Family Adventure in the Olympic National Park

Road Trip Planners know that National Parks offer some of the best family summer vacations. They also know that millions of other travelers are hitting the massively popular parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite during the summer. So where do you take your family when you want to experience the great outdoors, still near the amenities that make family travel easier and yet feel like you're away from the maddening crowd? Well, set your sights on the Olympic National Park in Washington and be prepared to be astounded.

What sets this park apart from the rest is that Olympic National Park is divided into three distinct regions: The rugged Pacific coastline, the Olympic Mountains, and the lush rainforest. Three distinctly different biospheres... one fantastic vacation.

The most popular area is the 9-mile Ozette Loop. It features 3 miles each of a coastal forest, ocean beaches, and camping at Ozette Lake. Even though it's 9 miles and may be too much for children younger than 5, it's an easy hike for families because the elevation change is only 100 feet from sea level. Two sections of this triangular hike have boardwalks.

If you are traveling with young children, you might choose adventurous day hikes but still enjoy the comforts of a hotel each evening with perhaps one overnight campout for a full immersion day and night. One great resort to add to your road trip planner is the Kalaloch Lodge in Forks, a family-friendly resort that sells kites in their gift shop and has other amenities like a gift shop, dining, and groceries store onsite.

Nearby, you'll find another popular resort, the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, which has 3 mineral pools and 1 freshwater pool. The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort also offers RV sites as well as cabins (tent camping is nearby at the Sol Duc Campground with 80 sites).

COASTLINE: The coastal portion of the park is a rugged, sandy beach along with a strip of adjacent forest. The beach has unbroken stretches of wilderness ranging from 10 to 20 miles.

MOUNTAINS: The Olympic Mountains rise from the center of the park, dominated by the peak of Mount Olympus, which rises to 7,965 feet. It has several glaciers, the largest of which is the Hoh glacier, nearly five kilometers in length. The range becomes drier on the East because of the rain shadow of the western mountains. Here, there are numerous high peaks and craggy ridges. The tallest summit of this area is Mount Deception, at 7,788 feet.

RAINFOREST: At the Hoh Rainforest's Hall of Mosses, you'll need waterproof shoes. Trees stretch toward the sky while moss hangs from branches and mushrooms greet your shoes. This hike is easy enough for a family to enjoy. Scenic Drives: Catch the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway Loop and drive along till it connects with Upper Hoh Road. This 18-mile stretch traces the silvery Hoh River and is simply gorgeous to behold. There's also a 17-mile Hoh River trail that takes you across the flat valley to Mount Olympus's Blue Glacier.

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST:
* Hurricane Ridge brings you from the lowlands blanketed with old growth forests to spongy meadows. A number of trails can be found here, depending on the group's ability. The views of the Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca are some of the best you'll see anywhere.
* Lake Crescent is an excellent place to walk along the 12-mile shore of this glacier lake.
* Rialto Beach has exciting rocky islands known as seastacks that make for awesome views and photo ops, especially with waves crashing on cobblestone-like beach sections. This is a stunning place to photograph during sunset.

There are many day hikes your family will enjoy. Add your favorites to your road trip planner and then...go where the wild things are!


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