Olympic National Park: 6 Day Road Trip in Washington State
- Alexis Haviters
- Dec 16, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Nov 9, 2023
Washington state is an underrated, action packed, drop dead gorgeous place. Located on the North West Pacific coast of the US, Washington's national & state parks are America's best kept secret. Nestled in this corner of America are some of the most breathtaking and diverse landscapes I have ever seen. From moss forests, incredible coastal landscapes, pods of orcas, snow capped mountains, and volcanoes Washington takes the trophy for hosting the best playground for climbers, hikers, campers, animal lovers, kayakers, & road trippers.
We took a non-stop flight from NYC to Seattle (6.5 hrs) and before we knew it, our road trip had begun! On this expedition, we did a 6 day road trip which included Olympic NP, Seattle, and North Cascades NP. We planned it out so we could start southwest and work our way up north. Our itinerary break down went like this [in order]:
Days 1-2 / Olympic National Park
Days 3-4 / Seattle & Day Trip to hike Colchuck Trail
Days 5-6 / North Cascades
In this post I'll be sharing our Olympic National Park itinerary, which covered days 1-2 of the trip.
What to Pack
Bear spray / can't bring this on the plane
Bug/tic repellent
Charging bank
Lot’s of water / I used my Camelback
Lunch, snacks, and extra snacks
Hiking boots + merino wool socks
Packable first aid kit
Utility knife
Packable first aid kit
Lightweight rain jacket
Lightweight layers
Packable coat + beanie / gets cold at high elevation
Travel Hammock / use at Lake Crescent
One of my favorite things about visiting in July is the long hours of daylight and wildflowers. On the North West coast, the sun sets at 9:10 pm, giving you optimal time for exploring ONP. As previously stated, Washington state is very diverse with so much to see, which is why I recommend planning your hikes and highlights in advance to optimize your time. Below is my itinerary that I encourage others to do. If you wish to learn more then click here to see what the national park services have to say.
Itinerary
Day 1 / Olympic Discovery Tail & Sunset
After landing in Seattle, we drove 2.5 hours to Port Angeles, a beautiful city nestled near the coast of San Juan Islands, which is filled with wildlife. We were very happy with our experience at the Quality Inn Uptown hotel and would recommend it. They are walking distance to the port, good price, great location, and breakfast included. This place was basic and perfect for the 2 nights we stayed. It is in no means luxurious, but very comfortable and clean, which is all we need.
After we settled in, we went for a beautiful walk along the water on a paved trail called, Olympic Discovery Trail which isa 5 min walking distance from the hotel. We took a lazy stroll and enjoyed the sunset with a bottle of wine. I loved that this trail has benches along the path, is handicap friendly, and stroller accessible. This was definitely a solid first sunset to kick start the week!
Day 2 / Whale Watching, Hurricane Ridge Trail, and Lake Crescent
The next morning we got an early start and went whale watching in the San Juan islands with Port Angeles Whale Watch Company, an easy 6 minute walk from our hotel. The early mornings are very cold, even in July and considering you'd be on the water at the break of dawn, I advise you dress warm. I wore a beanie, flannel, and coat and still was a little chilly. Despite the cold morning, this was hands down one of my favorite things we did and it was just getting started!
It was an incredibly unique experience to watch pods of orcas, humpback whales, bald eagles, seals, and dolphins harmoniously coexist. Whale watching season is from mid-June to early September, but the best time to go is in July-August. During our tour the company offered binoculars but, if you have your own I recommend you bring them! We absolutely loved the tour and our captain was excellent, knowledgeable, safe, and even turned the boat around to pick up a balloon floating in the ocean. Since the tour began early, we concluded at a reasonable time and had the rest of the day for more adventures so to the park we go! To enter Olympic National Park, it costs $30 per a car, but to see the break down of costs click here.
Later that day we hiked Hurricane Ridge to Heart of the Hills, a popular out and back hike that is rated hard and located near Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center, a spot you should go to, even if you're confident about your plans. Grab yourself some maps, brochures, and talk to the staff about which trails you want to hike as they can give you pointers or alerts about the surrounding area. After the visitors center, we headed to the trail head. It was particularly a rainy and foggy day and as we got higher in altitude, the visibility worsened. Nonetheless, we made the most out of it and found the fog to be fun and thrilling.
