You can make it as long or short as youd like weve done the 5 mile hike out to Mineral Creek Falls and back, and enjoyed it. Olympic National Park is full of scenic locations such as waterfalls, glacier lakes and lush forests. Food choices may be limited and there is no guarantee you will have something to fit your needs if you do not inform your guide beforehand. Youll be staying at local hotels or maybe a campsite if requested in advance. If sight seeing is something you want to do along the way, I recommend stopping to check out Scenic Beach on the Hood Canal off of 3 North (off the Newberry Hill Road exit). Objectives, activities and expected/achieved results: Seattle, United States. In this itinerary, well make the alpine our primary goal, enter the National Park in Port Angeles, and drive up to famed Hurricane Ridge. Dont forget to pack your camera, this is a paradise for hobby photographers. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This is a 1.2 mile round trip hike that takes you through similar ecosystems as the Hall of Mosses, but the highlight is the Hoh River, which is probably the best place to see wildlife in the area (aside from the backcountry). Olympic National Park is an easy two and a half hour drive from Seattle and a veritable playground for lovers of the outdoors. WebOlympic National Park sprawls over 1,400 square miles (3,626 square kilometers) of green-soaked Washington wilderness. That being said, we would absolutely never recommend something to you that we dont stand behind 100%. You have to go out and around to access the lake, which is worth a stop for the Cape Alava Trail. 10:30: Arrive at Olympic National Park (Activity duration: 3 hours) 13:30: Leave Olympic National Park and head back to Seattle. Google also Follow the below trip preparedness checklist to make sure you arent hit with any last minute surprises that could completely derail your trip: Alright, I think weve prepared you as much as possible. To get to Kalaloch, you have 2 options. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Have you packed snacks, first aid, etc? If youre coming from SeaTac, wed recommend the Bainbridge Island ferry mainly because it gives you great views of Seattle and Mt. Enjoy a more tailored and exclusive experience by booking a private day tour from Seattle to Olympic National Park. This park sprawls across multiple eco-systems and has mountain peaks, ocean, lakes and old-growth super WebAnswer 1 of 8: My husband and I will be in WA for about a week in August. We were in Olympic National Park just before Labor Day in 2020, and it was incredible weather blue skies, 70 degrees, and completely clear. The tour guide will arrange the tickets for the group. Dani is an entrepreneur and one of the creators of hikingandroadtrips.com. The total time for the ferry ride will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on weather and water conditions. Visit Hurricane Ridge to watch deer graze in the meadows, listen to the distinct shrill of a marmot, marvel at a summer field of delicate wildflowers, or feel the snow crunch beneath your feet on a winter snowshoe. Be sure to book your ferry ahead of time and try to arrive 15-30 minutes before departure so you arent blocked by long lines. No two trips are the same! If you would like to join the optional activities, please pay the fee in cash to the tour guide. Remember to print out your passes before you go. How do you get into downtown Seattle from Seatac airport? Sierra blizzard conditions force highway shutdowns. Olympus and the Olympic Range. So all of the routes below assume that you have a car. So this was our 2nd visit to ONP but, in a different season-Winter. In fact, about 1.5 million people visit the Falls every year and enjoy the view. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-100354045', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Hurricane Ridge? I'm sure you could do it, but you might not enjoy it. 7 Day Route: Seattle, Mt Rainier, Mt. Discover the magnificent Hurricane Ridge and spectacular Lake Crescent! Read More How to Hike the Twin Falls Trail in Washington StateContinue, Read More 7 Incredible Hikes in Crater Lake National ParkContinue, Read More 2 Days in Yosemite: How to Plan Your Yosemite ItineraryContinue, Read More The 8 Best Hikes In Joshua Tree National ParkContinue, Read More 20 Unforgettable Hikes in Mount Rainier National ParkContinue, Read More How to Plan an Amazing Washington Road Trip ItineraryContinue, Your email address will not be published. There is one other complication that may make the trip to the trailhead a fair bit longer that 3 hours The trail to Lake A starts off a road that is just before