Moss-draped trees and ferns along a trail in the Hoh Rain Forest

Seattle & Washington Weekend

Olympic Peninsula weekend

Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh Rain Forest and wild beaches

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Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0

Olympic National Park packs three different worlds into one weekend: subalpine meadows with views of glaciated peaks, a mossy temperate rain forest, and wild Pacific beaches stacked with drift logs and sea stacks. Here's a two-day plan that sees all three, timed for the tides.

Day 1

8:00 AM

Hurricane Hill Hike · Easy-moderate

Hurricane Ridge is 17 miles up a paved road from Port Angeles, about 45 minutes. The trail is 3.2 miles round trip with about 700 feet of climbing. The day lodge burned in 2023, so there's no drinking water: bring your own.
Official info
12:00 PM

Marymere Falls Hike · Easy

At Lake Crescent, about an hour west: 1.8 miles round trip from the Storm King area through old-growth forest to 90-foot Marymere Falls. Lunch at a lakeside picnic area.
Official info
3:00 PM

Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall Beach walk

3 miles round trip, only on a falling or low tide: check NOAA tides first. Don't cross the arch once water covers its floor, and stay off drift logs when the tide is up.
Official info
6:30 PM

Overnight in Forks Stay

Or drive about an hour and a half back to Port Angeles.

Day 2

7:30 AM

Hoh Rain Forest Temperate rain forest

In summer the entrance line can reach about two hours: arrive before 8 a.m. Walk the Hall of Mosses (0.8-mile loop) and the Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles). No pets on Hoh trails.
Official info
1:00 PM

Ruby Beach & Kalaloch Coastal beaches

Sea stacks and driftwood a short walk from Highway 101. Pick up a tide chart at the Kalaloch Information Station; some stretches become impassable at high tide.
Official info