Last week, Erlend and I went on a road trip around Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula region for his spring break. About a three hour drive away from Portland, the Olympic Peninsula is home to some beautiful rocky coastlines, temperate rain forests, and abundant wildlife. Here are some highlights:
Vance Creek Bridge:
Lake Quinault:
Lake Quinault is located at the southern end of Olympic National Park. Since the Olympic Peninsula is pretty remote, Lake Quinault is one of the few towns that offers food and lodging. We rented out a cabin with a view of the lake within walking distance of town and trailheads for hikes around the Quinault Rain Forest.
Ruby Beach and Beaches 1, 2, 3, 4:
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rain forests within the country. The rain forest is home to ancient trees like Sitka spruce and western hemlock, some as tall as 300ft and as wide as 20 ft in diameter. Almost every surface of the rain forest is covered in some kind of moss or lichen, most of which are unique to the area.
Learn More:
- Want to see more pictures? Check out my Instagram feed! Be sure to follow me so you can keep up with my adventures in real time.
- You can learn more about the Olympic Peninsula by visiting Parks & Rec’s website for Olympic National Park! Almost all the landmarks I described above (with the exception of Vance Creek Bridge and Seattle) are within the Olympic National Park’s boundaries.
- Vance Creek Bridge is off the beaten path, and can be a little difficult to find. It’s located near the small town of Shelton, Washington and does not have a marked trailhead. It seems to be popular with high school kids, so when driving there, a good tell will be to look for teenagers and other parked cars. Sad but true.
- Erlend and I stayed in Lake Quinault’s Rain Forest Resort Village, which provided rustic but comfortable lodging. Also, pretty decent WiFi, which was hard to come around. If you want to be fancier, I recommend checking out the nearby historic Lake Quinault Lodge.
Unknown says
You have me dreaming! It has been on our list to backpack and camp thought the Olympic Pennisula. Stopping and camping on the beaches and throughout the rainforest. Looks like a great trip!
Motormouth Macey says
Wow, looks like an amazing time away! That bridge and it's views are amazing, but there's NO WAY I'd go out there. You two are so brave to be sitting on the edge! It makes me dizzy just thinking about it. Great photos! I'm definitely going to have to check out this area for the beaches!
Christine says
I've always wanted to go there! Many years ago in Oslo I got a book from the library called 'National Parks of the US' and I got lost in that book for many days, just daydreaming about all the adventures that lay ahead. I remember the Olympic peninsula really standing out for me, and now that we have Pinterest and Tumblr, it's not like I can ever avoid beautiful photos from the Pacific Northwest…. Your photos are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing with us 🙂
OrangeMew says
Great photos, seems like a restful but beautiful escape!
@afjo72 says
Very beautiful pictures and scenery 🙂
ahz1 says
The Olympic Peninsula is one of my favorite places to visit. Each time we go, we discover something that we've missed. One day, my husband and I will find the time to see the whole thing. Did you get up to Hurricane Ridge?
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Cheri Savory Spoon says
We went to the Olympic Peninsula a few years ago and it was so pretty, really that whole part of the country is amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Rachel @ Love, Rachel says
Amazing photos. I've been to these places and it really took me back! LOVE your photography.
michelle. says
You really captured the mood of the old growth forests–they look so tranquil.