the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? However, no matter what time of year you are coming, youll have to first settle on which entrance you want to direct your road trip from Seattle to. Join the Newsletter: Get brand new travel guides sent directly to your inbox! It has a beautiful shoreline along the Salish Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This photoblog is a visit to the Olympic National Park. Approval date | 2020-11-13 Moments in Time is a lousy place to see the sunset because you will be in a forest, and that forest is set inside a bowl of hills. Start your time in Olympic National Park off with a trip up to Hurricane Ridge, which is an interesting journey that takes you from sea level in Port Angeles up more than 5,000 feet to the Hurricane Ridge VIsitors Center. Most visitors choose to spend at least one full day in the park, if not more. If youre looking for some of the most iconic hiking trails, check out the Enchanted Valley via the East Fork Quinault River after your time playing on the beach in Kalaloch. Trip Price: From $4,775. Here are some things to think about adding on to your trip. Plus, youll spend your day exploring and your evening relaxing on the lake, which doesnt sound half bad! It pays out after two visits (each visit costs $30, the pass costs $80). If youre planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest, weve got you covered with all sorts of super detailed travel guides to our favorite places in Washington and Oregon. Both require a short but exciting hike to get there. Olympic National Park is located about 2 1/2 hours west of Seattle. We wouldnt recommend staying in Port Angeles itself, if you can avoid it because its not the sexiest town around. This will allow you to spend some more time in one of the most spectacular parts of the park, and will make it an easier day to head out to Ozette Lake. We can turn any of our tours into private departures. Olympic National Park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Web4 Days / 3 Nights via HWY 101 This tour has you staying for one night at each of our unique destinations: Lake Crescent Lodge, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, and Lake Quinault Lodge. Rainier and Olympic National Parks Road Trip Explore two national parks, the Hood Canal and Puget Sound on this water-skirting road trip. If you have an extra night to spare, spend it either at the Kalaloch Lodge or Lake Quinault Lodge (or one of the nearby campgrounds) so that you can take in the rainforest, which has the biggest Sitka Spruce tree in the world, in all its glory. The drive takes 2.5 hours for a total distance of 140 kilometers. WebOlympic National Park (Mandatory) $35. WebOlympic National Park is not as close to Seattle as you might think, and the drive will take you 2.5-3 hours to get to Olympic National Park. Close out your second night with sunset at Rialto. Do you have any recommendations on where we could rent a car? 4. Do you have any recommendations on anything to do that morning in Seattle or on the way back to Seattle? WebAward-winning Hiking Tours: Olympic Inn-based Tour in Olympic National Park! There are only three campgrounds that accept reservations in advance Sol Duc, Mora, and Kalaloch. This route takes about an hour longer but is very scenic. The drive will take you about four hours without traffic. And youre heading to the rainforest, so isnt a little bit of rain part of the charm anyway? I just wanted to clear up the slight misconceptions in your post. Use the Washington State ferry site for schedules and pricing. Explore diverse & stunning environments on foot: old-growth trees, bubbling springs, high lakes, rivers, valleys, glaciers, and (in the summer) flower-strewn mountain meadows. All tour participants must be 10 years and up. WebThis remarkably undisturbed forest is not only part of Olympic National Park, but is also recognized as a World. Beneficiary entity | Nomad Celebration - Software, Unipessoal Lda. For efficiency on a Seattle day trip is to use the ferries to Olympic National Park. Unfortunately, theres not a whole lot else to do around Cape Flattery, so make your way to your next stop. It might be worth it depending on your budget. Mount Rainier National Park. So this was our 2nd visit to ONP but, in a different season-Winter. This will give you more time to explore the beaches around La Push First, Second, and Third beach and also allow you to see the Quinault Rainforest in the early morning when it is at its most peaceful and serene. TICKET PRICES STARTING FROM $ 134. We have this one, which came highly recommended from multiple people. Skip to main content. Show your