Washington
Olympic Peninsula Loop
About this adventure route
Olympic is really three parks in one, and this route hits all three in a day and a half: subalpine ridge, temperate rain forest, and wild Pacific coast. Hurricane Ridge gets you above treeline within seventeen miles of sea level. The Hoh receives twelve to fourteen feet of rain a year, which is what produces the moss-hung forest it is known for. Ruby Beach, an hour further, is sea stacks and driftwood.
Port Angeles up to Hurricane Ridge, then out to the Hoh Rain Forest and down to Ruby Beach.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- Hurricane Ridge climbs to 5,200 feet with the Olympic range directly across the valley
- The Hoh Rain Forest is one of the largest temperate rain forests in the hemisphere
- Ruby Beach has the classic Washington sea stacks and tidepools
- Three completely distinct ecosystems inside one park
Stops
- 1
Port Angeles
North-side base town and park visitor center.
- 2
Hurricane Ridge
Subalpine ridge with views across to Mount Olympus.
- 3
Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center
Trailhead for the Hall of Mosses.
- 4
Ruby Beach
Sea stacks, driftwood and tidepools on the Pacific coast.
When to go
Best time to go
July through September is driest. The Hoh is worth seeing in rain, which is most of the year.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 10h 16m
Before you go
Know before you go
- Hurricane Ridge Road can close for weather or maintenance. Check status before driving up.
- Distances between the three areas are long. This is a loop of several hours of driving, not a short circuit.
- Check a tide table before walking Ruby Beach. Headlands cut off at high tide.
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