Olympic National Park guide · 1 min read
Lake Crescent and Marymere Falls
Lake Crescent sits in the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, about 18 miles west of Port Angeles along Highway 101.
Glaciers carved this deep basin, which drops to more than 600 feet, and the water is clear enough in places to see roughly 60 feet down. Forested slopes rise steeply right from the shoreline.
About 7,000 years ago, a massive landslide cut Lake Crescent off from neighboring Lake Sutherland. That separation left two distinct trout populations, the Crescenti and the Beardslee, which adapted to life in the isolated lake. Fishing here is catch and release only.
The walk to Marymere Falls starts near the Storm King Ranger Station, just off the highway. The route runs just under two miles round trip, passing lake views before entering old-growth forest with towering spruce. The first half mile is wheelchair accessible. After two wooden bridges over Barnes Creek, the trail climbs steps for the last quarter mile or so to viewpoints of the 90-foot falls. For another short forest walk, the Moments in Time Trail follows the lakeshore through old growth.
On the water, canoes and kayaks are a natural fit, and boat launches sit at both the east and west ends of the lake. Swimmers wade in from the shore and docks, and picnic tables are set up at Fairholme, Bovee's Meadow, La Poel and the North Shore.
Two lodging options face the lake. Lake Crescent Lodge, on the south shore, dates to 1916 and offers cottages, lodge rooms, a restaurant and rowboat and kayak rentals. Its porch is a good spot for a meal even if you aren't staying overnight. On the north shore, Log Cabin Resort has cabins, chalets, camping, a restaurant, a store and boat rentals.
