I enjoyed my day here at Hurricane Ridge. Even the 17 mile drive from Port Angeles was a beautiful…read moredrive. I was able to pull over at a couple of the scenic stops along the way. At an elevation of 5,242 feet, Hurricane Ridge is one of the two most visited areas in Olympic National Park. The Hoh Rainforest is the other one. Activities include hiking, skiing and snowboarding. Some people come up here just for the views. The main visitor center for the park is located at the beginning of the drive on Hurricane Ridge Road in Port Angeles. Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessed mountain area within Olympic National Park. I drove up here to hike the popular 3.4-mile out-and-back Hurricane Hill Trail. There are other trails in this area including a couple of easy nature trails. The Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge and Visitor Center was sadly destroyed by fire in 2023. The park put a temporary structure in its place with a ranger on site to answer questions. There are shuttles that will take you up here from Port Angeles if you don't want to do the drive. The view of the surrounding mountain range from Hurricane Ridge is amazing. You might see wildlife like Mule Deer wandering around. The entrance stations into Olympic National Park are on Hurricane Ridge Road right after you pass by the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Sometimes there can be a line of cars at these stations.

If you are visiting the Olympic National Park, you must visit Hurricane Ridge. The scenery is…read moresurreal and the trail is exceptional. The trail is well paved with lots of room. Be advised the trail is approximately 1 1/2 miles uphill, at approximately 5000 feet elevation, so be prepared for the steep climb.

Another great National Park! Its enormous, you cant see it all in one week. I would definitely map…read moreit out. I read alot of reviews and decided to go wth the recommended spot this trip. I have no problem saving my list for another trip next yr. Make sure you grab a map at the visitor center, they are very helpful. Dont miss Hoh Rainforest, I have already reviewed this park. Hope you all take some time and enjoy the USA parks. So much beauty to enjoy!

My fiancé and I had the most magical time exploring Olympic National Park. If you know me, you know…read morethat I'm an avid fan of NPS. I love to visit and collect brochures from the parks we visit. Checking out this park was such a treat. I especially adored how different each section felt of this park. Each highlight of the park felt wildly different from each other. Here's what we visited (I suggest checking it all out) : Lake Cushman: Our first day at the park we decided to do a quick stop to check the lake out. We didn't go on any hikes, but we met a kind retired ranger at a viewpoint that shared Staircase was the hike to do there. Hurricane Ridge: Go early to visit this one because it gets PACKED. It's absolutely stunning and beyond gorgeous. You're surrounded by mountains and every point on the hike is a fun viewpoint. At certain angles you can see Canada and Port Angeles. There is a lot of parking here and restrooms. Kalaloch Beach: There are several beaches and entrances to this spot. We went to Kalaloch Beach 3 and had a really pretty hike down to the beach. We saw some starfish on our walk. We also saw people fishing. My grandmother who grew up here recommended checking out this beach and I'm so glad we did. Hoh Rainforest: Another really popular spot that you'll want to show up early to. There is a visitor center attached to this. It's a fairly easy loop. The trees are amazing here. Sol Duc: It was POURING when we visited this spot. It really added to the whole experience though. This hike through the forest was majestic. And the waterfall at the end made it extra special. While we weren't able to take advantage of the hot springs further up the road (before Sol Duc trailhead), I recommend scheduling a time to visit after some hiking. This park is HUGE. And filled with endless beauty. We barely scratched the surface. I'd recommend making sure your trip is at least three days. We bought the $80 annual pass for our trip since we went in and out of the park a lot. I highly recommend visiting this national gem.

Coming from Bozeman, Montana I have a pretty high bar regarding what makes a good fly shop. They…read moremet that bar without losing a step. Excellent advice on waters to fish, hatches, and flies.

I find most fly shops fun and a pleasant experience, because I love to fish. But as a lapsed fly…read morefisherman returning to the sport, some fly shops can be snobby and intimidating. So I judge a shop on whether they can be open to those of us who still have lots to learn and they passed with flying colors. Waters West has reasonable prices, a good assortment of local flies and most importantly, a staff willing to share information. They were helpful and made me feel welcome, even though I was a bit rushed to get out to the Olympic Peninsula. They also have a great website. I look forward to my next visit.

