Planning a trip to Olympic National Park

Getting There

The main travel artery for all visitors to Olympic National Park is U.S. 101. This northernmost point of the famous coastal highway encircles and only briefly enters the park. Most of the traffic into and out of the park is on the northeastern side, from Vancouver and Seattle.

If you're departing from Seattle, you can take either of the ferries that run regularly every day from the same downtown Seattle dock. No reservations are available for most of the ferries, which cost about $15 one-way for a standard passenger vehicle. The Seattle-Bainbridge Island Ferry takes you for a half-hour ride across the Puget Sound before arriving in Bainbridge Island. From there, take Wash. 305 north through Poulsbo to the Hood Canal floating bridge, and then Wash. 104 across to U.S. 101. The Seattle-Bremerton Ferry arrives in Bremerton after a 60-minute ride. From Bremerton, take Wash. 3 north to the Hood Canal floating bridge. The Edmonds-Kingston Ferry is a 30-minute ride to Kingston, where you take Wash. 104 24 miles to U.S. 101. In addition, the Coupeville Ferry shuttles between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend, but it's smaller and runs less frequently; reservations, available for this ferry only, are recommended.

For all ferry schedules and rates, contact Washington State Ferries, 2901 Third Ave., Ste. 500, Seattle, WA 98121 (tel. 888/808-7977 or 511 statewide, or 206/464-6400 local and out of state; www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries).

If you'd rather drive your car over dry land only, head west from Tacoma on Wash. 16 over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which connects with the eastern shore of the Kitsap Peninsula just south of Gig Harbor. Drive north on Wash. 16 to Port Orchard and Bremerton. From Bremerton, take Wash. 3 to the Hood Canal floating bridge and across to U.S. 101.

To reach the park from the south, take I-5 to Olympia, where you can connect with U.S. 101 North, or with Wash. 8 West to the other side of the U.S. 101 loop, to enter the Pacific Ocean section of the park.

The Nearest Airport -- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (tel. 206/787-5388; www.portseattle.org/seatac) is 15 miles south of Seattle on I-5. It's served by most major airlines and car-rental companies. William R. Fairchild International Airport (tel. 360/417-3433; www.portofpa.com/airports) is in Port Angeles, site of the park's main visitor center, and is served by Kenmore Air (tel. 866/435-9524; www.kenmoreair.com), which offers service between Port Angeles and Seattle. Budget provides car rentals

When to Go

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° to 60°F (2°-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) or higher during the afternoons. In the latter half of the summer and early fall, fog and cloud banks often drift into the valleys and remain until midday, burn off, and sometimes return in the evening. Thunderstorms may occur in the evening in the upper elevations.

The fall is moderately cold and blustery; it ushers in the rainy season, which usually begins in mid- to late October. Snow begins to fall in the mountains as soon as early autumn. Temperatures range from 30° to 65°F (-1° 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 crafts festivals. For a full list, as well as other information about the area, contact the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (which operates a visitor center at 121 E. Railroad Ave. in Port Angeles; tel. 360/452-2363; www.portangeles.org), or the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (tel. 800/942-4042 or 360/452-8552; www.olympicpeninsula.org).

Avoiding the Crowds

Avoiding the crowds in Olympic National Park is not as simple as you may think. With easy access from both Seattle and Victoria, BC, the park is a magnet for visitors from around the world. However, a few options are within your control.

The easiest solution is to go in the off season, especially in the fall. September is a great time to visit for the fall colors and visible wildlife. However, starting in mid-October, the west side of Olympic is often deluged with rain.

You might also try driving to the park from the southwest via Aberdeen. If you choose this route, you can see everything the peninsula offers in a nutshell. Instead of going to the Hoh, try the Queets. Although less traveled, this area affords the same rainforest views as the more popular Hoh.