support and donate to the tribes of that land, or to the. Still, the views over Lake Crescent and the northwestern part of the park are pretty spectacular, and might be worth the climb depending on how much you love heights. If there is a long line to at the entry station, you will be caught in it. There are other kinds of bear canisters that are clear with a (hard to use) twist-off top, but apparently bears are learning how to open those. There are bears sometimes, especially when the huckleberries and blueberries are ripe. It can be muddy, which is why its important to pack some good hiking boots for your trip to Olympic National Park. Its a pretty spectacular view, and well worth the 800 feet of elevation you have to climb to get there. Were Matt and Alysha, the creators of this site dedicated to sharing the best of the West Coast.Were both West Coast natives weve never lived anywhere else, and the West Coast is our home. Special Notes 1. Another much longer option is to head south from Seattle and make the journey to Olympia and Shelton before driving north to Olympic National Park. Unplug and explore must-see Olympic National Park. Be inspired by the glacier-capped peaks, valleys of forests, hot springs, Free cancellation Recommended by 92% of travellers from 121.38 113.29 per adult Reserve 2. Headed to Olympic National Park? While the park will be far more peaceful during this time, you might have to bring some extra layers of clothing and waterproof gear with you. There are 8 tribes that inhabit the Olympic Peninsula and they continue to recognise a relationship to the park based on their own traditional land use, origin, beliefs, and practices. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Malaysia. You can definitely do Hoh Rainforest, Kalaloch, and Quinault Rainforest in 1 day due to their close proximity (definitely recommend you spend . Book these well in advance as they fill up quickly, especially on summer weekends and holiday weekends. Alcohol and drug use are prohibited on Makah land please respect the rules. Family Road Trips From Seattle Olympic National Park. Remember to print this out and display it on the dashboard of your vehicle at all times. WebAward-winning Hiking Tours: Olympic Inn-based Tour in Olympic National Park! This park sprawls across multiple eco-systems and has mountain peaks, ocean, lakes and old-growth super-tall trees in forests. The park does not close for winter. Kalaloch is south of Ruby Beach, and is home to a couple of main attractions that make it worth a stop on your way home. more. The restaurant is called River's Edge., not Water's Edge. Two of Washingtons best backpacking trails are in Olympic National Park the High Divide and Seven Lakes Basin, and the Enchanted Valley. We can accommodate most needs if we are made aware of them 48 hours prior to the start of your tour. From there, take 104 westand101 northtoNorth Race StreetinPort Angeles, a left on North Race Street then continue on Mt. Learn about the natural history of Olympic National Park and marvel at its diversity! This means we earn money from brands when readers click through, purchase, or sign up for anything through certain links as outlined in the. Trip Type: Small Group Adventure. Been to ONP in summer of 2015 when we used to live in Seattle. Another route is to take the Seattle ferry to Bainbridge Island and drive through the island to reach the Olympic Peninsula. From here, your guide will likely decide to head up to Hurricane Ridge first or continue west to the Lake Crescent area. The Olympic National Park is a notable UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ecological diversity and wild expansion. I will say that we really like the Hoh Valley Cabins. Matt is one of the two cofounders of this site, along with his wife, Alysha. Learn how your comment data is processed. I have not booked any accommodations yet, so everything is flexible. Family Road Trips From Seattle Olympic National Park. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. From the trailhead, its a mile and a half up to an incredible 360 degree view of the surrounding area. You either access the Hoh Rainforest by going north on 101 from Kalaloch or from the other direction driving on 101 South from Forks, WA. You can easily spend weeks exploring the entirety of Olympic National Park, if not months! However, everything else in the park is hard to reach from this side since you cant drive through it. There are four historic lodges in the park (technically, Lake Quinault is outside the park you caught me), which are a charming, rustic place to stay, but are also going to be fairly expensive for what youre getting. Special Notes 1. 