Olympic National Park Hiking Tour | Mountain Hiking Holidays

Pacific Northwest Hiking

in Olympic National Park

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRIP IS NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED. Over the years, Mountain Hiking Holidays has developed and operated trips to a variety of destinations including this one. Mountain Hiking Holidays no longer operates trips in Olympic National Park. The information on this page is simply an historical record of a trip previously operated under a valid commercial use authorization.

Olympic National Park encompasses without a doubt one of the most beautiful expanses of mountain wilderness in the United States. In the Olympic high country trails lead for mile after mile through flower-spangled sub-alpine meadowlands scented by yellow cedar. In the lowlands footpaths cushioned by the needles of fir, hemlock and spruce lead into cathedral-like ancient forests enlivened by the music of rollicking streams.

Arrival day
Overnight in Port Angeles
From Seattle, travel by vehicle and ferry across the Puget Sound to reach the Olympic Peninsula whose mountains float dreamlike on the horizon west of Seattle. Arrive in Port Angeles on the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Day 1
Overnight in Port Angeles
Ascend the appropriately named Switchback Trail to the crest of Klahhane Ridge from where you’ll enjoy views north toward Vancouver Island and south into the heart of the Olympic Mountains! Continue on a high country ramble to the expansive meadows of Hurricane Ridge where the hike ends. Energetic hikers can follow a steadily ascending trail from Heart of the Hills in the foothills of the Olympics to lovely, Lake Angeles graced by a rocky islet. Above Lake Angeles, the trail continues its ascent in open country to gain Klahhane Ridge from where a “skywalk” along an open ridge-top leads to Hurricane Ridge.

Day 2
Overnight in Port Angeles
Today’s hikes will immerse you in the Olympic high country! From the expansive alpine meadows surrounding Obstruction Point, set off on a one-way hike along the crest of Elk Mountain to Deer Park. You’ll revel in non-stop views on this highly scenic walk! A more strenuous “out and back” hiking option descends from the Obstruction Point meadows into the sub-alpine landscapes of the upper Grand Valley. The trail leads past the “paternoster” lakes of Grand, Moose, and Gladys before beginning a steep ascent to gain lofty Grand Pass from where you can survey the remote Cameron Pass backcountry.

Day 3
Overnight in Port Angeles
Explore Olympic National Park’s lush Pacific Northwest temperate forests on a hike in the Elwha River valley. Mists swirl through a canopy of soaring, moss-draped Douglas firs and western hemlocks while an understory filled with sword ferns and vine maples glows in luminous shades of green. At the Goblin’s Gates, the surging waters of the Elwha River resound as they are funneled into a narrow, rocky gorge. The historic remains of homesteader cabins and the possibility of Roosevelt elk sightings round out your explorations! Return to Port Angeles for the evening.

Day 4
Overnight at Lake Crescent
Travel by vehicle to the Pacific coast to explore one of the longest stretches of wilderness coastline in the forty-eight contiguous states. Enjoy a coastal hike past sandy coves and over rocky, conifer-cloaked headlands. Swirling mists, thundering waves, and picturesque sea stacks provide a scenic contrast to high country landscapes! In the afternoon, return to deep, blue, fjord-like Lake Crescent where overnight accommodations await.

Day 5
Overnight at Lake Crescent
Shuttle by vehicle into the Sol Duc Valley. Hike through deep Pacific Northwest forest along the Sol Duc River to Sol Duc Falls whose thundering waters have graced many a travel poster. Energetic hikers can continue higher to the Seven Lakes Basin viewpoint and Bogachiel Peak on the High Divide where unforgettable views of ice-clad Mount Olympus are yours to relish! Alternatively, you can enjoy a lovely hike along the shores of Lake Crescent. The lakeside trail edged with hemlock and red-barked Pacific madrone leads you past the deep blue pool known as the Devil’s Punchbowl.