Hike
Hurricane Hill Trail
A paved-then-gravel 3.2-mile round trip climbs past subalpine meadows to a 360-degree summit view of the Olympic peaks, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and, on clear days, Vancouver Island.
One park holds three worlds: subalpine meadows at Hurricane Ridge, moss-draped rainforest along the Hoh, and a wave-battered wilderness coast at Rialto and Ruby Beach. The distances are real and the loop drive is part of the trip.
A timing note — Olympic National Park's best window is Jun–Sep: Mid-June through September for reliable Hurricane Ridge access and open seasonal lodges; the road up can close for snow any month outside summer.
Where you'll base yourself
Port AngelesLake CrescentForksLake Quinault
Things to do
Mornings
Nature
Hall of Mosses Trail, Hoh Rain Forest
A three-quarter-mile loop from the Hoh visitor center winds beneath maples draped in club moss and past nurse logs feeding new hemlock, the park's signature rainforest walk.
Hike
Sol Duc Falls Trail
A gentle 1.6-mile round trip through old-growth forest ends at a footbridge over a three-way waterfall dropping into a narrow canyon, one of the park's most photographed falls.
Hike
Marymere Falls Trail
An easy 1.8-mile round trip from the Storm King Ranger Station crosses Barnes Creek to a 90-foot falls tucked in a mossy amphitheater of old-growth Douglas fir and hemlock.
Hike
Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall
A 3.3-mile round trip north along a driftwood-strewn beach passes sea stacks and tide pools to a wave-carved arch, tide-dependent and best planned around a low tide chart.
Beach
Ruby Beach exploration
A short trail drops from the parking area onto a beach of dark sand flecked with garnet, driftwood logs, and offshore sea stacks streaked with nesting seabirds.
Nature
Rain Forest Nature Trail, Lake Quinault
A short loop into old-growth forest a few minutes from Lake Quinault Lodge, moss-hung maples and towering Douglas fir and hemlock in a valley that gets more rain than almost anywhere in the contiguous states.
Afternoons
Kayak
Canoe or kayak rental, Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent Lodge and the Log Cabin Resort both rent canoes and kayaks for paddling the glacially clear, deep-blue water framed by steep forested slopes.
Hot Springs
Soak at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
Three mineral pools plus a freshwater pool sit in a forested valley below the Sol Duc River; day-use passes are available to non-guests and the resort runs seasonally, roughly spring through fall.
Beach
Second Beach hike from La Push
A mile through coastal forest drops onto a broad beach of sand and sea stacks, one of the peninsula's most scenic and least crowded, on the Quileute reservation's edge.
Nature
Kalaloch's Tree of Life
A Sitka spruce clings over a wave-eroded gap near Kalaloch Lodge, its roots suspended above open air; the ground beneath it keeps slumping, so tread carefully and expect the scene to keep changing.
Nature
Madison Falls & lower Elwha River valley
A five-minute paved walk from a small parking area reaches a wide, low waterfall on Madison Creek, an easy stop in the valley where the Elwha's two dams came down in the 2010s.
Museum
Feiro Marine Life Center, Port Angeles
A small waterfront aquarium on Port Angeles City Pier with touch tanks of sea stars, anemones and urchins pulled from the Strait, a good rainy-afternoon stop with kids.
Tour
Lake Quinault boat and rainforest tour
A guided van-and-lake tour run out of Lake Quinault Lodge loops through old-growth rainforest and along the lakeshore, narrated with the valley's logging and salmon history.
Evenings
Views
Sunset at Hurricane Ridge
Evening light rakes across the Bailey Range and, on a clear night, out to the Strait of Juan de Fuca; only a temporary restroom trailer remains since the 2023 lodge fire, so bring your own water and snacks.
Dining
Dinner in the Lake Crescent Lodge dining room
A 1916 lodge dining room and sunroom look straight down the lake as the light fades; the kitchen leans on Pacific Northwest seafood and the porch is worth the wait for a table.
Stargazing
Stargazing at Hurricane Ridge
Away from coastal cloud cover, the ridge's elevation and lack of nearby light pollution make for genuinely dark skies on clear nights, weather in the Olympics being what it is.
Views
Sunset at Rialto Beach
Sea stacks turn silhouette as the sun drops into the Pacific over a beach piled with bleached driftwood logs, one of the coast's easiest and most reliable sunset spots.
Talk
Ranger campfire program, Kalaloch
Seasonal evening programs at the Kalaloch amphitheater cover tide pools, coastal wildlife or park history; check the visitor center for the current summer schedule before counting on one.
Dining
Dinner at the Roosevelt Dining Room, Lake Quinault Lodge
The 1926 lodge's dining room looks over the lake toward the rainforest hills, with a stone fireplace and a menu built around Northwest seafood, a fitting last dinner in the park.
Brewery
Pint at Barhop Brewing & Artisan Pizza, Port Angeles
A Railroad Avenue taproom a few blocks from the ferry terminal pours its own craft beer, wine and cider alongside house-made pizza, a low-key close to a first or last night before or after the loop.
