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Enormous trunks reach for the sky, lacy limbs stretch to the sun, grooved bark is sanctuary to tiny creatures in the vast cathedral of Douglas-firs that dominate the forests on this side of the Olympic Peninsula. A variety of hiking trails navigate through the Staircase area along the Skokomish River and the nearby forests.
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A wilderness gateway to alpine meadows, jeweled lakes and ice-carved peaks. The valley has a scenic loop drive and trails through temperate rain forest in both Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest. The Quinault Valley has a number of short hiking trails, including a 1.3 mi loop to the old Kestner homestead, and another that winds through groves of bigleaf maples. More info can be found through the Quinault Rain Forest Ranger Station. The Quinault Valley ends at Lake Quinault.
Small ski area with 3 lifts (2 rope tows) and 10 trails. One of only three lift-serviced ski areas in the National Park system. There are also opportunities nearby for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding.
To preserve nearly an entire glacially carved rain forest river valley from source to sea, President Truman added the narrow Queets corridor to Olympic National Park in 1953. Glaciers and snow on Mount Olympus feed the Queets River on its descent to the Pacific. This quiet area is a popular place to spot wildlife including salmon, deer and elk.
(3 mi round trip, 700 ft gain). A popular hike on a paved walkway to a high point with panoramic views of mountains and sea.
The Olympic Peninsula's largest watershed. Prior to the construction of two dams in the early 1900s, it was known for its impressive salmon returns. Today, the dams are gone, and the Elwha River is now one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in National Park Service history. The Olympic Hot Springs Road and Whiskey Bend Road offer sightseeing opportunities through the valley's lowland and montane forests, as well as access to two picnic areas and a number of hiking trails. Stop to see Madison Creek Falls, a quick walk with superb views of the gushing Elwha River to the falls, with poems in between.
of precipitation each year fosters a lush, green canopy of old-growth trees and a floor blanked with thick mosses and ferns. Watch for herds of elk in the area, roll down the window (even if it is raining) and take in the smell of what seems a recently drained underwater world. Stop by the visitor center, walk the Hall of Moss interpretive trail, or hike further along the Hoh River all the way to Mount Olympus.