Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Seattle, Washington to Seattle, Washington in Washington, United States.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is May to September: full park access.

How active is this route?

Activity level: Active. Moderately active — expect some walking and light physical activity.

What transport do I need for this route?

This route works best with a car.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Balanced — a good mix of sightseeing and downtime.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Nature, Coastal, Classic road trip.

Olympic Peninsula Loop: Seattle and Olympic National Park

Q: How long is the Olympic Peninsula Loop: Seattle and Olympic National Park route?

This route takes 8 days taking in 6 stops.

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The route · 6 stops

5 overnight bases · 1 stop on the way

Seattle

1 night

The gateway to the peninsula and worth a full day before the drive. Ride the Seattle Center Monorail to the Space Needle, browse Pike Place Market on the waterfront, and pick up supplies for the road ahead. Seattle is also where you stage the ferry or the southern bridge crossing onto the Olympic Peninsula the next morning.The gateway to the peninsula and worth a full day before the drive. Ride the Seattle Center Monorail to the Space Needle, browse Pike Place Market on the waterfront, and pick up supplies for the road ahead. Seattle is also where you stage the ferry or the southern bridge crossing onto the Olympic Peninsula the next morning.

Recommendations

1h 48m · 130 km drive to Port Angeles

Port Angeles

2 nights

The northern base for the park, worth two nights. Drive 18 miles up Hurricane Ridge Road for subalpine meadows and views across the Olympic Mountains, then visit Lake Crescent, a deep glacial lake so clear you can see far below the surface. The short walk to Marymere Falls and the pools at Sol Duc fill an easy second day.The northern base for the park, worth two nights. Drive 18 miles up Hurricane Ridge Road for subalpine meadows and views across the Olympic Mountains, then visit Lake Crescent, a deep glacial lake so clear you can see far below the surface. The short walk to Marymere Falls and the pools at Sol Duc fill an easy second day.

Recommendations

1h 19m · 95 km drive to Forks

Forks

2 nights

A working timber town that makes the best base for the park's western rainforest and coast, worth two nights. Spend a morning among the moss-hung maples of the Hoh Rain Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, then drive to Rialto Beach or La Push for sea stacks, tide pools and huge drifts of bleached logs. Ruby Beach lies a short way south.A working timber town that makes the best base for the park's western rainforest and coast, worth two nights. Spend a morning among the moss-hung maples of the Hoh Rain Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site, then drive to Rialto Beach or La Push for sea stacks, tide pools and huge drifts of bleached logs. Ruby Beach lies a short way south.

Recommendations

1h 13m · 88 km drive to Lake Quinault

Lake Quinault

1 night

A serene rainforest lake on the park's quieter south side. The Quinault Rain Forest holds some of the world's largest living Sitka spruce, western red cedar and western hemlock, several reachable on the short Rain Forest Nature Trail near the historic lodge. A single night is enough to walk the loop trails and slow down before the drive back.A serene rainforest lake on the park's quieter south side. The Quinault Rain Forest holds some of the world's largest living Sitka spruce, western red cedar and western hemlock, several reachable on the short Rain Forest Nature Trail near the historic lodge. A single night is enough to walk the loop trails and slow down before the drive back.

Recommendations

1h 33m · 112 km drive to Olympia

Olympia

1 night

Washington's state capital makes a relaxed final stop on the way back to Seattle. The domed Legislative Building crowns a hilltop campus above Capitol Lake, with free tours and landscaped grounds. Browse the waterfront farmers market and the downtown cafes before the short hop north on Interstate 5 to close the loop.Washington's state capital makes a relaxed final stop on the way back to Seattle. The domed Legislative Building crowns a hilltop campus above Capitol Lake, with free tours and landscaped grounds. Browse the waterfront farmers market and the downtown cafes before the short hop north on Interstate 5 to close the loop.

Recommendations

On the way

Seattle
1h 23m · 99 km
The loop closes back in Seattle, an hour north of Olympia on Interstate 5. Drop the car or use a last evening to revisit the waterfront, ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island for skyline views across Elliott Bay, or catch a final meal in Pike Place before heading home.The loop closes back in Seattle, an hour north of Olympia on Interstate 5. Drop the car or use a last evening to revisit the waterfront, ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island for skyline views across Elliott Bay, or catch a final meal in Pike Place before heading home.
Recommendations

Route highlights

Viewpoint
Hurricane Ridge
The most accessible high country in Olympic National Park, reached on an 18-mile paved road climbing from Port Angeles. Short trails from the visitor center cross subalpine meadows with summer wildflowers and wide views over the glaciated Olympic Mountains. The road is seasonal and can close in winter snow.
Activity
Hoh Rain Forest
One of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature trails are easy loops beneath maples draped in club moss and spruce that top 200 feet. The valley receives well over twelve feet of rain a year, so come prepared for wet ground.
Viewpoint
Lake Crescent
A glacier-carved lake west of Port Angeles, exceptionally deep and so clear that the water glows turquoise on a bright day. The mile-and-a-half walk to Marymere Falls is one of the peninsula's best short hikes, and the historic Lake Crescent Lodge sits right on the shore.
Beach
Rialto Beach and La Push
The wild Pacific shore near Forks, where the Quillayute River meets the sea. Rialto Beach is stacked with sun-bleached driftwood and offshore sea stacks, and the walk to Hole-in-the-Wall is a classic at low tide. Nearby First and Second Beach at La Push add more dramatic coast.
Scenic Drive
Lake Quinault giant trees
The Quinault valley shelters several record-holding trees, including some of the world's largest Sitka spruce and western red cedar. Short trails near the lodge and the South Shore Road loop link the biggest specimens through dense, dripping rainforest.
Activity
Sol Duc Falls
A short, easy forest walk leads to a three-pronged waterfall dropping into a mossy gorge, among the prettiest falls in the park. The nearby Sol Duc Hot Springs resort has soaking pools, a welcome stop after a day of driving and walking.
Culture
Washington State Capitol, Olympia
The domed Legislative Building in Olympia is one of the tallest masonry domes in the world, set on a landscaped campus above Capitol Lake. Free guided tours explain its architecture and history, an easy cultural stop on the drive back to Seattle.

Olympic Peninsula Loop: Seattle and Olympic National Park