Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [305]
INFORMATION
Contact Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362-6798 (☎ 360/565-3130 or 360/565-3131 for a recording; www.nps.gov/olym). Several free publications, including the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor's Guide, published by the Peninsula Daily News twice yearly, provide a good look at the area.
VISITOR CENTERS
There are three visitor centers in the park, offering exhibits, maps, guides, and information. Smaller ranger and information stations at popular trailheads are open only in summer.
The Olympic National Park Visitor Center (☎ 360/565-3130), on the northern end of the park near Port Angeles, is a good jumping-off station before heading into the northwest part of the park. It's a 45-minute drive from there to one of the most popular spots in the park, the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Here you'll find beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains and alpine meadows blooming with wildflowers each summer. It also has a snack bar, interpretive exhibits, and trails. If you want to avoid the crowds, drive up in the late afternoon, as everyone else is leaving. Wait for sundown, and you might get a beautiful view of the mists coming in, and a visit from some surprisingly tame deer. Those who arrive before 10am will also find more elbow room.
The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, on the west side of the main part of the park, is some 15 miles off a turnoff from U.S. 101. This is an excellent spot for those who want to experience a temperate rain forest without spending a soaking couple of days hiking. The information center is, like Hurricane Ridge, a favorite spot for tourists in the summer season. There are several interpretive trails and the beautiful Hall of Mosses nearby, as well as longer trails into the heart of the rain forest. Just remember that this visitor center is in the middle of the rain forest—it gets unbelievably humid when full!
Smaller centers include the Storm King Information Station, on Crescent Lake in the northern section of the park, and the Kalaloch Information Station, on the south end of the beach section of the park. You can get food and some supplies near the Sol Duc Ranger Station at the Hot Springs Resort.
FEES
Entrance to the park for up to a week costs $10 per vehicle, or $5 per individual hiking, biking, or on a motorcycle. There is a $5 per day parking charge at Ozette. Camping in the wilderness (for groups up to 12 people) costs $5 for a backcountry permit plus $2 per person per night.
Camping in the park campgrounds costs $8 to $16 a night. Dump station use costs $3.
SPECIAL REGULATIONS & WARNINGS
Wilderness use permits, available at the Wilderness Information Center (just behind the main visitor center in Port Angeles) and at all ranger stations, are required for overnight stays in the backcountry. During the summer, you may also need reservations for certain areas. Call the Wilderness Information Center (☎ 360/565-3100) for details.
When hiking, be prepared for sudden and extreme weather changes.
SEASONS & CLIMATE
The climate of the entire peninsula is best described as varied, of the marine type. In the winter the temperatures stay in the 30s and 40s (single digits Celsius) during the day, and 20s and 30s (negative single digits Celsius) at night. The lower elevations, near the water, rarely receive more than 6 inches of accumulated snow per season, and it melts quickly. However, on the upper slopes, the snowfall can become quite heavy.
Spring is the late half of the rainy season, mostly wet, mild, and windy. Temperatures range from 35°F to 60°F (2°C–16°C), with lingering snow flurries in the mountains.
Summer temperatures range from a low of 45°F (7°C) in the evening to 75°F (24°C) and up to 80°F (27°C) during the afternoons. In the latter half of the summer and early fall, fog and cloud banks drift into the valleys and remain until midday, burn off, and sometimes return in the