Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FESTIVALS
Each year in late August,
Makah Days
are celebrated in Neah
Bay (on the Makah Indian Reservation) with canoe races, Indian dancing, a
salmon bake, and other events.
PARK ADMISSION
Park admission is $10 per vehicle and $5 per pedestrian
or cyclist. Another option, if you plan to visit several national parks in a single
year, is the National Parks Pass or the Golden Eagle Passport, an annual pass
good at all national parks and recreation areas. The pass costs $50 (plus $15 for
the Golden Eagle upgrade) and is available at all national park visitor centers. If
you're over 62, you can get a Golden Age Passport for $10, and if you have a dis-
ability, you can get a free Golden Access Passport.
EXPLORING THE PARK'S NORTH SIDE
Port Angeles is the headquarters for the park, and it's here that you'll find the
Olympic National Park Visitor Center,
3002 Mount Angeles Rd. (
&
360/
565-3130
). Mount Angeles Road is on the south edge of town and leads up to
Hurricane Ridge.
In addition to having lots of information, maps, and books
about the park, the center has exhibits on the park's flora and fauna, old-growth
forests, and whaling by local Native Americans. It's open daily from 8:30am to
5pm in summer (shorter hours fall-spring).
From the main visitor center, continue another 17 miles up Mount Angeles
Road to Hurricane Ridge, which on clear days offers the most breathtaking
views in the park. In summer the surrounding subalpine meadows are carpeted
with wildflowers. Several hiking trails lead into the park from here, and several
day hikes are possible (the 3-mile
Hurricane Hill Trail
and the 1-mile
Meadow
Loop Trail
are the most scenic). At the
Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center
(
&
360/565-3130
), you can learn about the area's fragile alpine environment.
In winter, Hurricane Ridge is a popular cross-country skiing area and also has
two rope tows and a Poma lift for downhill skiing. However, because the ski area
is so small and the conditions so unpredictable, this ski area is used almost exclu-
sively by local families. For more information, contact
Hurricane Ridge Pub-
lic Development Authority
(
&
360/457-4519,
or 360/565-3131 for road
conditions; www.hurricaneridge.com). The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center has
exhibits on alpine plants and wildlife. In summer, you're likely to see deer graz-
ing in the meadows and marmots, relatives of squirrels, lounging on rocks or nib-
bling on flowers.
A few miles east of Port Angeles, another road heads south into the park to
an area called
Deer Park.
This narrow, winding gravel road is a real test of nerves
and consequently is not nearly as popular a route as the road to Hurricane
Ridge. However, the scenery once you reach the end of the road is just as breath-
taking as that from Hurricane Ridge. As the name implies, deer are common in
this area. To reach this area, turn south at the Deer Park movie theater.
West of Port Angeles a few miles, up the Elwha River, you'll find the short
trail (actually an abandoned road) that leads to
Olympic Hot Springs
. These
natural hot pools are in a forest setting and are extremely popular and often
crowded, especially on weekends. For more developed hot springs soaking, head
to Sol Duc Resort, west of Lake Crescent.
Also west of Port Angeles, on U.S. 101, lies
Lake Crescent,
a glacier-carved
lake surrounded by steep forested mountains that give the lake the feel of a fjord.
This is one of the most beautiful lakes in the state and has long been a popular
destination. Near the east end of the lake, you'll find the 1-mile trail to 90-foot-
high
Marymere Falls
and the
Storm King Ranger Station
(
&
360/928-3380
),
