Maple Pass Loop is a rewarding hike and one that will be remembered for a very long time…read more You can approach the loop clockwise or counter-clockwise. Most people choose to go counter-clockwise because you start with a more gradual ascent. Clockwise starts out with a steep 3.2 mile climb with a 2000 plus elevation gain. My group decided to go clockwise and we were rewarded with incredible beauty. The views along the way are stunning and once you reach the top it's breathtaking. The second part of the loop is much easier. The descent is smooth and the views are also amazing....but it's long. The trail is listed as a 6.6 mile hike but completed it is about 8.2. miles.

A seven mile loop around Lake Ann, with some stunning ridgeline vistas, forests, lakes and meadows…read more A great adventure for the day, especially if you fancy doing some "Hills are Alive" frolicking while recreating the sound of music.

The Hall of Mosses Trail was easily one of the highlights of our visit to Olympic National Park…read more From the moment we stepped onto the trail, it felt like we had entered another world. Towering old-growth trees, lush green mosses and lichens draped from the branches, and the peaceful sounds of the rainforest created an unforgettable experience. The trail is short, easy to walk, and well maintained, making it accessible for families and visitors of all ages. Even though it isn't a long hike, there is so much to see that we found ourselves stopping constantly to admire the scenery and take photos. Every turn revealed another beautiful view, and the forest seemed to get more magical the farther we walked. One thing we would recommend is arriving early in the morning or later in the afternoon if possible. Parking can become busy during the middle of the day, but once you're on the trail, it's easy to slow down and appreciate the incredible beauty around you. If you're visiting Olympic National Park, the Hall of Mosses is an absolute must-see. It's the perfect place to experience the unique beauty of the Hoh Rain Forest and gain a new appreciation for one of the most remarkable ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. We would happily visit again! Check out our videos on our social @reessroots

Definitely a magical place to visit! Large parking area, and a very easy stroll through the forest…read more Lots of moss everywhere which is so neat to see, but apart from here, you'll see moss throughout the park. A quick stop here probably about an hour and if you map out your driving, it's close enough to a lot of other amazing spots at the park!

Firstly, several of these reviews are for the wrong hot springs. If a review mentions a restaurant,…read moreor a resort, or a time slot, they are referring to the SOL DUC hot springs, not these ones. Also, the reviews that mention that the hike is easy are all outdated! It's a slog to get there! The Olympic hot springs are a 12 mile hike mostly uphill. It used to be a much shorter hike but about five years ago the road washed out and you now have to hike an extra 8 miles... 12 miles total... one way. It's a slog! The springs themselves, while pretty, are shallow, muddy, slimy, and overall pretty gross. The signs warn of fecal bacteria. If you're hoping to hike 12 miles to soak in pristine pools, think again. Nudity is common. If anyone is actually using the hot springs, they will likely be nude. Get over it!! Let the nudists have their place... and 12 miles deep in the woods is a nice place to be nude. You might also see nudists hiking or biking on the trail to the hot springs. It's not common but does happen occasionally. Just smile and say hi! The hike starts off easy on a paved road for about 3/4 of a mile. Then you have to use a single-track dirt bypass trail that is steep and rooty. If you're using a bike you'll be pushing and carrying it over things. Then you're put back on an old paved road again. It's another 2 miles to the Glines Canyon overlook which is fun to see. Then it's another 5 miles on the same road, but now 100% uphill and sometimes steep, just to reach the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, you're already over 8 miles into it and you have another 2.5 or so to hike... bikes not allowed. You have to park at the Madison Falls parking lot. You're supposed to have a National Park pass.

Enchanted springs in enchanted forest, I have camped here quiet a bit when in college…read more Most special hot springs on earth to me. Hike is fun not too strenuous

Awesome hike with an easily accessible waterfall. Easy and short. This is also close to the…read moreentrance to the Mt. Storm King hike, so if marymere is too easy. There's also that hike available here as well

Anytime we get a chance to hike to a waterfall, we usually find away to make it happen! Marymere…read morefalls was our second hike of the day after we had a good meal in after hiking Mount Storm King. I generally like to embark on hikes early in the morning to get to see the sunrise and see everything wake up for the day as well as to beat the heat and crowds. But, Marymere hike was a much shorter hike and all descriptions stated it was pretty easy. We started from Lake Crescent lodge and headed our way there. The signs were somewhat easy to find and the map the hotel staff gave us helped us to find the trail head. The hike itself, though easy, had a lot to offer on the way to the waterfall. A clearing where there were river stones and sparkling water that birds seemed to wisp by, two wooden bridges to cross, one was a narrow one. Trekking across bridges like those are always a favorite for me, those bridges then lead you to a small loop trail that got you to a lower area to view the water fall and then you can head up further to a higher vantage point that pretty much took your breath away. The waterfall was so worth it to see and after doing such a strenuous hike in the morning this hike was a piece of cake. If you're heading to this area of Washington I highly recommend hopping out and hiking this trail. It's worth it!

