The Olympic Peninsula is deemed by many to be the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest. With its lush rain forests, soaring mountain peaks, crystal clear lakes, colossal coastal cliffs and stunning waterfalls, we found much to explore and enjoy. Hopefully these photos will convey the beauty we’ve experienced and make you smile!
First up, we drove nearly an hour to Hurricane Ridge to behold Mount Olympus and the surrounding mountains. About halfway along our drive, low clouds and fog encased us. Thankfully, the cloud layer faded as we climbed more than 5,000 feet to the ridge. The sun made an appearance as we neared the crest. Hiking was a bit challenging for us with steep inclines, but so worth it.
On our second day, we drove more than two hours to Cape Flattery, nearly the furthest western point of the continental US (Cape Alava just south of Cape Flattery extends just a bit further west). We ventured to the coastal cliffs which were truly awe inspiring.
On our return to Port Angeles, we stopped to hike the Marymere Falls Trail and then continued to the shore of the beautiful Lake Crescent to snap a few photos. We passed several ginormous Douglas Fir old-growth trees.
Our last peninsula adventure required another long drive. We joined a throng of people hiking to Sol Duc Falls. This waterfall had three channels. While Skip and I prefer hiking quietly, we knew this was a popular trail before we started. The trek was worth the reward of the view. As we left the Olympic Peninsula, we drove along the western coast, catching an occasional glimpse of the Pacific Ocean.
For our final Washington adventure, we spent a day beholding beautiful vistas and hiking near Mount St. Helens. It was magnificent to learn how the volcanic eruption in 1980 reshaped the surrounding landscape for miles and miles. We learned that force of the the explosion of St. Helens was equivalent to a nuclear bomb exploding once per second for nine straight hours. The devastation was truly catastrophic. And yet, life has returned. Wildflowers, meadows and stately evergreens grace the slopes of these mountains.
As we cross the Columbia River, we’ll wave goodbye to Washington and push onward to Oregon. We’ll be relaxing for a few days as we visit dear friends. We’ll resume our adventures late next week when we explore Crater Lake National Park and then Bend. Hope you’ll come along for the ride!
Gorgeous photos as always! Travel well.
Beautiful!!! Be safe!
Your photos are magnificent & so is your writing. I taught 4th gr. in Edmonds, WA, & could see Olympic mts. out of my bay window. The ferry to Peninsula left from Edmonds. Took it many times. There was a Norwegian town there that had a great lutefisk dinner every Fall . But I never saw as much of the Olympic Peninsula as you did. I was there in 1980. Sky near Seattle got rather dark for a while.
The Oregon coast is beautiful too. All of this shows God’s creation.
Wow, Margaret! How fun to learn this about you. We wanted to take a ferry but our rig was too tall so we had a long drive. And yes… all of the beauty showcases God’s creation!
Love your trip & so happy to tag along with you. Gary’s sister has lived in Pt. Angeles for many years & we have stayed with them for a few days on both our trips to Alaska. I remember going into town & seeing huge beautiful bouquets of flowers for sale for only $5 at that time. Wish we could go back again.
What beautiful scenery!! Hope you enjoy our old state of Oregon. 😊
Always a joy to encounter God’s creation and beauty through your photos and beautiful writings.
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Wonderful photos and adventures! Washington is such a beautiful state. Yes, I remember Mount St. Helen’s erupting. It was May 18th, 1980. May 18th is my birthday and my aunt, who lived in Tacoma, sent me a globe that included some of the ash. What a memory!
Anne,
It was so delightful to see these photos. I can almost smell the PNW air and feel the coolness of my beloved Natural. Beauty called home for so long. I haven’t been out there for a couple years and miss it terribly. This was a lovely dose to keep me content for a while longer.
I look forward to your next reporting.
Thanks for sharing, Anne. Yes, the air is so pure here. We’ve been blessed to enjoy the PNW without fire smoke. We’re in Bend now. More photos to come.