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Published: November 13th 2023
When we left Missoula, we abandoned the Lewis and Clark expedition trail temporarily. From this point they had a relatively easy journey down the Columbia River to the Oregon coast, and we shall cover that later. For now, we left their path and made our own. First we went to Spokane to pick up Jennie and have dinner with her niece, then across the Snoqualmie Pass to the Seattle area, and on through onto the Olympic Peninsula. There was little of interest between Missoula and Spokane, unless you consider it interesting to be traveling through country you know is inhabited by 3 foot long earthworms. Seattle is just a big sprawl for the traveler passing through. Its charms require an actual visit. Eventually, at the end of two days of driving, we found ourselves at the Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Park. The drive through Snoqualmie Pass is always beautiful, although I found it less beautiful in this summer trip than when I last did it in the winter.
Olympic National Park is huge, encompassing more than 875,000 acres (354,000 hectares), but over 95% of it is designated wilderness area, with no roads or services, apparently a backpacker's paradise.
But my backpacking days are over, and I am more road-bound. (I know there will be some nattering nabobs of negativity who will claim that my backpacking days were never here, but I will allow no such cavils into this discourse.) From the standpoint of us roadies, the park consists primarily of the beautifully mountainous Hurricane Ridge area and the other-worldly moss-scapes at the Hoh Rain Forest, plus some rugged coastline in the geographically separated coastal unit. Lake Crescent Lodge is near Port Angeles, and if one wishes to stay within the park it is the only overnight point for the Hurricane Ridge area. The lodge itself is quite nice., consisting of multiple types of cabins situated near the main lodge which houses the dining room and gift shop. Large floor-to-ceiling picture windows in the lodge look out onto the lake with its beautiful blue-green color. Like all national park lodges I have visited, the main lodge has an antique and rustic quality inside. A lack of nitrogen in the water of the lake prevents much growth of algae and other phytoplankton, so the water remains clear with up to 60 foot visibility. There are two indigenous species of trout
lurking in its waters.
As is true of many popular national parks these days, access is limited to the number of cars that can park in available spaces. The day lodge at Hurricane Ridge burned on May 7 2023, and as a result there are no services available there at present, and the amount of parking is more limited than usual. At the bottom of the long mountain drive is an entrance station where cars are allowed up only as spaces become available. In early morning we had no problem going through fairly quickly. By the time we came back down, the line of cars waiting probably stretched for half a mile or more. There is a bus you can take from Port Angeles as well, and if you don't want to arrive early that is likely your best option. Only 315 vehicles are allowed in at any given time.
Earlier in the trip we had established that we needed to walk as much as possible to build endurance, because we would be facing tougher walks ahead. We looked forward to hiking at Hurricane Ridge because hikes there start at an altitude of about 5200', and we knew
we would later face thinner air. Unfortunately, we discovered to our simultaneous dismay and joy that we were simply not going to be able to do any of the longer hikes. As the old saying goes, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. I am in better shape than many 75 year olds, but Father Time lavishes his attentions on all of us alike. While walking several miles on level ground, particularly at sea level, is no big thing, doing the same thing on paths with challenging vertical climbs starting at a mile above sea level is just no longer possible. We did a shorter hike of less than a mile that took us up to a grand vista, then returned to celebrate our triumph.
The coastal unit of Olympic National Park is completely geographically detached from the larger wilderness. Many businesses are allowed to continue to operate, although I am not sure how many of those may be on Native American land. The tribes one with which I was not familiar, although that is hardly surprising since most of my knowledge of Native Americans comes from the Plains Indians and the Native American tribes of North
and South Carolina.
Coming from South Carolina, there are unexpected things when you first visit a beach on the Washington or Oregon Coast. Like in South Carolina, the beaches tend to be wide expanses of silica sand, but unlike in South Carolina, there are frequently forests of large conifers or slopes of mountains advancing nearly to the beach. This can result in some spectacular landscapes. One other difference I have noted is that there seems to be a lot more driftwood and other drifted detritus along the coasts here. I don't have a thread of evidence for this, but I suspect the phenomenon results from the fact that on the West Coast the beaches are on the eastern side of the Pacific Counter Current, while in SC we are on the west side of the similar current in the Atlantic. There are lots of place for things to come to land in the Atlantic before the current reaches our shores, but on the West Coast the strongest current hits the West Coast right at the Straits of Juan De Fuca. At any rate, large shoals of driftwood are often found along these coasts, as well as trash from Asia.
There are no marshes here, so you miss the earthy, pungent smell of a salt marsh.
The only place to stay within the park on the western (rain forest) side is the Kalaloch Lodge. A short walk leads to the wide sandy beach. The lodge is rustic, as expected, with a large welcoming fireplace that serves as a central gathering point.
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
I'm enjoying following your trip as it brings back many memories...
Kalaloch Lodge is one of our favorite stays with our walk along the beach exploring tidal pools for starfish.