Hurricane ridge had so many colorful wild flowers, and this added gorgeous contrast to the glowing fog around it. Hurricane Ridge is known for wildflowers, scrambles, forest, and views. Though we weren't able to see too much of the views, I am able to vouch for the few views we did get to see. I loved this one but there are other hiking trails that I would have also got to do like, Pyramid Mountain Trail (hard 6.6 mi), Mount Storm King (hard 5.3 mi), Sol Due Falls (easy 1.6 mi), and Ancient Groves (easy 0.5 mi). If you are interested in seeing the wild flowers then come in the summer time, they'll be everywhere but, there are some trails that stick out more than others, click here for a list of hikes featuring wildflowers.
As if the day couldn't have gotten any better, we went canoeing and kayaking surrounded by huge walls of mountains hugging the perimeter of Lake Crescent. It was an hour drive from Hurricane Ridge to Lake Crescent, where lies a lodge, cafe, and a rental company. The rental company had rentals available for canoes, kayaks, and SUP's. The prices are reasonable and no one was at the lake, so we had it all to ourselves! Click here for kayak rental information.
Helpful tip: Lift the gallon water container out of the water. They attach it in the back of canoes/kayaks to fill up with water for an anchor. We learned this the hard way lol.
My time at Lake Crescent made me feel more connected to nature than I ever have been before. I felt so in sync with the energy moving throughout the water, amazed by the teal colored water, stunned by the birds as they flew across the sky, and more than anything else I felt so small next to the mountains. After moving about the water, we spent time in the café, a perfect spot to enjoy lunch, dessert, and a tea/coffee with spectacular views. Adjacent to the lodge are the Log Cabin Resort, which is a beautiful yet expensive place to stay on the lake.
If you brought your travel hammock, this is your chance to use it! There are plentiful trees and areas to set it up in front of the lake. I wish we had more time here as I could have easily spent hours passing the time. What's good is that the parking lot is close by so you can leave your hammock in the car and get it when you want to use it.
If you are short with time in Olympic NP and need to narrow your list, I would say definitely keep this one on it. Lake Crescent is perfectly situated next to a few hiking trail like, Marymere Falls Trail, which is a quick and easy hike that features a waterfall and Moments in Time Trail, a flat 1/2 mile loop trail with gorgeous views of the lake and moss forest. Additionally, if you are camping consider booking in advance to get a site on the lake.
Day 3 / Hall of Moss Trail & Second Beach
On our 2nd morning we woke up feeling sad it was our last day in ONP, but excited for what's yet to come. Though we might have checked out of our hotel, we did not check out of the park. We made sure we had another full day exploring before heading to Seattle. We couldn't leave without embracing the sights of the famous Hall of Moss trail located in the Hoh Rain Forest, a temperate rain forest that is 2 hours away from our hotel which encompasses some of the most enchanting sights in the park. This place is literally out of a fairytale and if were to use one word to describe it, it would be enchanting. Fortunately I do not have to use one word since I have a blog lol. In all seriousness, the moss covered rainforests will make you feel like a fairy floating through life. I loved that this trail was flat, making it handicap accessible and inclusive of people with all abilities. I advise you to bring a raincoat/umbrella and take your time enjoying this easy 1 mile stroll through the lush greenery surrounding you, bringing the word beautiful to a whole new standard this is a rainforest that will totally engulf you. Hoh Rainforest Loop trail is another awesome easy, shorter 0.2 mile walk in the woods.
There are instances when this trail is closed due to flooding, so be sure to call/go to the visitors center for updates and information or click here. After The Hoh Rainforest, we drove an hour and 10 minutes to second beach where we caught the sunset and hit the road to Seattle.
Second beach is a coastal rainforest with ginormous boulders and fascinating rock formations occupying the coast. To get to the beach, we took a 2 mi walk through the woods on a trail called Second Beach Trail. This beach was absolutely stunning and I highly recommend it. Our time here was brief since the sun was going down but during the day it would have been stunning to pass time here. The coast stretches for 73 long beautiful miles leaving plenty more time for soaring cliffs, pool tides, and rocky shores. Check out AllTrails.com to explore all the spots on the coast to explore.
Overview
The time we had in Olympic was perfect but, could easily have spent one more day. 2 days was perfect for accomplishing the must-do's in the park without much wiggle room. From here we continued the remainder of our road trip to Seattle (day trip to hike Colchuck trail) and North Cascades NP. If your schedule permits, I suggest extending this road another 2-3 days. I would spend this time exploring Mount Rainer National Park and 1 more night in the North Cascades National Park. Putting my desires aside, I am grateful for the time I had and will forever remember the sites that left an everlasting impression on me. I hope that someday you will too.
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