11/01-03/31 Itinerary: Seattle Olympic National Park Temperate rain forest + Lake Crescent (45 mins) Poulsbo (60 mins) Seattle . Otherwise, youll be doing a ton of driving. If youre looking for a longer hike, its worth doing a portion of the Hoh River Trail, which forks off from the Spruce Nature Trail and follows the Hoh River all the way up to Mount Olympus (~17 miles, one way). I Are you planning a trip to the Olympic Peninsula? Both ferries cost roughly the same, and take roughly the same amount of time. From there, youd take a couple of different roads that bring you northwest to meet up with 101. Olympic National Park is a favorite among day trip tourists with its pristine lakes, impressive mountains and secluded waterfalls. Madison Creek Falls and Marymere Falls are both popular waterfalls on a day trip to Olympic National Park. Getting to Shi Shi Beach is a bit of a trek, but its more than worth it. 800-715-HIKE (4453) (9-4:30 Every Day) It might be too much for us to attempt at this point. Spend a night or two in the backcountry! Bald eagles and other kinds of coastal birds call these beaches home, and youre sure to spot at least a few seagulls if nothing else. Olympic National Park is remarkable for its ecological diversity and expansive wilderness. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 07:25: Pick-up at Uwajimaya Renton (Address: 501 S Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057) 07:30: Proceed to Olympic National Park. That being said, during the off-season, which takes place from October to May, some facilities such as campgrounds or visitor centers might be closed or have reduced hours. Olympic National Park is located on a large peninsula west of Seattle. available snacks, water (flat and sparkling), and other beverages, Comfortable transportation in high roof, big window Ford Transit vans, (2020 models or newer). For the adrenaline junkies out there, Mount Storm King is probably the best hike in Olympic National Park to get your blood pumping. If youre prepared for some rain, youll be fine. Rainier. If you can make it out to Five Mile Island, which would be a 10 mile round trip hike, its a great place to have lunch with views of Bogachiel Peak before you turn around and head back the way you came. Weve got a few other guides to help you plan an amazing trip. This national park offers almost a million acres, including mountains, rain forests, hiking trails, and coastline. My husband and I will be in WA for about a week in August. With a long weekend lets call it 3 days in Olympic National Park you probably wont be able to make it to all of those regions. Crowds and wildlife. Refer to the below directions for both routes. There are 14 campgrounds inside Olympic National Park (along with quite a few along the boundaries). 4. I think it's a great idea to attempt Klahhane Ridge. I have never seen bears there, although I have seen seals, possibly sea lions, far off on distant rocks. When to Go to Olympic National Park July through September is peak season in Olympic, due to the warmer and drier weather. The Hoodsport location consists of the Staircase Ranger Station, Lake Cushman, gorgeous views of mountains, tons of hiking trails, and the Skokomish River. It costs $20 and is good for the calendar year. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Make sure to take some time to admire the abundance of mosses growing on just about every available surface. The second option is the Bainbridge Ferry, which leaves from downtown Seattle and drops you on Bainbridge Island. Olympic National Park is a stunning destination just two hours from Seattle, offering a diverse range of natural beauty. Ferry costs here, and the schedule can be found here. This page contains affiliate links. Then there is Lake Crescent which is crystal clear and a beautiful location for photography. I need a 7-day itinerary starting in Seattle! The hike is more like 4 hours. Our offerings change seasonally, but often includes a chicken entre, green salads, grain or pasta salads, and dessert. We bring linens, plates, silverware and set up for lunch somewhere lovely. Ten or fewer. Cross the Puget Sound by ferry to the northeast part of the Olympic Peninsula where youll explore the moss-draped forests, azure lakes, and striking mountains that define the region. I will move some stuff around and incorporate your suggestions. Marymere Falls is a relatively easy two mile out-and-back hike with a worthy payoff: a beautiful 90 foot waterfall cascading down the mossy rocks. WebSeattle Olympic National Park Hurricane Ridge (75 mins) Temperate rain forest + Lake Crescent (45 mins) Seattle . Single Supplement: $1,050 . Yes. Arrive at Hurricane Ridge. During extreme weather conditions, some roads or campsites may be temporarily inaccessible. 