Majestic and quite epic. Short hike after you pay your tolls to the Indian Reservation to get here…read more The views are great!

This is SO worth your time if you want to see incredible views of the Washington Coastline. It's a…read morepretty easy hike with walkways, bridges, and foot paths. (Do stay on the main paths or you could risk falling in some areas) There's no charge. Just a winding drive up the mountain to get to the cape. Absolutely beautiful

Beautiful mirror lake. I visited in mid-February and I experienced multiple colors of this lake. At…read morefirst it was raining with dark waters, then it turned an emerald green after the rain. Finally after a few hours when the sun out, it became a mirror! Bonus we hiked the Merymere falls loop. So beautiful!

Must stop when you are in the area. Trails, waterfalls, camping, lodge and more…read more Gorgeous, well maintained area.

Sol Duc Falls was one of the absolute highlights of our visit to Olympic National Park. The hike is…read moreonly about 1.6 miles round trip, making it accessible for most visitors, and every step is filled with beautiful scenery. The trail winds through a peaceful old-growth forest with towering trees, lush ferns, moss-covered logs, and the calming sounds of nature all around you. The waterfall itself is breathtaking. Watching the Sol Duc River split into multiple cascades before plunging into the narrow gorge below creates a view that's unlike most waterfalls we've visited. The wooden bridge provides an excellent vantage point and makes it easy to appreciate the power and beauty of the falls while staying safely behind the designated viewing areas. The trail is well maintained and clearly marked, making it enjoyable for families, photographers, and anyone looking for a relatively easy hike with an incredible payoff. We found ourselves stopping often to admire the forest and take photos along the way. If you're visiting Olympic National Park, Sol Duc Falls is a must-see destination. It combines a scenic forest walk with one of Washington's most iconic waterfalls, making it well worth the visit. We left with amazing memories and would happily hike this trail again on a future trip to the Olympic Peninsula. Highly recommended! Check out our video on our social @reessroots

Sol Duc Falls is a bit underwhelming if you've been to similar falls in northern US / Canada but is…read morevery cool if you haven't seen similar sights. It's probably one of the top tourist attractions inside the park. I personally felt it was a bit overrated for the drive and the falls are nice to look at but you are surrounded by tourists.

Lots of wildlife and a great hike in the morning time. Very representative of hikes in the northern…read moreUS with views of the ocean to match's

This was my favorite hike on my trip to Olympic National Park. It is such a beautiful hike with…read moregreat views, wildlife and pretty wildflowers along the way. I enjoyed spending a whole day up here at Hurricane Ridge. They call it hurricane because of the gusty winds that can whip up quickly here. The highest point of the hike reaches 5,757 feet with 650 feet of elevation gain. The total hike is 3.2 miles roundtrip. The drive up to Hurricane Ridge is 17 miles from Port Angeles. The visitor center at the top of Hurricane Ridge burned down in 2023 and has a temporary structure in its place. There is someone on hand to answer questions and to hand out paper maps if you need one. The trailhead parking lot is another half mile from the visitor center. The parking lot is not very large and has an overflow lot down the road if you cannot find a spot. I was lucky and was able to grab a spot when someone was leaving. The views on Hurricane Hill Trailhead are spectacular. It offers panoramic views of the entire Olympic Region, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Elwha River Valley. While on this hike, you will by surrounded gorgeous mountain views, tall tress and colorful wildflowers. The trail is completely paved and starts off with some switchbacks with a little elevation climb. I did encounter some mule deer and other wildlife along the way. It was a cloudy day with light rain which made for some beautiful photos. At the top are interpretive signs pointing out the visible peaks and towns. Overall, I would say that this is a moderately challenging hike. But because it is paved and is relatively short, it is a hike that the whole family can do. I highly recommend it if you are visiting Olympic National Park. Just keep in mind that Hurricane Hill Road closes for various reasons throughout the year.

