On a recent trip to British Columbia, my partner and I added on a few days in Washington State. Our top priorities for this portion of the trip were to see Olympic National Park, my personal favorite of the U.S. National Parks, and sip coffee in Seattle. Washington was an easy addition as we were able to travel our first leg by ferry.
Arriving by Ferry
Port Angeles serves as one of the main towns in which to stay prior to entering Olympic National Park. It is right on Puget Sound and connects to Victoria, Canada by ferry if you, like us, are looking for a longer adventure. This is how my partner and I arrived in Port Angeles. Journeys are provided by Black Ball Ferry Line at just $21 per adult. We found the ferry journey to be beautiful, comfortable, and a quick customs experience. If coming into Port Angeles by ferry, you’ll want to pack light as you’ll most likely have to walk between the ferry terminal and the rental car office or your accommodation. If you are flying into Washington, your main airport will be Seattle Tacoma, but we’ll get to the Emerald City in our next post…
Hotel and Car Rental
We stayed at the Aircrest Motel. While it was nothing special, we were able to get it for around $56 per night. One of the main reasons to visit Olympic National Park in winter is the price of accommodations are significantly lower. The motel’s quality does not reflect its expensive summer prices, but it met our needs during this off season deal. Departing Victoria on the 4pm ferry did mean that we would have to wait until the next day to pick up our rental, as the Enterprise office closes at 5pm. While you can drop off after hours, you have to pick up within their window. Aircrest Motel was just over a twenty minute walk from the ferry and only four minutes from the Enterprise, allowing us to get a jump on our following day in Olympic National Park.
Port Angeles
Other than being your gateway to the park, Port Angeles doesn’t have much to draw tourists. If you have time, you can check out Port Angeles Wharf for food or boutiques. Twilight fans should head over to Odyssey Books, where Bella most likely would have shopped, and Bella Italia, the restaurant from the book series where you can still order her signature mushroom ravioli and Coca-Cola. Knowing our time would be better spent out in the wilderness, we chose to stock up on provisions from Safeway and grab a well-balanced Stumptown latte from The Coffee Box on our way out of town.
Olympic National Park
While visiting Olympic National Park in winter is well worth your time and helps you avoid crowds along with surge prices, there are some drawbacks. The road to Hurricane Ridge, the park’s most iconic vista point, is only open on weekends and holiday Mondays during the winter months, weather permitting. You can read about hiking at Hurricane Ridge in the summer season in our blog Top 5 Must Do Attractions in Olympic National Park. The road to Sol Duc Trail, another one of the park’s highlights, closes for snow. Always check the National Park Service website for the latest on park closures. That being said, there is still plenty to see to fill a whole day.
Lake Crescent
From Port Angeles, your first stop will be Lake Crescent. If you packed breakfast to go, this is a great place to pause, take in nature, and finish your coffee. This serene lake has plenty of car pull offs, so you can enjoy its beauty but quickly get on with your day. Watch bald eagles fly overhead while logging trucks zoom past on the 101, a staple of the area’s lifestyle. You’ll find that a good portion of your day is spent on this famed road as highlights accessible within a day are still quite spread out. Luckily, the surrounding scenery truly makes the journey a focal point itself.
Forks
After about 35 more miles, you’ll come to the small town of Forks, Washington. The setting for Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga (though the films were shot in Oregon), this small town attracts fans year round. Like Port Angeles, there isn’t a lot to spend your time on, but for those diehards, you’ll need to stop for a photo of the Welcome sign. Next, go to the visitor’s center to pose with replicas of Bella’s truck and snag some souvenirs. Native to Twilight also boasts good deals. While you can peruse the free Forever Twilight in Forks Collection at the Rainforest Arts Center, it is only open on weekends in winter. With limited seasonal daylight we opted for seeing more of the park.
Hoh Rainforest
Olympic National Park’s Hoh Rainforest is simply otherworldly. Hiking through the moss covered trees, you are transported back in time and can almost imagine that the rustling of leaves is caused by dinosaurs that likely once walked this land. Don’t worry, it’s just a deer, but keep your eyes peeled for mountain lions, bears, werewolves, and vampires – all very real threats. Receiving around twelve feet of rain per year, Hoh Rainforest allows you to enjoy one of the more lush landscapes in the world. Of course, you’ll want waterproof clothes and probably a spare change of socks.
We were surprised to find no ranger at the station to collect payment, probably another perk of winter visits, but if you don’t want to chance it you can purchase your pass in advance. Print it out and display it on your dashboard while parked. The two most popular trails here, Hall of Mosses (0.8 miles) and Spruce Nature Trail (1.2) are equal parts beginner-friendly and beautiful. I highly recommend doing both, as they won’t take long and each have something special to offer. Hall of Mosses takes you through old groves of maples while the Spruce Nature Trail grants you river views. We peacefully enjoyed the trials, only passing one other person in our time there.
Quileute Indian Reservation
While it required the most driving, Hoh Rainforest was well worth it. That being said, with daylight diminishing, we found ourselves rushing to Quileute Indian Reservation to see the sun set over First Beach. Quileute Indian Reservation is a home to the Quileute people as well as some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the state of Washington. Three Rivers Resort allows for one last Twilight photo op at the Treaty Line sign and has a small convenience store and restaurant where you can get hot chocolate to go. Arriving at La Push, a small coastal village, you are greeted with views of rocky islands, a harbor, and gigantic trees that have been washed up as driftwood. Wishing we had booked a night, we fantasized about what it would be like to wake up at Quileute Oceanside Resort. Although we loved seeing the village and First Beach was wondrous, another site across the river sparked our interest.
Rialto Beach
In a spur of the moment decision that put our sunset moment at risk, we drove twenty minutes to get from First Beach to the more secluded Rialto Beach. Though you can see one beach from the other, the Quillayute River prevents you from simply walking from one to the next. Sadly, we did not have time to hike along the shore to Hole in the Wall. Check out our other blog to see why non-Twilight fans may want to see this additional landmark in lieu of Forks. With our minimal time at Rialto beach, we enjoyed carefully walking atop the slick driftwood before finding a trunk to sit on for the main show. We were lucky to have relatively clear visibility for a vibrant sunset. The calm lapping of the coastal water mixed with the scent of the misty evergreens behind our backs was the perfect way to end our day in Olympic National Park.
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