Finally, if you absolutely have to come in the summer and don't want to miss the most popular views, such as those on Hurricane Ridge, try heading up in the late afternoon when everyone else is on his or her way down. You're liable to get spectacular views of the sunset as the fog rolls in and the deer make their evening pilgrimage to the parking lot at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

Getting Around

The Rainforests & the Coast

If the rainforests are your destination, your best bet is to drive west and north from Olympia (or, if you're coming from Seattle on a ferry, west and south from Port Angeles or Port Townsend) along the western side of the peninsula. The first opportunity to see a bit of the rainforest is near the north shore of Lake Quinault, at the southern end of the main part of the park. If you plan to stay the night, this area has a number of lodges, motels, and campgrounds. From the ranger station on the south shore, there are several interpretive hikes along the lake; those who want to delve into the rainforest should start on the north side of the lake. The view of the mountains from Lake Quinault is quite spectacular on a sunny day, but the area serves as a good hors d'oeuvre more than anything else.

Drive north on U.S. 101. You should be able to get to the Queets River Valley if the road is open (it washes out frequently); the valley is home to some of the most beautiful (and remote) rainforests on the peninsula. Or you can keep driving northwest on U.S. 101 to the Kalaloch Information Station, where you can enjoy views of the Pacific from Kalaloch to Ruby Beach. Of the two options, 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 Sams River Loop Trail in the Queets, but understand that it's the least accessible of the rainforests. 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 a 19-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 (one-way) from the Hoh Visitor Center parking lot up to the Olympus Guard Station. In just a few hours, this hike goes from temperate rainforest to alpine meadows with stunning views of Mount Olympus. If you're not feeling so ambitious, take the short Hall of Mosses or Spruce Nature trail, and get ready to head north again, to Sol Duc.

The last leg of our excursion takes you to one of the most commercially developed areas in the park, Sol Duc and the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. It might be a nice idea, before you head back down the coast to Olympia, or to sleep in your campsite or hotel room, to have a dip in these famous hot springs (open from late spring to early fall). The hot springs experience costs $12 to enter ($9.25 for kids); packages, including a sauna and a massage, are available. You also have your choice of comfort levels, anywhere from 70° to 158°F (21°-70°C). But be forewarned: There's a resort here, and the springs can be crowded. Still, if you're into a relaxing soak after a long day of hiking, it may be just the thing.

The area has more than hot springs. Try taking the 1.5-mile round-trip hike from the springs through some wonderfully dense forest to Sol Duc Falls. Or take the Mink Lake Trail through 2.5 miles of uphill grade and forest to get a look at one of the many higher-altitude lakes that dot the Sol Duc region.

The East Side of the Park

Seen the rainforests? You could do a lot worse than spending a day seeing the glaciers and the alpine meadows of the east side of the park. This time, the jumping-off point is probably Port Angeles. First, visit the Olympic National Park Visitor Center, to get acquainted with what you're about to see.

As in the rainforest tour, this trip starts with a choice: Head back through Port Angeles for the Elwha/Altair area, or from the visitor center to Hurricane Ridge. Either way, you're in for a variety of Olympic experiences.

The Elwha area has a small ranger station and, farther up the road, the site of Lake Mills, which is undergoing dam removal (the largest in U.S. history) until at least 2013, likely interfering with travel until the project is completed. Several trails will be closed for the duration of the project.

Along the way to Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles, pass the Heart O' the Hills Campground. At Hurricane Ridge, one of the most popular spots in the park, there are a number of short interpretive trails, very good for seeing wildflowers during times of big blooms. Many larger trails intersect here as well. The visitor center has numerous interpretive exhibits and a snack bar.

Leaving Hurricane Ridge, Port Angeles, or the Elwha area, drive a little farther southeast. Off a turnoff from U.S. 101 is the less crowded Deer Park Ranger Station, where you get the same sort of views as at Hurricane Ridge without jostling for position. The road to Deer Park is steep and graveled. It's not suitable for RVs and trailers, and be prepared to deal with steep inclines, turns, and potholes. The road is closed in winter.

Outside Olympic National Park, consider visiting other locations along U.S. 101, such as the community of Dungeness and Sequim Bay State Park on the northeastern tip of the peninsula, with their beautiful shorelines and views of the strait. As you travel farther south, the Hood Canal will appear on your left. There are numerous places here to see seals on the rocks, especially at Seal Point.