Dave Renfroe
Active Member
Olympic National Park is a huge island of wilderness between Puget Sound and the Pacific coast of Washington State. There is now more than 3,500 square kilometres (1,370 sq mi) of wilderness untouched since 1909. Along with the mountains there are subalpine forests, wildflower meadows, temperate forests, and the rugged Pacific coast.
- Dave Renfroe
We look across the Juan de Fuca straight to the high peaks of the Olympic Mountains. Fortunately these mountains create a “rain shadow” for an area including Seattle, north to the San Juan and Gulf Islands as well as the south end of Vancouver Island.
My experience is mostly in the northern portion of the mountains where (thanks to the rain shadow), the weather tends to be more reliable for hiking and provides some vehicle access to the alpine. It’s also a pleasant 2 hours by ferry and road from Victoria, BC. By far, most of the park is only accessible by trail - so the centre of the park is a wonderful escape into wilderness if you can get there.
The park visitors centre in Port Angeles is a good spot to get recent information, maps, etc.
Note that several popular backpacking areas require “back-country” reservations as well as the drive-in campgrounds.
Olympic National Park website
My 2 favourite vehicle access spots to get to the alpine are Obstruction Point and Deer Park. Obstruction Point is accessed via a 8 mile gravel road from the Hurricane Ridge ski area. There is a great trails from both Hurricane Ridge and Obstruction Point. Hurricane Ridge is accessed by a good paved highway up from Port Angeles. Unfortunately the lodge there burned down a few years ago, so amenities are now very limited.
Note that these narrow gravel roads are fine for 2WD cars but traverse steep slopes on the way up. You are fine if you take it slow - there are many pull-offs. No RVs are allowed.
Endemic Magenta Paintbrush on the Grand Valley trail, about 0.5 mile from Obstruction Point parking:
- Dave Renfroe
A great attraction of the Olympic Mountains are the long ridge tops - often covered in wildflowers.
There are hundreds of these small peaks and ridges that do not require any climbing skills to get on top.
Just off the road to Obstruction Point:
- Dave Renfroe
- Dave Renfroe
Gladys Lake in Grand Valley - great camp spot.
It is about a 6 mile hike from Obstruction Point (mostly down).
- Jan Renfroe
Deer Park is accessed via a side road off highway 101 east of Port Angeles that includes about 8 miles of gravel road. There is a great little campsite at the end of the road - the only vehicle accessible campground in the alpine.
Here there are several trails around Blue Mountain and connecting across the top of Maiden Peak and Elk Mountain all the way to Obstruction Point.
View from the campground:
- Dave Renfroe
Looking northwest toward Mt Baker from Blue Mountain, an easy hike up from the campground.
- Dave Renfroe
Heading up Maiden Peak, about 3 miles from the campground:
- Dave Renfroe
There are hundreds of miles of trails in the park, many accessed using forest service roads at low altitudes.
So to get to the high country you start in the beautiful old growth forests of the foothills.
- Jan Renfroe
There is even accommodation on the way up. These shelters were built in the 1930s by the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corp.
- Dave Renfroe
Here are some photos of those amazing high places accessed by trail:
Mt Constance on Constance Pass near the east border of the park.
- Dave Renfroe
From a 80's slide (modified with Topaz Studio "abstract") - Janet under The Needles:
- Dave Renfroe
The pond at the Appleton Pass camp:
- Jeff Renfroe
Heading on the way-trail from Appleton Pass, across to Swimming Bear Lake and the High Divide - looking at Mt Olympus:
- Jeff Renfroe
Swimming Bear Lake camp:
- Jeff Renfroe
Mt Olympus from the High Divide:
- Jeff Renfroe
........ Thanks for watching!
- Dave Renfroe
We look across the Juan de Fuca straight to the high peaks of the Olympic Mountains. Fortunately these mountains create a “rain shadow” for an area including Seattle, north to the San Juan and Gulf Islands as well as the south end of Vancouver Island.
My experience is mostly in the northern portion of the mountains where (thanks to the rain shadow), the weather tends to be more reliable for hiking and provides some vehicle access to the alpine. It’s also a pleasant 2 hours by ferry and road from Victoria, BC. By far, most of the park is only accessible by trail - so the centre of the park is a wonderful escape into wilderness if you can get there.
The park visitors centre in Port Angeles is a good spot to get recent information, maps, etc.
Note that several popular backpacking areas require “back-country” reservations as well as the drive-in campgrounds.
Olympic National Park website
My 2 favourite vehicle access spots to get to the alpine are Obstruction Point and Deer Park. Obstruction Point is accessed via a 8 mile gravel road from the Hurricane Ridge ski area. There is a great trails from both Hurricane Ridge and Obstruction Point. Hurricane Ridge is accessed by a good paved highway up from Port Angeles. Unfortunately the lodge there burned down a few years ago, so amenities are now very limited.
Note that these narrow gravel roads are fine for 2WD cars but traverse steep slopes on the way up. You are fine if you take it slow - there are many pull-offs. No RVs are allowed.
Endemic Magenta Paintbrush on the Grand Valley trail, about 0.5 mile from Obstruction Point parking:
- Dave Renfroe
A great attraction of the Olympic Mountains are the long ridge tops - often covered in wildflowers.
There are hundreds of these small peaks and ridges that do not require any climbing skills to get on top.
Just off the road to Obstruction Point:
- Dave Renfroe
- Dave Renfroe
Gladys Lake in Grand Valley - great camp spot.
It is about a 6 mile hike from Obstruction Point (mostly down).
- Jan Renfroe
Deer Park is accessed via a side road off highway 101 east of Port Angeles that includes about 8 miles of gravel road. There is a great little campsite at the end of the road - the only vehicle accessible campground in the alpine.
Here there are several trails around Blue Mountain and connecting across the top of Maiden Peak and Elk Mountain all the way to Obstruction Point.
View from the campground:
- Dave Renfroe
Looking northwest toward Mt Baker from Blue Mountain, an easy hike up from the campground.
- Dave Renfroe
Heading up Maiden Peak, about 3 miles from the campground:
- Dave Renfroe
There are hundreds of miles of trails in the park, many accessed using forest service roads at low altitudes.
So to get to the high country you start in the beautiful old growth forests of the foothills.
- Jan Renfroe
There is even accommodation on the way up. These shelters were built in the 1930s by the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corp.
- Dave Renfroe
Here are some photos of those amazing high places accessed by trail:
Mt Constance on Constance Pass near the east border of the park.
- Dave Renfroe
From a 80's slide (modified with Topaz Studio "abstract") - Janet under The Needles:
- Dave Renfroe
The pond at the Appleton Pass camp:
- Jeff Renfroe
Heading on the way-trail from Appleton Pass, across to Swimming Bear Lake and the High Divide - looking at Mt Olympus:
- Jeff Renfroe
Swimming Bear Lake camp:
- Jeff Renfroe
Mt Olympus from the High Divide:
- Jeff Renfroe
........ Thanks for watching!
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