Olympic National Park - Washington

We had such a wonderful time exploring Olympic National Park in the northwestern part of Washington State. This park was green and lush supported by lots of rain to maintain this amazing rainforest environment and habitat.

We camped and visited three major and very diverse areas of the park. First stop was the northern edge and the Sol Duc river area with it's impressive Sol Duc and Salmon Cascade waterfalls and rainforests.

Second stop was the northwestern edge along the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean where we flew a kite and played frisbee on the sandy beach with the dogs at Rialto Beach.

Third stop we visited the Hoh Visitors Center and hiked to the Hall of Mosses and took in views of huge old growth Western Hemlock, Sitka Spruce and Douglas Fir trees that were over 200 feet tall. We continued on to the western edge of the park that skirts the Pacific Ocean and visited the Tree of Life. This tree has somehow survived many years of beach bluff soil erosion by stretching it's roots over a large open gap and has secured itself to small remaining portions of the beach bluff. Our final camping spot was along the banks of Falls Creek on the southwestern edge of the Park along the southern shoreline of beautiful Lake Quinault.

It has been an amazing adventure and a excellent time of year to visit Olympic National Park due to the fall colorful leaves, less crowds and nice, cool crisp weather.

Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park. I had no idea the immense size of this National Park. It takes up almost all of the northwestern portion of the State of Washington on the Olympic Peninsula and it also occupies strips along the western coastline of the Pacific Ocean! This is Rialto Beach where dogs are allowed to join you on the beach. We camped at a National Park Campground called Mora Campground near here.

Peek a boo...I see you!  Jeff looking thru the base hole of one of the amazing large trees in the forest along our hike to Sol Duc Falls.

Along our 1.8 mile hike to the Sol Duc Waterfall Hike into the lush forest of Olympic National Park.  Jeff, Sue, Lorin and I had a great time hiking and viewing all the unique plants and crystal clear water rushing under us at the bridge at the waterfall.

Lake Quinault at Olympic National Park's most southwestern portion of the park on the Olympic Peninsula.

We camped at three different locations in Olympic National Park. Sol Duc Campground, second night at Mora Campground near Rialto Beach on the Pacific Ocean and our last night at a great campsite at Falls Creek Campground, Lake Quinault in the southern part of the park.