Port Angeles & Olympic National Park

Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula and a park with three ecosystems: the snowy peaks of Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh temperate rainforest and the wild Pacific coast.

Port Angeles sits on the north shore of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, on the southern side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, facing Victoria, Canada, across the water. It is the main gateway to Olympic National Park. The park covers about 3,700 km² in the heart of the peninsula, was designated a World Heritage Site in 1981, and is famous for being "three parks in one": glaciated mountains in the center, temperate rainforest on the western slopes and about 100 km (60 mi) of wild Pacific coastline. Using Port Angeles as a base, drive 30 minutes south up to Hurricane Ridge for views of the Olympic Mountains and subalpine meadows. Heading west on Highway 101, you'll pass Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls, and Sol Duc Hot Springs and Falls; further southwest are the town of Forks and La Push's First and Second Beaches and Rialto Beach. Continue south for the Hoh Rain Forest, Ruby Beach, Kalaloch's Tree of Life and the Lake Quinault rainforest. At the far northwest tip, Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. To the east, Sequim has the Dungeness Spit and lavender farms. No roads cross the park; a loop drive around the peninsula is about 500 km (310 mi). Allow 3–5 days, with an extra night in Forks or Kalaloch for the western coast and rainforests. The best season is July–September, when the Hurricane Ridge road and trails are snow-free and the rainforests are drier; winters are very wet, and Hurricane Ridge opens on weekends depending on road conditions. Getting there: about 2.5 hours' drive from Seattle (including a ferry crossing), and ferries run between Port Angeles and Victoria. Park admission is a 7-day pass per vehicle, and Cape Flattery requires a Makah Tribe Recreation Pass. When hiking the beaches, always check the tide tables and watch out for drift logs and sneaker waves.

Top sights

• Hurricane Ridge – A high mountain viewpoint at about 1,600 m, reached directly by car, overlooking the Olympic Mountains’ snowfields and the Strait of Juan d…
• Lake Crescent – A deep glacier-carved lake with brilliant blue, crystal-clear water, ideal for kayaking and swimming. Century-old wooden lodges sit along i…
• Hoh Rain Forest – America’s most famous temperate rain forest. Along the Hall of Mosses trail, big-leaf maples hung with moss look like a fairytale world.
• Rialto Beach – A pebble beach strewn with driftwood and sea stacks. At low tide, you can walk about 2.5 km to the Hole-in-the-Wall sea arch and explore th…
• Ruby Beach – A beach named for its sand flecked with red garnet grains, with sea stacks and driftwood. It is a signature scene of the Olympic Coast.
• Marymere Falls – A 27 m waterfall in primeval forest beside Lake Crescent, reached by a gentle trail of about 3 km round trip that suits the whole family.
• Mount Storm King – A steep peak beside Lake Crescent. The final stretch requires fixed ropes, and the summit overlooks the whole lake, making it a trendy hike.
• Sol Duc Hot Springs – A mineral hot spring resort deep in the rainforest, with several open-air pools at different temperatures, perfect for soaking after a hike.
• Sol Duc Falls – A waterfall where the river splits into three or four streams that fall into a narrow gorge, viewed head-on from a wooden bridge, with a tr…
• Second Beach (La Push) – A wide sandy beach reached by about a 1 km walk through rainforest, with sea stacks and natural arches forming a classic sunset scene.
• Kalaloch Tree of Life – A Sitka spruce whose roots hang over a gap in an eroded sea cliff, miraculously surviving, and the star of Kalaloch Beach.
• Lake Quinault & Quinault Rain Forest – The 'Valley of Giant Trees', with a century-old lakeside lodge, the world's largest Sitka spruces, rainforest loop trails and far fewer vis…
• Cape Flattery – The northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States, where a wooden boardwalk winds through rainforest to sea-cliff viewpoints overl…
• Makah Museum – Holds artifacts of Makah life buried about 500 years ago by a mudslide at Ozette Village, among the most important Indigenous archaeologica…
• Dungeness Spit – One of the longest natural sand spits in the United States, an 8-km sand ridge ending at a century-old lighthouse, within a national wildli…
• Sequim Lavender Farms – The “Lavender Capital of North America,” where purple fields stretch across the landscape in summer, offering U-pick flowers, essential oil…
• Elwha Valley & Madison Falls – The Elwha River Valley, America’s largest dam-removal restoration project, where the Madison Falls trail at the entrance is flat and fully…
• Salt Creek Recreation Area – One of the best tide pools along the Strait, with sea stars, anemones and sea urchins at low tide, plus remains of a WWII gun battery.
• Port Angeles City Pier & Waterfront – A small seaside city with a pier and observation tower overlooking the strait and Hurricane Ridge, next to a marine life center and the fer…
• Forks – The town that serves as the backdrop of Twilight, with themed signs and souvenir shops, and a supply stop for the west coast and rainforest…

Where to eat

• Next Door Gastropub – A popular downtown pub-restaurant that opened in 2011, known for creative burgers and craft beer. There are often lines…
• Kokopelli Grill – Pacific Northwest seafood and steaks with Southwestern flavors. The award-winning smoked salmon chowder is the signatur…
• Chestnut Cottage Restaurant – A cottage-style brunch spot that opened in 1976, known for its stuffed French toast and apple walnut French toast.
• Granny's Cafe – A roadside stop on Highway 101 that opened in 1956. Stopping for a large soft-serve ice cream on the way to or from Lak…

Itineraries

• Olympic Peninsula Rainforest & Coast Loop – Loop the peninsula from Seattle, visiting Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, wild beaches, and the Hoh Rain Forest