Olympic Loop - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 55

ished by Indians for their therapeutic value, the springs were discovered by a pioneer in
1880 and have been soothing aching muscles ever since.
The resort, which is tucked away in a valley of old-growth Douglas firs, has three hot
tubs(temperaturesrangefrom98°Fto104°F),afreshwaterswimmingpool,andrusticcab-
ins. Sol Duc is also a major trailhead for hikes into the park's interior.
13. La Push
Continuing westward on Hwy. 101, the drive leaves Olympic National Park and heads to-
wardthevillageofForks,hometoallthingsrelatedtotheTwilightseriesbooksandmovies
( www.twilightontheolympicpeninsula.com ) .One mile north oftown, take a 15-mile detour
west to La Push, an old Indian fishing village that is home to the Quileute Indian Reser-
vation. The town's charcoal-gray beaches are noted for their ever-changing collection of
driftwood and their fine views of offshore whales and sea stacks.
14. Bogachiel State Park
Situated on the banks of the Bogachiel River, this 125-acre park makes an ideal base camp
for exploring the western side of the Olympic Peninsula. Two short trails wind through a
densely forested valley where red alders and cottonwoods suddenly give way to spruces
and hemlocks. During fall, salmon and steelhead attract anglers from all over. Continuing
south, follow Hoh River Road east into the heart of the Hoh Rain Forest.
15. Hoh Rain Forest
Take some soil—earth so rich and deep that it can support just about any form of veget-
ation. Add a dash of heat, but just the right amount—a bit too much and the plants will
wither,toolittle andtheycouldfreeze.Thenletthemixturesimmerinmoisture—plenty of
rain, fog, and humidity. Such is the recipe for a rain forest.
One of the best examples of a temperate-zone rain forest in the world, and one of the
few coniferous ones in existence, the Hoh is nourished by a continuous stream of warm,
moist air from the Pacific, yielding some 140 inches of rainfall per year. The result is a
landscape of extraordinary lushness. Perhaps a dozen different shades of green, all of them
suffused with soft sunlight, soothe the eyes with a glorious glow. Feathery ferns, verdant
vines, lime-colored lichen—these are but a few of the 300-odd kinds of plants that thrive
within this great natural greenhouse.