do the rain forest and the beach in the same day.

I appreciate all your help and patience.

Hi SZ,

Seattle to Port Angeles is 137 miles if you drive via Tacoma and the Narrows Bridge (about 3 hours). The drive is shorter if you take the ferry, but you have to allow for waiting time and the crossing.

Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge is a beautiful drive that takes 45-60 minutes each way.

Port Angeles to Crescent Lake Lodge is about 25 miles.

Crescent Lake Lodge to the turn off for the Hoh Rain Forest is about 45 miles and the drive to the rain forest is about 45-60 minutes each way from 101.

From the 101 turn off for the rain forest, the drive to Ruby Beach is about 15-20 miles. Ruby Beach to Crescent Lake Lodge is about 60-65 miles.

Rialto Beach is about 15 miles from Forks--the main town between Crescent Lake Lodge and the rain forest.

Two hours in the rain forest should to it. Our favorite walk is through the so-called Hall of the Mosses.

Many thanks, Happy Trails. I also got this reply from the nice people at Lake Crescent Lodge:

- Driving time between Lake Crescent Lodge and the Hoh Rain Forest.

*Approximately 1.5 hours*

- Driving time between the Hoh and Rialto Beach

*Approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour*

- Driving time between Rialto Beach and Lake Crescent Lodge

*Approximately 1.5 hours*

How much time is "enough" is pretty subjective. If I'm going all the way to the rain forest, I'd spend the whole day hiking there, but I love outdoor activities. Many tourists are happy just snapping some photos and taking a short walk. It just depends on what type of traveler you are and what type of activities you enjoy.

SZ, You mention Sol Duck Hot Springs.
When you drive to the Hoh Rain Forest, just past Crescent Lake you will notice the turn off for this spot.

It's 15 miles or so to the hot springs where you will find some cabins, a snack bar, and a popular-with-families hot springs pool (very much like a public swimming pool).

About a mile farther down the road (past the camp grounds) is the trailhead for a pleasant hike to a beautiful waterfall.

I also meant to tell you that the dining room at Crescent Lake Lodge is the best place to eat for miles around and that you should make dinner reservations when you make room reservations.

As you enter Forks from the west, you will notice on the right a very well established local joint called The Smokehouse. The specialty of the place is smoked salmon.

In the town of Forks, on the right, there is a very good Mexican restaurant housed in a building that appears to have been a gas station in a former life.

Thanks so much -- I was going to ask about food next. (Mmmm... smoked salmon.)

Which brings me to yet another question: given the choice between Lake Crescent Lodge and the Log Cabin Resort, which would you pick? A little background on us: we're a couple in our 30s and we're fairly low-maintenance.

Lake Crescent looks a lot nicer on its web site, but Log Cabin has refrigerators in the rooms (we don't want to eat every meal at restaurants).

So -- any thoughts? Thanks in advance.