"Ye ghosts of all the dear old trees, The oak, the elm, the ash, Nightly those gentlemen go tease,…read moreWho hew you down like trash." It's like if a menthol punch of freshness sensation would hit the deepest nook of your lungs. That first inhalation provides you with an instant invigoration. What better medicine than nature's air cleaning the toxic waist passing through your veins. Your muscles shaking away negativity will give you an instant mood booster, the oxygen modifying every molecule in your body, a shiver that reconnects you with the source, or in Carr's words "...the God in you responding to the God in them". Welcome to a real "Pandora", an almost intact landscape of natural monuments in where the heaviness of the branches will hold wind's melodies. My neck hurt at times when trying to reach by sight the top of these enchanted trees. Once surrounded by that foggy green darkened reality, I understood why some fairy tales were inspired by forests. It's unavoidable to feel observed, every step felt as trespassing, as if I was intruding a sacred space. I tried to understand Carr's perspective, why trees became her obsession until she exhaled them. Every tree had a personality, some of the roots' shapes reminded me of "Pan's Labyrinth", would those muddy holes take me to other realms? The shadows created obscure introspections, the ambivalence of existence, as above as below, a darker interpretation of nature. Some trees languished and perished long time ago, their remains acting as a pillar for new sprouts of life; moss, younger trees, mushrooms, bushes, they all use the elements of the fallen one to continue life's cycle. The Gnarliest Tree in Canada might be the star, with a conjugation of shapes resembling multiple fists, all kind of stumps appearing to flow in circles, as if its circumference was formed by dozens of human extremities piled towards and unreachable sky. Come hike to realize how tiny, irrelevant and forgettable you are. We all should play to be forest Rangers, deep thank you to the First Nations and Ancient Forest Alliance for standing against logging in this area.

I can believe the hidden gems this world has to offer. I never thought after driving on a rough…read moredirt road in the middle of nowhere would lead to such an amazing place. Don't get discouraged by the road a car can make it. We saw lots of them up there. The journey is well worth it.

Third and Fourth beach have rest stops along the highway. Scenic views overlooking the pacific…read more There are no crowds, no major attractions - other than the views themselves. There are clean restrooms and gravel walking paths that lead down to the beach. This would be a difficult trek from the rest stop parking down to the beach for any strollers, walkers, wheel chairs, or for anyone with limited mobility. However, there are some great lookout points from the rest stop that are more accessible. You can walk several miles along the coast and see unending views of cliffs, trees, and rock formations. Great walk & views!

Third Beach was just eh, just okay for me. I wanted more. But in comparison to Rialto Beach and…read morestunning Ruby Beach among the Olympic Peninsula....I felt like this...3rd Beach...fell flat. At least...can I give a reasoning or two, lol? During my summer visit of 2020, after hanging out at mesmerizing Hoh Rain Forest, I was heading in a counter clockwise direction (which I believe is the most efficient way to navigate Olympic National Park). I had read that the La Push area and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Beaches were all worthwhile spots to explore from my itinerary. Well...1st and 2nd Beaches were closed due to the pandemic. My only option for a getting a feel for what the La Push area surroundings were like was to come here to 3rd Beach. This was fine by me as I figured all 3 beaches would be relatively the same in appearances...so if I was only afforded 1 beach to explore...I was accepting of coming here to 3rd Beach. I was quite surprised that for the entrance way towards 3rd Beach...you had to park along the road. And I couldn't believe how crowded it was!!! Yeah, I barely found a parking spot and cars were parked off the road on the shoulder in almost a 45 degree slope. Could they be that desperate to hang out here? It was quite a steep angle! So...I put the emergency brake on just in case. I then had a good feeling about what to expect here at 3rd Beach since it appeared quite popular according to the amount of cars. To get to 3rd Beach...you have to hike almost 2 miles! Wow...I didn't expect this. Though that's what it said according to the trailhead. Well, I guess I was already committed to the task so I didn't mind making the trek. Overall, the hike was pleasant. It was along flat ground through the forest without much elevation. Towards the end of the trail I walked down a series of switchbacks to the beach. Finally making it here along the shores...the best way to describe things were...very quiet and desolate. There wasn't much happening. I actually noticed tents on the sand and was in astonishment that you could really camp out at 3rd Beach. My main reasoning for coming to 3rd Beach was to capture the best photographs of the surroundings, among the Pacific Northwest setting here in Washington. But...I never captured any magical moments for pictures. I did walk towards the end of the beach to an area that had some rocks on the shores sort of making the area somewhat scenic. In the end, I was just sort of bored and maybe spent 30 - 40 minutes hanging out. And...for having to hike 2 miles each way just to arrive at a "pedestrian" looking beach sort of frustrated me as if I was wasting time out of the day. In comparison...Rialto and Ruby Beaches offered much much more as to the scenery and sweeping beach shores. Rialto Beach featured plenty of fallen trees and a few boulders protruding out from the waters enhancing the overall setting. Although the beaches were very touristy and crowded...their sights were worth it. Ruby Beach put everything to shame. This was my favorite beach at Olympic NP. There were terrific viewpoints, a rugged yet scenic coastline, many playful spots to climb rocks and offered really good photography opportunities. Ultimately when I compare Ruby Beach to this 3rd Beach...I much more preferred the scenic terrain where I felt like I was admiring the true essence for what makes Olympic Park so special. But...for those who are interested in more exclusivity without the visitors and tourists, then this 3rd Beach would be appropriate for you. For me, I want to be hanging out at a place where the views reign supreme.