Olympic National Park

Hurricane Ridge

Perched at 5,242 feet, this is the park's most easily reached mountain area, with views across the snowcapped Olympic Mountains and, on clear days, to Vancouver Island across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Winds gusting past 75 miles an hour gave the ridge its name, and 30 to 35 feet of yearly snow keeps the subalpine meadows open; look for wildflowers, blacktail deer and marmots. Hiking ranges from easy paved walks to steep ridge routes. The Meadow Loop Trails start from the parking lot, Hurricane Hill Trail climbs about 700 feet over 1.6 miles one way on a rough paved path, and Klahhane Ridge Trail heads out near the visitor center, which has exhibits, a snack bar and a gift shop. In winter, visitors snowshoe, ski, snowboard, go tubing and join ranger-guided snowshoe walks.

Hoh Rain Forest

Fed by 12 to 14 feet of rain a year, this temperate rain forest on the west side of the Olympic Mountains is green from floor to canopy. Giant Sitka spruce and western hemlock rise overhead, while moss hangs from branches and ferns carpet the ground. On the Hall of Mosses Trail, an easy 0.8-mile loop, old-growth giants draped in moss line the path, and the 1.2-mile Spruce Nature Trail reaches the Hoh River. Both begin near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, which has rain forest exhibits and a bookstore. The Hoh River Trail runs 17.3 miles to Glacier Meadows on Mount Olympus, with a further climb to views of the Blue Glacier. Hoh Campground has 88 sites, some beside the river. Watch for elk, deer, black bears and northern spotted owls, keeping 50 yards away.

Sol Duc Valley

Hot springs, old-growth forest and a three-pronged waterfall define this valley in the northwest corner of the park, between Lake Crescent and the Pacific Coast. The Sol Duc River runs through it, serving as a main route for coho salmon bound for lakes and headwaters in the mountains. A popular day hike leads 0.8 mile through old-growth forest to Sol Duc Falls, and the Lover's Lane loop follows the far side of the river to link the falls with Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. For more of a climb, trails rise through dense forest to Mink Lake and Deer Lake. Longer trips on the High Divide Loop pass through Seven Lakes Basin, with mountain lakes and views of Mount Olympus. Stay at the resort or the Sol Duc Hot Springs RV Park and Campground.

Kalaloch & Ruby Beach

On the southwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula, Kalaloch is known for its wide sandy beach, while Ruby Beach, the northernmost access point, is known for its sea stacks. Seven trails drop from Highway 101 down the bluff to the ocean. Of these, only the Ruby Beach path lets wheelchair users continue all the way onto the sand, and an accessible viewpoint overlooks the water beside its parking area. Tidepools dot the rugged shoreline, and at low tide Beach 4 reveals seastars and anemones in many colors. Western gulls and bald eagles nest and feed along this stretch, and offshore islands shelter colonies of common murres and tufted puffins. The Kalaloch Nature Trail makes an easy one-mile loop through coastal forest. Overnight options include the Kalaloch and South Beach campgrounds and Kalaloch Lodge, with cabins, rooms and a restaurant.

Lake Crescent

Tucked into the foothills on the north side of the Olympic Mountains, this deep, glacially carved lake holds clear blue-green water. About 7,000 years ago a massive landslide cut it off from Lake Sutherland, and two distinct trout populations, the Crescenti and Beardslee, developed in that isolation. Kayaks, canoes, sailboats and rowboats share the water, with boat launches at the east and west ends and rowboat rentals at the historic Lake Crescent Lodge on the shore. For a swim or a lazy afternoon, East Beach and Bovee's Meadow have beaches, and picnic tables also sit at Fairholme, La Poel and the North Shore. Trails lead through old-growth forest to 90-foot Marymere Falls, up the steep switchbacks of Mount Storm King, and along the paved Spruce Railroad Trail, an old rail bed with two historic tunnels on the north shore.

Rialto, Second & Third Beaches

Weathered sea stacks rise offshore along this rocky stretch of Pacific coast, where heaps of giant drift logs line the sand and heavy surf rolls in. Rialto Beach is the simplest to reach, since the parking area sits right beside the shore. Walk north, using the beach itself as the trail, to Hole-in-the-Wall, a natural arch cut through a headland that you can step through when the tide is low. The rocks nearby are good for tidepooling, and the shoreline offers chances to see otters, seals, bald eagles and gray whales. A short boardwalk runs from the lot to the Rialto Beach Picnic Area in the coastal forest. Second Beach and Third Beach are reached by easy hikes. Backpackers heading along the Wilderness Coast need a wilderness camping permit and must keep food in bear canisters.

Quinault Rain Forest

Ferns, moss and lichen cloak the ground and giant Sitka spruce, western hemlock and Douglas-fir in this west side temperate rain forest valley, where yearly rainfall tops 12 feet. The park holds the north shore of Lake Quinault, while the national forest manages the south shore. A scenic loop drive circles through the valley, and the Quinault Rain Forest Ranger Station on the north shore, with exhibits and picnic tables, makes a good first stop. From there, the flat Maple Glade Trail loops half a mile through a mossy grove of bigleaf maples, and the self-guided Kestner Homestead Trail covers 1.3 miles of homestead history. Longer hikes follow the North Fork Quinault River into the wilderness, and campers can pick the small North Fork or larger Graves Creek campground.

Staircase

Tucked into the park's remote southeastern corner, this quieter, less-visited region is defined by towering old-growth Douglas-firs and the North Fork Skokomish River. The easy Staircase Rapids Loop, about 2 miles with little climbing, follows the river through old-growth forest to a bridge, passing rapids and waterfalls, with a spur to a huge fallen cedar. Stronger hikers take on the steep climb to Flapjack Lakes, where overnight permits are limited. Backpackers can follow the North Fork Skokomish River Trail into the wilderness toward the Duckabush River. Staircase Campground and the nearby ranger station, which offers exhibits and wilderness permits, serve as the hub for trips. The Bear Gulch Fire burned more than 20,000 acres in and around the area, and its closures affect the access road and many trails, so check current conditions first.

Deer Park

Sitting at 5,400 feet in the dry rainshadow of the eastern Olympics, this corner stays drier because Pacific storms shed most of their moisture before clearing Mount Olympus and the Bailey Range. The 18-mile Deer Park Road is narrow and steep, with its last nine miles on gravel and no room for RVs or trailers. At the top, a small tents-only campground offers 14 sites with picnic tables and fire pits, and the Deer Park Ranger Station has information. Hiking starts with the short Rain Shadow Loop, which climbs Blue Mountain for wide views of lowlands and peaks. Longer options include the 7.4-mile trail to Obstruction Point through subalpine forest and meadows, and the strenuous Three Forks Trail, which drops 3,416 feet to the Gray Wolf River Trail. Clear nights bring starry skies.