Fine Art Photography Blog

Sitting in the northwestern-most corner of the continental United States, Olympic National Park is a vast swatch of pristine wilderness across the Sound from Seattle. The park itself occupies much but not all of the peninsula, generally surrounded by national forest, rivers, sloughs, and archipelago.

Half the reason I moved to Seattle was these mountains, and as beautiful as they are from a distance, I had been waiting too long to actually hike here.

Crescent Lake

Like Glacier’s Lake McDonald, Crescent Lake is a nearly endless pool bound in by mountains at the edge of a national park. Roadside along US 101, the seemingly endless aquifer is easily accessible to anyone intrepid enough to venture this far.

It’s no surprise the meeting of so much water and land is a wide array of micro-climates. In the time it took me to drive from one end of the lake to the other - which, considering the view and a few hikes, was longer than it could have been - there was bright sun and heavy rain. Snow coats the tops of most of the Olympic mountains surrounding the lake, at least this time of year; from across Puget Sound it can be seen atop the highest peaks four to five months of the year.

Driving alongside the lake, two eagles caught my eye. The first time I had ever seen an eagle in the wild was a road trip through Yellowstone; they’re common throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Rialto Beach

Much of Washington state is cut off from the Pacific Ocean, like California’s Lost Coast. Neah Bay is the westernmost point in the Lower 48, and the scene for the recent whale hunt. To the south are Lake Ozette and La Push; both require far more tenacity to reach, and some cooperation from the weather. Only Ruby and Rialto Beaches are a short hike from the main road.

Note: A recent ( December 3, 2007 ) storm has taken out Hurricane Ridge Road, much of the Sol Duc, and parts of the Quinault. It’s always wise to check with the national park service for weather and road conditions, but essential in the winter.

That said, it was sunny at the ocean, even with the snow I drove through to get there.

The Quinault Rain Forest

Less famous and popular than the Hoh, the Quinault is home to America’s quietest square inch. The river from which the rainforest takes its name flows down from the Enchanted Valley down to the glacially carved Quinault Lake.

Quinault Lake, within Olympic National Forest, is surrounded by a 30 mile loop through the woods. Unfortunately this isn’t currently open; the road is closed deep into the forest with construction near the mouth.

Getting Home

Heading south out of the wilderness, one eventually returns to the furthest outposts of civilization at the outskirts to Aberdeen. From here, after procuring food, gas, and the wonders of running water, take US 12 to I-5.

From Seattle’s ferry building back to a downtown exit is 380 miles. This is a bit less than the 530 or so miles to see The Columbia River Gorge by way of Yakima, but longer than The Cascade Loop or even just Snoqualmie Pass. The mileage can sound like an insurmountable obstacle, but almost every mile of the journey is a wonderland.