Exploring the Olympic Peninsula: Part 1
Field Trip Newsletter: #51
Hello! I’m back! After a whirl-wind summer break, my son is back in school next week. It flew by, and each week I thought about checking in here, and each week got away from me because we were swimming at the lake, out traveling, heading back and forth to day camps, and so on, and so on… I have loved reading your emails about your travels, asking questions about places you are visiting, and getting more of a window into your summer break.
Another thing I’ve been very busy doing is selling my next book! You are the first to hear this exciting news, but my third book will be out in 2024. As I write it, I will take you with me over the next year. There will be a lot of travel involved in the process, and I want you, my Field Trip readers, to be along for the journey. Sit tight; it’s going to be fun and unexpected. But first, I’d love to share with you a trip we took this summer that felt perfect and just what we needed. Let’s journey to the Olympic Peninsula! Jump below for all the spots to visit, what’s overrated, and more… It’s long, so grab your coffee for the read. Also, you can always come back and visit this anytime you’d like, even if you can’t get through the whole newsletter. Did you know they are all saved in one spot for easy reference when needed? - Erin
As popular as the cities (Seattle, Vancouver, Portland) in the Pacific Northwest are, the Olympic Peninsula is a missed area of the country that has it all. There are mountains, unbelievably beautiful lakes, the ocean, and temperate rainforests. So let’s dive in because I will take you to all of it. I used to live in this area, and it was like coming home in many ways. We booked our flights and rental car months ago to lock in those prices and are thankful that we did because of the rising costs of gas, etc.
Day One:
We flew into Seattle and first met a friend for lunch before catching the Bainbridge ferry to the Peninsula. My husband and son have been to Seattle a couple of times before, but they had never been on the ferry more to the peninsula. I found an Air BNB in Sequim, which was exactly what we needed. A cute cabin right on the water. We watched seals swimming in the bay while we ate breakfast. We arrived around dinnertime, and the hosts own a restaurant in town, so we headed there for oysters and chowder before getting some sleep.
Day Two:
Up, bright and early, we headed to Salt Creek Recreation Area. It’s on the whale trail, with spots to see migrating whales from time to time. We sadly didn’t see any. I have seen plenty in the past, but I would have loved that experience for Sean and Tom. Salt Creek is a fantastic area for looking for tidepools. We spotted starfish, razor clams, anemones, lots of crabs, and sea lettuce. Unfortunately, Tom slipped on the razor clams and sliced his hand. Thankfully it wasn’t too bad, and there were bathrooms nearby where we could get the cut cleaned up quickly. I always travel with the Welly first aid kit. It’s small, and I can carry it in my bag. We were back to exploring in no time.
There are also some neat, almost apocalyptic like World War 2 forts at Salt Creek. They are massive concrete structures taken over by moss and ferns. Pretty incredible.
Next, we got lunch in Port Angeles and drove to Lake Cresent Lodge. This old-school lodge is lined with little cabins that you can rent. They were incredible looking, but I think the cost is very steep, and so many people walk around just outside your door. So your money is better spent elsewhere. Certainly worth a stop, though. Especially if you want just to sit and enjoy the views, you don’t have to be a guest to enjoy that.
On the other side of the lake from the lodge, there’s a place called
Camp David Jr. that looks interesting. However, I think it’s for larger groups, but cabins are available. There’s also a campground called Fairholme Campgrounds and some terrific looking Airbnbs, all right on the lake for a fraction of the Lake Crescent Lodge prices.
We drove up to the top of Hurrican Ridge to cap off the evening. It was cloudy, but still a remarkable view. We even saw snow up there! The temperature dropped into the 40s at the top of the peak.
Day Three:
We checked out of our Airbnb and moved to a different one in Port Angeles. This was an availability thing. If I had booked sooner, I might have been able to get us a reservation in just one place. I liked our first Airbnb but wished we’d had this one the whole time. It was so comfortable and had a washer and dryer. That was key after hiking five to six miles a day. It was also right in the heart of Port Angeles, so it was easy to get everywhere we wanted to go.
We started the day hiking to Marymere Falls. It’s a super easy hike and charming. Minor falls, but worth it. Next, onto the collective favorite hike of the trip - Ancient Groves. It was this almost mythical-looking trail that literally one other person was on. It’s a short loop, about half a mile, and was stunning. I feel people overlook it on the way to Sol Duc Falls or don’t know about it. We hiked to Sol Duc Falls next, and it was completely lovely.
NOTE TO PARENTS: Sean and Tom went to explore a couple of campsites past the falls. I stayed put at the falls to do some bird watching. Sean came back without Tom, and we both went into full-on panic mode. Sean thought Tom came back to me and Tom thought Sean was coming back for him. Sean retraced his steps, and Tom did exactly what he was supposed to do - he stayed put. It was a miscommunication on their part, but thankfully Tom just stayed put until Sean found him, rather than walking around looking for Sean. It could have been awful. Please teach your children about safety on the trails before heading out. Here’s a great list to get you started.
Day Four:
This might be a crazy opinion, but I will say it. The Hoh Rainforest is overrated. It was dry and so crowded. The thing about Washington state is that many other temperant rainforests aren’t busy like the Hoh. You have to get there early to avoid getting stuck in a long line (two hours+). And that’s to get into the park. When I went for the first time back in 1999, no other car was in sight. So it was nothing like we experienced, which was a lot of people. You are better off visiting Ancient Groves trail or Lake Quinault (I’ll get to that in part two of this newsletter). We liked it because we were outside in nature, but not because it was a rainforest, which was really cool.
We finished off the day with a drive out to the coast nearby. We opted to see the famed Tree of Life. It was pretty beautiful, a tree with no soil but continues to grow and thrive. I mean, what’s not to love? It was right off the parking lot, so a straightforward walk down to the beach. There are quite a few steps, so be aware of that. We grabbed a soft serve ice cream for about $1.50 down the street at the Kalaloch Lodge.
Ok, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time today. I will return next week with the rest of the trip, including a day trip to Canada, the must-see things to do in Seattle when you only have a day, and where to stop on the oyster trail in Washington.
Until next Thursday… Have a great week!
Before you go:
Do you have a child in the 4th grade? Well, you can visit the parks for free! We are taking full advantage this year as Tom enters the 4th grade. The new year opens up on September 1, 2022.
Get your passes early and print them out at home. I’m glad we did this because it sped up the process of getting into the park.
Find your ferry schedule here.
Sidenote: I noticed a lot of disability access in the park and zero trash. Everything is so well maintained and cared for. I love that the higher-ups are starting to realize that nature should be inclusive and implementing the access to make sure that happens.