Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessed mountain area within Olympic National Park. It’s open daily in the summertime and only on weekend in the wintertime. The ridge is open to hiking, skiing, snowboarding and is one of the most visited places in the park. There’s also a visitor center at the top. It offers several conveniences, including an information desk, gift-shop, restrooms, and a snack bar. 

Lake Crescent is a stunningly beautiful lake with the water color that changes with the sun going from a deep green to a deeper azure blue. My favorite view of this lake is from the top of the Mount Storm King hike. The trail is only four miles round trip but it is quite steep with some climbing required in the last half a mile. I would recommend doing this hike only on a dry clear day.

There are so many beautiful beaches on the Olympic Peninsula but this one is one of my favorites. It is accessible by Mora Road, off of La Push Road. The Mora Campground is next to this beach and I love staying there in the warmer months. This beach is known for rocky beaches, giant drift logs, huge waves and sea stacks.

Hoh Rainforest is one of four rain forests on the Olympic Peninsula and is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S. The rainforest receives an astonishing 140 inches of rainfall each year while Seattle, for comparison, receives about 38 inches of annual rainfall. Hoh Rainforest is known for its lush green landscape with mosses and ferns blanketing the area.

Ruby Beach is my favorite beach located the northern coast of Olympic National Park. Similar to Rialto Beach, this beach is known for its iconic rock formations, reddish sand, tremendous amount of driftwood, and active tide pools. During low tide, it is possible to observe starfish, crabs, and other sea life among the tide pools and sea stacks.