July 2nd, 2006
Rent a cottage at Olympic National Park, Washington
Under blue skies in mild summer temperatures you reap the benefits of months of rain and dampness — lush moss gardens, towering cedar groves, warm beaches crazy wildflowers. Olympic National Park also offers the variety-pack of life zones: wilderness beaches wild with salt spray, rocky headlands and scattered sea stacks; temperate rain forests with more shades of green than a Crayola factory; high mountain spines at Hurricane Ridge; and even glaciers in the high alpine zone.
Miles of trails crisscross valleys and climb over ridges. No roads bisect the park, leaving the interior to some of the world’s largest trees. A long weekend circumnavigating this park feels like exploring a far edge of the globe where a rough sea meets its match in a rich forest and a stout fist of mountains.
Rent a cottage
Quileute Oceanside Resort, (360) 374-5267. It’s all about location. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom cabins are simple, but with the wildest coastline in the lower 48 staring you in the face, who wants to spend the day inside? Plus, the resort is run by the local Quileute Tribal Council.
So you’re not into roughing it
On the lake: Lake Crescent Lodge, (360) 928-3211. Rent your own cottage beside the Historic Lodge on the shores of glacially carved Lake Crescent. Sitting on the cottage porch sipping a cocktail as the sun sets between the lake’s western ridges is truly a magical experience.
On the coast: Kalaloch Lodge, (866) 525-2562. This grand park hotel is situated on the edge of the continent overlooking the dramatic sea stacks and pounding Pacific surf. Choose from lodge rooms or separate units lined up along the cliff edge.
If You love camping
Elwha, Sol Duc, Hoh, and Graves Creek campgrounds are best. It’s tough to recommend only one: They’re all tucked up on one of the river-paralleling access roads poking into the park, and all offer a campsite canopy of 200-foot-tall trees bigger around than your whole tent.
Where to eat
Breakfast: First Street Haven, (360) 457-0352. Port Angeles favorite for a slow breakfast or a coffee pick-up. The omelets are a perfect pre-hike choice.
Granny’s Cafe, (360) 928-3266. This classic diner, just outside Port Angeles on your way to Lake Crescent, is an institution.
My picnic pick: Sunny Farms Country Store, (360) 683-8003. Best place on the peninsula for fresh produce, fancy breads, cheeses, baked goods and meats.
Après hike: Lake Quinault Lodge Dining Room, (360) 288-2900. While all the park lodges have dining rooms, many consider the Quinault’s to be the finest. You’ll find quality steaks, pastas, fresh salmon and halibut.