• Play
• Hiking

Hiking

Map of Olympic National Park & Forest

The Best Way to See It All

Kalaloch Hiking

From Kalaloch Lodge, drive 7 miles north to Ruby Beach to see its garnet colored sand and towering sea stacks. Try Beach Trail 4 to access surf fishing, tide pools and seal or whale watching. To explore deeper parts of the coastal forest, try the Kalaloch Nature Trail.

Or travel 20 miles north to the turn off into the Hoh Rainforest and 18 miles in to the Rainforest Visitor Center, where you'll find three easy loop trails, a trail that is wheelchair accessible, and one longer trail for those wishing to camp overnight. Please note that trails to the beach at Kalaloch are not wheelchair accessible - most are 500 to 1000 feet long and several are steep.

Hiking Guide: Kalaloch Hiking Brochure (PDF)

Sol Duc Hiking

At Sol Duc Hot Springs Lodge, the famous Lover's Lane Loop (six miles round-trip) is accessible from the back of the resort. This hike leads you into the old growth forest, along the Sol Duc River, crossing at Sol Duc Falls.

For longer hikes or overnight camping (permit required), the Seven Lakes Basin area offers Mountain Lake and excellent views of Mount Olympus from High Divide. Heart Lake in the Seven Lakes Basin area is the only Washington camping area to make the Wilderness Society's top 10 romantic nature outings as reported in the Peninsula Daily News in 2010.

Hiking Guide: Sol Duc Hiking Brochure (PDF)

Lake Crescent Hiking

At Lake Crescent Lodge, the Marymere Falls Trail is 3/4 of a mile from the Storm King Ranger Station. The 90-foot drop from Falls Creek into a small plunge pool is a fairly flat hike through old growth forest, except for the final approach, which is fairly steep.  This falls is generally available for year-round views, and during the summer months the National Park offers nature tours.

At mile-high Hurricane Ridge, during the summer season a hike to Hurricane Hill on a clear day can offer a 360-degree view, north across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, Canada or the southern view of the glacier clad Mount Olympus. While walking the trail view sub-alpine flowers like lupine, Indian Paintbrush and avalanche lilies. Be listening for the whistle of a marmot, which are frequently seen and heard in this area. Whistle back to the marmot and he will whistle back to you.

Starting at Fairholm General Store, you can continue on down the Camp David Junior Road on the north side of Lake Crescent from Fairholm to hook up with the Olympic Discovery Trail and the Spruce Railroad Trail, which takes you near a couple of train tunnels.  On a clear day in this area you can look deep into the pristine lake and make out the shadows of a train engine that fell into the lake many years ago.

Hiking Guide: Lake Crescent Hiking Brochure (PDF)

Lake Quinault Hiking

Hiking is a natural way to explore this special area. Short or long, leisurely or invigorating, you'll find a great variety of hikes here. There are more than 15 well-maintained trails for you to explore, each offering a different perspective on this diverse ecosystem. These trails are a great way to experience the Quinault Valley, so you may want to hike more than one during your visit.  Please feel free to ask the Lake Quinault Lodge front desk for a map of these trails. Here are our five most popular trails for you to consider:

The Big Spruce Tree Trail:
Only a couple minutes in length and an easy walk, this trail is a great warm up. The trail goes to the largest Sitka Spruce Tree known and can be accessed from a gravel pull off at the Rain Forest Resort Village about a mile from the Lodge.

US Forest Service Nature Trail System:
Located across from the Lodge are several miles of inter-connected, beautiful nature trails complete with occasional interpretive signing. Hikes as short as a half mile are available.

Maple Glade:
If you are a rain forest enthusiast this is what you came here to see. The Maple Glade Trail is only a half mile in length but absolutely beautiful. Huge, Big Leaf Maples are found throughout the area and are draped with streamers of moss and ferns. In the early morning or late evening the low angle of the sun back lights the huge leaves and the forest displays every color of green one can imagine. This is an easy trail with no hills and is maintained by the Park Service.

Kestner Homestead Trail:
Anton Kestner arrived here in 1889 and set about claiming his land under the Federal Homestead Act. He and his family lived on the North Shore homesteading the land for many years. The Park Service has developed a trail into the Homestead which is in the first phase of restoration. Visit the Park Service Visitors Center and the Maple Glades Trail for a glimpse into the past and hike this trail alone or with the Park Ranger during scheduled walks.

The Big Cedar Trail:
This short trail, recently constructed by the Washington Conservation Corp, does have some high steps as you climb the hillside. Once at the top, which is about a 15 minute hike, you will see the enormous Cedar Tree some have called the Hobbit Tree.

Hiking Guide: Lake Quinault Hiking Brochure (PDF)

Hurricane Ridge Hiking

Hurricane Ridge offers great hiking with many trails, along with its winter skiing program.  We recommend you start at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center where exhibits, orientation movie and restrooms are available year-round. The information desk is staffed in the summer and on the weekends from late December to late March. Ranger programs are offered starting in late June through September. A gift shop with snack bar is open mid May to late September, as well as weekends starting in mid December to late March.

The Hurricane Ridge Road is open 24 hours a day from mid-May into October. The rest of the year it opens (weather permitting) primarily on weekends. Call 360-565-3131 for a 24-hour road and weather recording. Picnic Areas A and B (summer only), one mile beyond the visitor center, have restrooms, water and paved trails to tables. In winter, visitors may picnic upstairs in the visitor center.

Regulations: Please stay on designated trails and do not feed wildlife. Pets and bicycles are not permitted on paved or dirt trails.

Hiking Guide: Hurricane Ridge Hiking Brochure (PDF)