Olympic National Park

We reluctantly left the Hoh Rain Forest in the pouring rain.  I am not complaining, it is what you would expect in a rain forest.  The rain, cloud cover, and occasional sun peaking through create a mystical aurora and beauty which I cannot put into words.  This corner of the world is stunning!

Still heading north on 101 we stopped in Forks to pick up a few things.  I will say right now that I am not a “Twilight” fan and have never read any of the books or seen the movies, but apparently we had entered the “Twilight” zone.  We stopped at the Thriftway to buy some groceries (apparently Bella did her shopping there too) and looked through the Forks Outfitters, where Bella worked.  Since we were blissfully ignorant of the significance of the the area, we did not capture the moment on film or visit any of the other memorable sites.  If you are a fan and are in the area, they offer a “Twilight” package which is “the perfect package for the biggest “fanpire”!


We continued to follow Highway 101 as it hooked around the Olympic peninsula (who knew that 101 also went east and west?) toward Port Angeles.  We stopped at Lake Crescent and enjoyed the views of the glacial lake while eating lunch.

  
We settled in for the night at the Elwha campground along the Elwha river.  This area is the site of the largest dam removal in United States history.  The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams have been removed and the Elwha River will flow freely from its headwaters in the Olympic Mountains to the Strait of Juan de Fuca for the first time in 100 years.  Due to the restoration effort many of the trails in the area are closed.  However, there was a trail right behind our campsite which headed straight up the mountain to a wonderful overlook.

The next day we drove through Port Angeles, which is a wonderful town with lots of amenities to offer.  We headed to the Visitor’s Center and watched a short video of the Olympic National Park.  When planning this trip I had read that Hurricane Ridge was not to be missed for its views of Mount Olympus, glaciers and the wilderness.  Unfortunately, the Hurricane Ridge webcam in the Visitor’s Center just showed clouds, actually it was more like a whiteout condition.  But I knew that if we drove up to the ridge, the clouds would part and we would see those spectacular views.  Bill was not so convinced but agreed to drive at least part way up the road.  We made it as far as the tunnel, before Bill said it wasn’t going to happen and headed back down to sea level and sunshine.

 

 The clouds did part long enough for us to get a glimpse of the ship in the bay, but not much else.


Today’s 3 Fun Facts:

1. The dam removal will free the Elwha River after 100 years, allowing all five species of Pacific salmon to return to over 70 miles of habitat.
2. Lake Crescent is over 1000 feet deep.
3.  There were no vampires sighted in Forks.