Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula.org
Below is a list of our personal recommendations for the Olympic Peninsula, however we're not the paid professionals. To see the recommendations from Olympic Peninsula.org and some wonderful pictures of the Olympic Peninsula, see their link below.
The following recommendations have the nearest city/area referenced in parenthesis. Note that they may be several miles away from the city name listed, but all these amazing experiences are closest to the cities listed.
Olympic National Park & Forest
Explore Washington's Olympic Peninsula National Park, a place of tremendous natural diversity and breathtaking beauty with over 922,651 acres of protected rain forest!
Hurricane Ridge
(Port Angeles)
Hurricane Ridge is open again! During the busy season, we recommend you arrive at the entrance early because once the parking lot up top is full, they’ll only allow cars through as a car comes down. Please see the link below for the latest updates and additional hikes nearby:
Marymere Falls
(Between Port Angeles & Forks)
Sword ferns and carpets of moss line the wide, well-maintained trail. Shortly beyond the Mount Storm King Trail junction, head right towards Marymere Falls. The trail crosses Barnes Creek and then Falls Creek before ascending 200 feet into the mossy, fern-laden ravine.
Railroad Bridge Park & Nature Center
(Sequim)
Railroad Bridge Park is 75 wooded acres with riverfront access to a wild stretch of the Dungeness River, just one mile from Sequim city limits. Click below or visit the Nature Center by clicking here.
Mount Storm King
(Between Port Angeles & Forks)
Hikers flock to Mount Storm King for that signature shot, standing on a rocky outcropping above Lake Crescent. But it's a grind to get there, and the climb to the summit can be dangerous in bad weather. Luckily, there are several outcroppings about halfway to the top offering similar views. It's still a steep hike to get to them, but at least it's shorter.
Sol Duc Falls & Hot Springs
(Forks and beyond)
The Sol Duc Valley in Olympic National Park has it all—towering trees, cascading waterways, alpine lakes, snowcapped peaks and wildlife. The valley is home to several trails and many attractions, making the price for entry—$25 for 7 consecutive days or $50 for an annual Olympic National Park pass—a great value.
Spruce Railroad Trail
(Between Port Angeles & Forks)
Take a trip back in time on this historic hike along Lake Crescent. This is a lovely lakeside jaunt for families or those wishing to stretch their legs on a long drive. This four-mile hike winds along the shores of nine-mile long Lake Crescent, whose character changes with the weather, but always provides an excellent backdrop to a hike year-round.
Salt Creek Recreation Area
(Port Angeles)
Considered Washington state’s premiere shore diving destination, Salt Creek Recreation area offers a breathtaking underwater park replete with sea urchins, anemones, sea cucumbers and wolf eels.
Fort Worden - Point Wilson
(Port Townsend)
On the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, you can walk a fine sandy beach between high bluffs and two access points to reach the Point Wilson Lighthouse at Fort Worden State Park. Water and sand play possibilities for children of any age are infinite. The total distance is 2 1/2 miles, and whether the tide is high or low, you can walk it either direction.
Dungeness Spit & Lighthouse
(Sequim)
The lighthouse is reached by a 5 mile hike from the Refuge parking lot along the North side of the Dungeness Spit. There is a $3 Refuge permit fee for a party of four adults payable at the Kiosk. Children under 16 are free. There are no fees at the lighthouse, but donations to support the maintenance and restoration of the Lighthouse are appreciated.
Tongue Point Marine Life Sanctuary
Port Angeles
Just 20 minutes west of Port Angeles, curling into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is the aptly named Tongue Point. Located on the S’Klallam tribe’s ancestral land, this spot is the trifecta: an exceptional campground, a park with hiking trails, and a haven for marine life. Here, the rocky shore juts out into the strait, creating a small bay and hundreds of tide pools. For the uninitiated, tide pools are magical, naturally occurring wells on the coast that are most visible during low tide. When the water recedes, the small, rocky pools are revealed and each one is a microcosm unto itself, filled with algae, anemones, and sea creatures.
Dungeness Recreation Area
(Clallam County wide)
The Clallam County Parks system consists of eighteen day use facilities scattered from one end of the County to the other. The County also owns the properties of the Fred Orr Ball Fields in Beaver, ten miles north of Forks, maintained by the local Lions Club the Agnew Soccer Fields, between Sequim and Port Angeles
Elwha River
(Port Angeles)
The Elwha is the Olympic Peninsula's largest watershed and prior to the construction of two dams in the early 1900s, was known for its impressive salmon returns. The Elwha Valley is located in the central northern area of Olympic National Park. Located 11 miles west of Port Angeles, the Elwha Valley is reached by the Olympic Hot Springs Road, off of Highway 101.
1st, 2nd and 3rd Beaches
(LaPush)
The beautiful First Beach is accessible by vehicles and is popular for surfing. First Beach
Shorter than the hike to Third Beach, the access to Second Beach is also a little more interesting, thanks to the ups and downs and a set of switchbacked stairs leading down to a coastline dotted with seastacks and a hole in the mainland that wind whistles through eerily. Second Beach
The trail to Third Beach provides plenty of suspense for hikers. It’s a 1.3 mile trek through high trees, sometimes shrouded in fog, giving the forest here a spooky aura. Third Beach
Kalaloch & Ruby Beach
(Coast past Forks)
For thousands of marine species, these coastal waters are a safe haven. The marine environment and offshore islands are protected by three national wildlife refuges and Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The refuges manage the islands visible above high tide waters for 135 miles along the coast.
Rialto Beach & Hole-in-the-Wall
(LaPush)
This hike begins at the Rialto Beach parking area. Your trail is the beach itself and the two mile walk to Hole-in-the-Wall is filled with attractions. Look south to the forested James and Little James islands, while waves crash over Gunsight Rock and numerous
Guided Hikes & Tours on the Olympic Peninsula
Magic Forest Tours
Olympic Hiking Co.
Lasting Adventures
Good Trip Adventures