Family trip around the Olympics

In the early summer of 2023, my family embarked on an exciting adventure around the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. With a week at our disposal and a spirit for exploration, we looked forward to experiencing the diverse landscapes, cozy accommodations, and potentially some rainy weather that the area is known for. Our journey began as we alternated between staying in sheltered cabins and camping outdoors at various campsites around the peninsula. Join us as we recount our family's unforgettable experiences, from exploring historic sites to me riding forest trails on the motorcycle, and discovering the natural beauty of this remarkable region.

On our first day of we started by experiencing different activities as a family. While my wife and kids explored the charming towns of Port Townsend and Port Angeles, I embarked on a motorcycle journey through the forest roads surrounding Mount Deception in the Olympic National Forest. The rain was steady throughout the day allowing us to make the most of our separate adventures. In the afternoon, we reunited in Port Angeles and made our way to Heart of the Hills Campground at Hurricane Ridge. The evening was spent cozying up by the fire as the rain gently fell outside, creating a peaceful ambiance for our first night camping on the Olympic Peninsula.

In the morning of our second day on the Olympic Peninsula adventure, we broke camp at Heart of the Hills in Hurricane Ridge and made our way to the Salt Creek Recreation area. There, we explored the old World War II gun embankments while enjoying a brief respite from the rain. Afterward, we traveled to Bovee's Meadow near Lake Crescent before heading towards Sol Duc Hot Springs. As the rain began to drizzle again, we took refuge in the hot mineral-spring pools for relaxation and rejuvenation. Finally, we made our way to Quileute cabins in La Push, where we stayed dry and cozy in a cabin for the night. The motorcycle gear I wore proved effective against the rain, and the bike's tires continued their impressive performance on both muddy trails and rain-soaked roads so far on this trip.

On our third day on the Olympic Peninsula adventure, we separated once again – my wife and daughters headed to explore Hoh Rain Forest Park and Ruby Beach while I continued to discover more forest trails south of La Push. I passed by Upper Clearwater Campwater and Tacoma Creek before reaching Kalaloch campground, where they had also arrived around the same time. We set up our tents and went out to see the Tree of Life on the beach as the temperature warmed up and the rain was no longer an issue.

The following day, we packed up our campsite and headed over to the Quinault Lodge. Upon arrival, we had some free time to visit the Quinault Cedar Trailhead as well as July Creek Park before settling in for the night. We enjoyed dinner at the Roosevelt Dining Room and retired early.

The morning after, we got everything packed up and explored a bit of Merriman Falls before leaving the area. My wife took one daughter with her on the main route towards Lake Cushman while I took the other daughter with me on the bike to travel more forest trails, passing close by Church Creek Trailhead and Spider Lake Trailhead. We eventually crossed the high Vance Creek Bridge and were back on pavement roads, leading us to Highway 101 and Lake Cushman.

When we arrived at Staircase Campground, my wife had already set up our tents. We spent a little bit of the afternoon walking around the Skokomish River, and I cooked dinner for us under another clear night sky. The next day, after eating and packing up camp, we traveled together north on Highway 101, stopping for lunch in Brinnon and making our way up Mt. Walker viewpoint. We eventually crossed back over the Port Gamble bridge and stayed our last night of the trip in Bremerton before continuing back east to our home.