Ultimate Olympic “A UNESCO World Heritage Site”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ferry Ride to the majestic Olympic Peninsula
• Hood Canal scenery
• Marine & wildlife spotting
• Interpretive walk on the Mosses Trail
• Stroll on Second Beach
• Dinner at Bella Italia

ITINERARY

This morning we make our way to the majestic Olympic Peninsula following the curved shoreline of Hood Canal offering spectacular scenery and the chance to enjoy the beauty of the region while cruising along U.S. Highway 101. This scenic roadway hugs the edge of the deep-water fjord where Orcas occasionally visit and giant octopus sleep deep beneath the surface. In places, the forest grows right to the edge of the shoreline.

Arriving into Port Angeles, as the name suggests, the action is down at the port. From atop the observation tower on the City Pier (Foot of Lincoln St.), visitors can see huge ships gorging on logs for export; the paper, pulp, and plywood mills that line the harbor; the tankers and cargo-ships plying the shipping lanes in the strait; and, in the background, Vancouver Island to the north and the Olympic Mountains to the south. Enjoy a short beach walk providing you up-close insight in to the world of sea cucumbers, sea anemones, giant Pacific octopuses, and sea slugs.

We continue through Port Angeles heading west on a beautiful drive through the Elwha Valley and along the rushing Elwha River when all of a sudden you will feel that you have been transported into Fiordland when peaking out at the glacial carved, crystal clear, 12-mile long Lake Crescent.

If there is time, we may stop at Madison Falls for an easy hike to do along the way or if you are up for a bit more, further up the valley beyond Lake Mills is the trailhead to the Olympic Hot Springs. Situated among steep cliffs, peaks and dense forest, Lake Crescent is another hidden treasure of the Olympics.

We travel through old growth forests and farmland as we make our way to the famed Hoh Rain Forest, the not-to-be-missed attraction here on the Olympic Peninsula. Moist ocean air from the Pacific brings over 150″ (record of 211″) of annual rainfall to this area, which, along with presence of Sitka spruce and “colonnades” (row of trees that grew atop downed trees called “nurse logs”), qualify the west-facing valleys of the Olympics as the only temperate rain forests in the northern hemisphere! The park was established in 1938 after President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited and was duly impressed with the region and it’s wildlife. Three loop trails near the Hoh Visitor Center are easy to stroll and give a great sampling of the area: The Hall of Mosses Trail is 3/4 mile and shows the moss-draped maples, magically green in the spring, spectacular with color in the fall and a treat any time of year; the 1 1/4 mile Spruce Trail follows the Hoh River along red alder and maple “bottom”, and shows the landscape carved by this glacier-fed river. The year- round Visitor Center is the starting point for many longer and more challenging hikes up to the alpine meadows and glaciers.

Next, we head over to Rialto Beach, north of the Quillayute River. It is one of the few drive-to beaches in the area and a beautiful spot to enjoy the surf and watch shorebirds, eagles and seals. On the South side of the river, at La Push, First Beach is a mile-long crescent known for surfing-size waves and great whale watching. Kayakers, surfers and seals add to the view. Second Beach, just east of La Push, is popular with photographers and is reached by way of a .6 mile forested trail that leads to a 2 mile long sandy stretch of beach with sea stacks and tidal pools – watch for the eagle nest above the tree line. Third beach, a mile east of Second beach, is a mostly level 1.5-mile trail through natural second growth forest, a result of winds up to 170 mph in January 1921. The “21 Blow” leveled nearly 8 billion feet of timber, enough to construct 600,000 3-bedroom homes.

We split up the drive back to Seattle with a stop for dinner in Port Angeles at the famed La Bella Italia.

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