5 Best Road Trips Tacoma to Mt. I want to keep the Ozette Triangle hike for the camping on the beach, but am willing to give up one of the other hikes. Some tours include lunch and a snack. For a day trip from Seattle, making the drive up to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles is recommended. Youll want to save your energy for the last stop of the day, which involves a short beach hike that is sure to be among the highlights of your time in Olympic National Park. Spend the night along the northern coast near Neah Bay so that you can see Cape Flattery at its finest around sunset. Its particularly pretty in the early morning when the sun rays pierce through the dense canopy of trees and illuminate the mist that is floating throughout the rainforest. However, those summer months also are a double edged sword, because everyone is going to be trying to go to Olympic National Park at that time making it much harder to get campsites, parking spots at trailheads, and backcountry permits. So, before we dive into all the different parts of the park and their entrances, keep in mind that there are 2 parts to the Olympic Peninsula: You can get into parts of the forest without a pass but you will need one for the park part. Your last stop on your grand tour of Olympic National Park is going to be Lake Quinault and the Quinault Rainforest.Like the Hoh Rainforest, the best time to visit the rainforest is definitely early in the morning. It is by no means an easy hike youll gain almost 2,000 feet of elevation over about two miles to reach the top. You need to purchase a pass to visit Olympic National Park. Web07:00: Pick-up at Seattle Chinatown. I wouldnt count on showing up at 7pm on a Friday in the height of summer and finding a site youll have to plan to show up a little earlier (midday to be safe) to make sure you get a spot. Here are 10 places to visit while living in Seattle that are sure to delight. The Sheraton Grand is considered our default location for anyone staying outside of downtown. Main objective | Strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises Oh, and the temperate rainforests, which are the most unique natural feature that youll find on the Olympic Peninsula. If youre traveling to Washington state, then the opportunity to road trip from Seattle to Olympic National Park is an opportunity that you cant pass up. Youll need to reserve wilderness permits in advance, bring a bear canister, and be prepared for weather of all kinds (but mostly rain, at least in the summer and shoulder seasons). They are rebuilding the trail and also shutting it down periodically for the final mopping up of the mountain goats, an invasive species that the authorities are removing from the park, partly through relocation and partly through . other means. The best place to see a sunset in ONP is either on a mountain like the summit of Hurricane Ridge or at Rialto Beach. The trail, which leaves from the Ozette Ranger Station, is a three mile jaunt (one way, so six miles round trip) to a rocky beach that marks the western-most point in the United States. Check the official website of the Olympic National Park for more information, or ask your tour guide before you go on a day trip. There are no waterfalls, although you will cross pretty streams in two places. First is driving through Tacoma, which avoids the cost of the ferry to Bainbridge Island, but takes a bit longer if theres any traffic at all between Seattle and Tacoma which there usually is. Its roughly equidistant between Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge, which makes it a great choice. Review. Make sure you have good boots. Help! The Hoh Rainforest is a temperate rainforest, which means mild temperatures and tons of precipitation. From there, you can see the Olympic Range, including Mt. Unfortunately, getting there from Shi Shi Beach is a bit of a trek, and might not be worth it if youre done hiking for the day. You will find the downtown map useful; transit options are included: http://www.visitseattle.org/visitor-information/maps/. Learn More 3-Day Bird Watchers Itinerary You will need a recreation permit to park at the trailheads in the northwest corner of the peninsula, which you can buy at several different places in the area (see them here). Web1-Day Seattle to Olympic National Park Sightseeing Tour Tour Code: GOL-SEA-123 Duration: 1 Day Tour Guide: Chinese, English Sold Out Save 10% (5) Departure City We have an entire guide to deciding where to stay in Olympic National Park with all the details and specific recommendations.