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Olympic National Park in 48 hours – Weekend Warrior
Olympic Overview
- By Michael Lakus
- Read Time: 5min
Olympic National Park has been on my list for some time, mainly due to my fascination with the temperate Hoh Rainforest, boasting its lush mossy overgrowth in such a northern area. With a long time friend, Alex, in the Seattle area, it was only a matter of time before this weekend trip became a reality.
Finalizing the dates with Alex, I took a long weekend in late April to pack in as much as possible during a road trip through the Olympic National Park. The video recap gives a good idea of how it went down in that sweet high definition.
Logistics and Things
The plan for Olympic was fairly simple. Leave early on Friday and spend that day on the northern side of the park before ending in Forks for the night. The next day would be dedicated to the Hoh Rainforest, since it was the main reason for the trip to begin with. Alex had taken a similar trip a year or so prior, but we curated the itinerary around things neither of us had done.
Getting out to the Olympics can be done by going around south through Tacoma or taking a ferry across the bay. We elected for the latter, which saved some gas and I believe a little time as well. Total time one way from Seattle to Forks was around 3.5 hours. Aside from that, we stocked the car with enough food (mainly cookies) and off we went!
Travel Logistics
Delta flight was covered via Chase points. Hotel in Forks ran $55 per person, ferries were $32 RT, park entrance fee was $15. Even with food and gas, the core total was under $200.
Hurricane Ridge and Mount Storm King
Day One started with the ferry across the bay and breakfast at Priscilla’s Cruise In Cafe, which set the tone for the later activities. We flew through Port Angeles and headed immediately up to Hurricane Ridge. The drive started with greenery and ended with snow-covered trees. Mind you, it was almost May at this point, yet there were still several feet of snow at the top. Being Friday, I gave a salute to Coffee Chug Friday before packing up and heading to our hike.
From the base of Lake Crescent, Alex and I began the hike up Mount Storm King. At this point, I was finally able to test out some of my new gear, including my hiking pants and water resistant jacket, as rain fell intermittently. The hike was a bit exerting; there was continuous climbing elevation to the summit and I may have pushed Alex a little out of his comfort zone 🙂 Nevertheless, it all worked out, and we both made it to the top for celebratory cold snacks.
What to Pack?
There are a million checklists out there for similar trips, but the one thing to never forget is a water-resistant or quick dry outfit. This weather be changing quick!
The Majestic Hoh Rainforest
And now for the main attraction! After a sunset caught at Rialto beach and the night spent in Forks, Alex and I drove a little further south to the entrance of the Hoh Rainforest. I was so pumped for this day, envisioning all the mossy green trails and sun rays seeping through the forest canopy.
There were three trails at the main entrance:
- Hall of Mosses
- Hoh River Trail
- Spruce Nature Trail
The decision was unanimous – the Hoh River Trail was our favorite. It’s the type of place where there is no need to pump up the saturation. Nature’s finest. Not only was the moss-covered forest more prominent here, we also had the opportunity to make it out to the Hoh River to have lunch. The trails were a bit muddy, as expected with the climate, and we were also wondering if we were still a little early in the season for the vegetation to be on full display. Even if we were, I had no problem capturing amazing shots of the rainforest. Seeing everything in-person truly made the difference. If you let it, this place can really get the fantasy flowing and imagination churning.
Leaving Olympics.. with cash, tea and brews!
With the Hoh Rainforest checked off, we retraced our route back to the ferry port; but not before a quick pitstop at the 7 Cedars Casino! If the weekend couldn’t have been better, the South Park slot machine was very generous and I walked out with an extra $100 (which Immediately went towards a 4K 3D printer!)
Back in Seattle, Alex took me to Elysian Brewing where he works, for a BTS tour of the facility. We went through the production lines for cans, bottles and kegs, while stopping in the main brewing room and “innovation station,” too. Of course, we left with a healthy 36oz can. Lastly, I always made a note to stop by my favorite Taiwanese-sourced tea shop, Floating Leaves Tea, to pick up some tasty oolongs for my collection!
And that’s that! A nice little weekend warrior trip complete to Olympic National Park. Shoutout to Alex for not only helping with the logistics and a place to crash, but also the impromptu Elysian tour. Each time I travel out to Seattle it gets better and better!
-ML
Recap of Places
Check out the MAP for links!
- Priscilla’s Cruise In Cafe – Breakfast diner
- Hurricane Ridge
- Mount Storm King – challenging hike, overlooks Lake Crescent
- Rialto Beach
- Forks – good town for overnight stays in Olympic National Park
- Hoh Rainforest – simply magical
- 7 Cedars Casino – might get lucky!
- Elysian Brewing – check out all their craft beers
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Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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