Originally booked the 130pm half day sea kayaking tour online. Received a call the next day saying…read morethe 130pm tour was already full for the next few days (not sure why it let me book online then). But luckily I was able to be flexible and switch to the morning tour (they gave me a day's notice). The staff on the phone said it would be much less windy anyway...which definitely turned out to be true and I was so glad for it bc it would've been chilly otherwise! They're doing great on the Covid safety measures as much as possible. Instead of parking at the office and riding a bus to the bay, they just have you either follow the guide in his vehicle with the kayaks or give you an address/coordinates for your gps. It was easy to keep up with our guide. Everyone wore masks until we got into our own individual kayaks. Very easy to practice social distancing in this setting! The office was very easy to find, right off the highway and even has a winery right next door (and was highly recommended by the host at my inn). Plenty of parking everywhere we went. After a brief safety talk and bit of equipment orientation, we launched from a rocky beach in Freshwater Bay and went out into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. It was absolutely gorgeous weather - sunny and calm and a perfect temperature. The water was insanely clear! We saw jellyfish and kelp crabs and all manner of birds! We even sampled a little bit of the kelp haha! Our guide, Chris, was so knowledgeable and he made the tour interesting and really fun! There's even a little cave you can swoop through if you have one of the smaller kayaks! I highly recommend you bring sturdy water shoes and waterproof camera!

Absolutely amazing! We kayaked on Lake Crescent and had the best time. Everyone at the shop was so…read morekind getting us ready. Our guide was so much fun and very knowledgeable about the area. Kayaking Lake Crescent was the highlight of our trip! We saw bald eagles, lots of birds, baby geese, and baby ducks!

we had an excellent experience with the Olympic Hiking Co last week. Daniel led us on a walk thru…read morethe rain forest and his comments and observations absolutely enriched the hours we spent with him. We had never been in that part of the country before and it was a spectacular experience. And to top it off, Daniel even spotted a bear on the way back!

Daniel was very professional, a great driver, lots of local knowledge and a great hiking/nature…read moreguide.

it's a great place to take kayak classes I learned from…read moreRobert in a private class He helped me to advance a lot, especially in recovery techniques, strokers and many other things He is a very devoted coach giving very helpful individualized instructions. Also he helped me a lot with selecting gear I highly recommend Salmon Bay Paddle

I thoroughly enjoyed my class on currents, tides and navigation held at deception pass this…read moreweekend. His attention to detail and patience was thoroughly enjoyable.

Troy & Maura are the best!…read more They are highly knowledgeable & were able to answer any questions I had. I love the bike I bought from them, but through use I had a few common mishaps that come with daily bike use (Stolen front wheel! Random derailleur failure!). They've always been 100% there to help, always responsive, and always a joy to talk to keep me riding smoothly on my way. (Even though I'm located in Seattle)

Don't buy anything from this company. Their service is nonexistent. I owned a Hobie tandem kayak…read moreand had to sell it because I couldn't get something simple fixed.

Super easy walk through the forest near Lake Crescent and the lodge…read more About an 0.8 mile loop, you'll get beautiful views of the surrounding forest, and you'll learn all about the surrounding trees and plants through the various plaques scattered throughout the trail. We were the only people on the trail when we walked, and it was so peaceful and serene as we explored. If you have the time, a super enjoyable hike while exploring Lake Crescent or spending time at the lodge.

Beautiful and easy trail to walk in amazingly natural beauty. Near Port Angeles on the way to Forks.read more

When you are with a guide of a nice person who lives there studied searched and teach with the…read morenature wich experience she share with you.all is nice but if you are with Carolyn like I were in Ruby beach loocking for the life at Tidepool and walking and feeling in the Rainforest this is a worderfool real and personal experience .Thank you very much Carolyn for your knowledge and kindness.. Carolyn believe in this way of life that is more than her perfect work of tour wide. Do you need more?You will found with Carolyn....food Van and most important....the tidepool and rainforest Are Lives and you will feel them.

On our recent family vacation to the Olympic Peninsula, we spent a day hiking, birding, and tide…read morepooling with Carolyn Wilcox of Experience Olympic as our guide. She was wonderful! Her extensive knowledge of the area and its flora and fauna made the entire day a first-rate experience that was educational, immersive, and fun!! If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Olympic National Park and are looking for a guide to enhance your exploration of the park's natural diversity, please do yourself a favor and spend a day, or more, with Carolyn.