I'll be in Olympic National Park, staying in Forks, for 10 days in early May. I've never visited the area so I'm looking for suggestions. I'm most interested in shooting waterfalls and the rainforest. Any advice is very much appreciated.
Posted by Jack Garrett on April 22, 2011 at 2:04 PM
Ray, one of the places on my Olympic Park list is Sol Duc falls in the Sol Duc rainforest. A friend of mine captured some nice images in that area a few years back. Here is a link to a picture of the falls:
Posted by John Williams on April 23, 2011 at 12:55 AM
I've only been in that area once, but some of the beach/sea stacks are iconic and would be on my list. We had a vehicle breakdown the day we were supposed to visit the Hoh River Trail, but for rain forest I hear it is hard to beat.
Thanks guys. I'll now have 15 days to explore the area. I'm planning to split my time between the rainforest and the coast letting the weather determine where I spend my time. The area is just so immense I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit
Thanks guys. I'll now have 15 days to explore the area. I'm planning to split my time between the rainforest and the coast letting the weather determine where I spend my time. The area is just so immense I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit
If you are trying to narrow down, I'd really recommend Sol Duc trail and Falls. Wonderful scenes of old growth forest, streams, small cascades, the understory plant life and probably some wildflowers, and of course Sol Duc falls and river. The Hoh River Trail presents the iconic rain forest with moss hanging from everything! Elwah River valley is a nice little drive through- the river is a spectacular color and you might catch some rafters going down. Beaches: Rialto and Ruby are the classic ones. If the weather is nicer head for the coast. If it's overcast/drizzly head for the forests. If it's raining do either, but don't let the rain discourage you from going out. Take good rain gear for both you and equipment even when the weather looks good; changes fast out there. Have a larger microfiber cloth and wipe the front of your lens often, being careful to blow any sand off first. Have your camera cleaned when you get home! Seriously. Moisture and sand get into everything, especially if the camera body does not have good sealing.
I think that about covers it. Hope you have a wonderful time. Oh, and on your way out to, or in from, the coast, a trip up to Hurricane Ridge (out of Port Angeles) is a must. Ask at the Visitor's Center in the main parking area about the condition of the dirt road that leads out and back from the entrance to the parking area. It's one "lane" and dicey for being on the edge of the ridge, but wildlife sightings are good out there and the scenery is great. (Not usually a road for passenger cars.)
There, that does it. Come on back another many times for the rest of WA State!
Posted by Greg Vaughn on April 25, 2011 at 1:01 AM
I'm mostly backing up Catherine's recommendations, although the dirt road she mentions at Hurricane Ridge - Obstruction Point Road - will in all likelihood still be closed by snow in May. The views of the Olympic Mountains from the Visitors Center area are outstanding, so by all means include Hurricane Ridge in your plans anyway.
A good motto for the Pacific Northwest, perhaps particularly in late Spring: "there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing". Gore-Tex and fleece are your friends here. So are zip-lock bags and some sort of rain protection for your camera gear so you can still shoot despite the precipitation.
There are several waterfalls within an easy drive of Forks, but IMHO, only Sol Duc Falls is really that great, and I suggest working the coast areas as much as the rainforest. Add Second Beach to Catherine's recommendation for Ruby and Rialto Beaches. With 10 days, if you are also a hiker, you might consider the Alava-Ozette Trail and Shi Shi Beach-Point of Arches. If the latter, the Cape Flattery Viewpoint Trail and the museum on the Makah Indian Reservation at Neah Bay are also worthwhile (sort of a long drive, but very scenic).
One more suggestion: the Lake Quinault area is also very beautiful, and the Quinault Rainforest Trail gives an excellent intro to temperate rainforest old-growth forest. Check out the rainfall gauge on the back deck at Lake Quinault Lodge - it measures rainfall in feet rather than inches.
Discussion
6 replieshttp://georgewashingtoninn.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/inn-day-trips-sol-duc-falls-and-hot-springs/sol-duc-falls-photo/
I think that about covers it. Hope you have a wonderful time. Oh, and on your way out to, or in from, the coast, a trip up to Hurricane Ridge (out of Port Angeles) is a must. Ask at the Visitor's Center in the main parking area about the condition of the dirt road that leads out and back from the entrance to the parking area. It's one "lane" and dicey for being on the edge of the ridge, but wildlife sightings are good out there and the scenery is great. (Not usually a road for passenger cars.)
There, that does it. Come on back another many times for the rest of WA State!
A good motto for the Pacific Northwest, perhaps particularly in late Spring: "there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing". Gore-Tex and fleece are your friends here. So are zip-lock bags and some sort of rain protection for your camera gear so you can still shoot despite the precipitation.
There are several waterfalls within an easy drive of Forks, but IMHO, only Sol Duc Falls is really that great, and I suggest working the coast areas as much as the rainforest. Add Second Beach to Catherine's recommendation for Ruby and Rialto Beaches. With 10 days, if you are also a hiker, you might consider the Alava-Ozette Trail and Shi Shi Beach-Point of Arches. If the latter, the Cape Flattery Viewpoint Trail and the museum on the Makah Indian Reservation at Neah Bay are also worthwhile (sort of a long drive, but very scenic).
One more suggestion: the Lake Quinault area is also very beautiful, and the Quinault Rainforest Trail gives an excellent intro to temperate rainforest old-growth forest. Check out the rainfall gauge on the back deck at Lake Quinault Lodge - it measures rainfall in feet rather than inches.
Have a great trip!
- Greg