Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [306]
The fall is moderately cold and blustery; it ushers in the rainy season. Snow begins to fall in the mountains as soon as early autumn. Temperatures range from 30°F to 65°F (–1°C to 18°C).
Rainfall varies throughout the Olympic Peninsula, but about three-quarters of the precipitation falls during the 6-month period from October through March, primarily on the Pacific side of the peninsula.
SEASONAL EVENTS
Seasonal events take place across the Olympic Peninsula, if not within the park itself. They include salmon cook-offs; classical, jazz, and bluegrass festivals; boat races; light opera; and arts and craft festivals. For a full list, as well as other information about the area, contact the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, 121 E. Railroad Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362 (☎ 877/456-8372; www.portangeles. org), or the North Olympic Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau, 338 W. 1st St., Suite 104, Port Angeles, WA 98362 (☎ 800/942-4042 or 360/452-8552; www.northwestsecretplaces.com).
If You Have Only 1 Day
First things first: Decide in advance what you would like to see. This is a big park, and no roads go completely through it. The roads that do venture inside (and they're major tourist attractions) are generally short and pleasant. It's 18½ miles from U.S. 101 to the Hoh Visitor Center, and 17 miles to Hurricane Ridge.
If you want to see the rain forests and the coastal strip, drive up from Olympia on U.S. 101 through the coastal region, perhaps stopping at the Kalaloch Information Station and Ruby Beach, and then head to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, from where you can explore further. To see the glaciers and the alpine meadows of the east side of the park, start by driving to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles, and from there head up to Hurricane Ridge, where you set out on a hike or drive even farther into the park.
Exploring the Park by Car
THE RAIN FORESTS & THE COAST
If the rain forests are your destination, your best bet is to drive west and north from Olympia along the western side of the peninsula. (Or, in reverse, west and south from Port Angeles or Port Townsend.) The first opportunity to see a bit of the rain forest is near the south shore of Lake Quinault, at the southern end of the main part of the park. If you plan to stay the night, this area is packed with lodges, motels, and campgrounds. From the ranger station on the south shore, there are several interpretive hikes along the lake. The view of the mountains here is quite spectacular on a sunny day, but save the rest of your day for nature trails or longer hikes in nearby rain forests. Lake Quinault serves as a good hors d'oeuvre more than anything else.
Drive north on U.S. 101. At this point, you have a choice—you can drive east to the Queets Ranger Station in the Queets River Valley for a rugged hike into some of the most beautiful (and remote) rain forests on the peninsula, or you can keep driving northwest to the Kalaloch Information Station, where you can enjoy views of the Pacific from Kalaloch to Ruby Beach. It's a tough call. You might get to see elk in some of the former homestead meadows in the early morning or late afternoon on the 3-mile Sam's River Loop Trail in the Queets, but understand that it's the least accessible of the rain forests. The route to Queets is unpaved, but it's still a relatively decent gravel road. Watch for seasonal closures during the winter and late fall.
After leaving the coastal area at Ruby Beach, continue your northward drive on U.S. 101 to the turnoff for the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. It's an 18½ - mile drive from U.S. 101 to the center, with excellent views of the Hoh River along the way. You could also spend a long day hiking the 9 miles from the Hoh Visitor Center parking lot up to the Olympus Ranger Station. In just a few hours, this hike goes from temperate rain forest to alpine meadows with stunning views of Mount Olympus. If you're not