Olympic Loop - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 49

1. Potlatch State Park
Nearlysurroundedbywater(thePacificOceantothewest,theStraitofJuandeFucatothe
north, and Puget Sound to the east), the Olympic Peninsula abounds with scenic waterside
views.Thevistasunfoldrightatthestartofthisdramaticdrive:Forsome30milesbetween
Potlatch and Brinnon, Hwy. 101 hugs the wooded western bank of the Hood Canal, a long,
narrow fjord of Puget Sound. On the great bend of the canal sits Potlatch State Park, an
ideal place for digging clams and picking oysters (a license is required). The 57-acre park,
namedforthefeastlocalIndiansheldtocelebratethebirthofanheirorotherspecialevent,
is a good place to have a little feast of your own, since numerous spots are available for
picnicking.
2. Lake Cushman State Park
As the drive continues north along the lower canal, fishing resorts dot the shore, while to
the west the Olympic Mountains beckon with their snowy peaks. Closer to the highway,
therouteisstuddedwithshowyrhododendrons,reddishmadronatrees,androadsidestands
offering fresh shellfish. At Hoodsport a spur road leads north to Lake Cushman State Park
and then on to Olympic National Park, where a nearby attraction is the Staircase Rapids
Nature Trail. The four-mile path gets its name from the coursing cascades created by the
steep terrain traversed by the Skokomish River.
3. Dosewallips State Park
Straddling Hwy. 101, this 425-acre park provides the best of two worlds—the fresh water
of the Dosewallips River and the salt water of the Hood Canal. The mild currents of the
canal make it an ideal habitat for clams and Quilcene oysters (named for a nearby town
that boasts one of the largest oyster hatcheries in the world). The best time to harvest these
oysters is at low tide, but first call the shellfish safety hotline at 800-562-5632 to find out
which areas to avoid (some may have unsafe levels of bacteria).
4. Mt. Walker Viewpoint
A few miles north of Brinnon, turn east on a steep gravel road leading to the summit of
Mt.Walker,wheretheviewtakesinmorethan5millionacresofsurroundingterritory—an
area nearly as large as New Hampshire.
Poised2,750feetabovesealevel,ascenicoverlookaffordssweepingpanoramasofthe
Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and the Cascade Range. From the northern viewpoint