NORTH TO ALASKA! – US National Parks Tour – Washington, Oregon & California

TRIP DAY – 68, 69, 70, 71

DAILY MILES  150 (Ferry 35), 49, 78, 38

TOTAL MILES – 8,778

The plans now include stopping at most of the National Parks in Washington, Oregon and California before heading back across the US on Interstate 40.  At the point we enter I-40 we will be about 2,000 miles from home in central Kentucky. 

Parks on our list are as follows:
Washington – Olympic, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens
Oregon – Crater Lake
California – Redwood, Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Death Valley or Joshua Tree.

8/21- Currently we are sitting in line waiting to board the Port Townsend Ferry from the WA 20 state road.  We left Bellingham this morning before 7 AM hoping to get on the first ferry of the day.  A quick stop in Oak Harbor at Wal-Mart to replace our broken coffee pot and we were in line for the ferry.  This will cut off about one hundred miles of highway travel in route to Olympic National Park.   

We were the first loaded on the second ferry and had a terrific view of the Puget Sound crossing.  A quick trip to the Port Townsend Visitor Center and McDonalds and we were on our way to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center.  After picking up maps we headed to Heart O’ the Hills campground and secured a site for the night, then headed 17 miles UP the road to Hurricane Ridge to see Mount Olympus.  A deer decided to come down a steep hill side right beside our vehicle.  He was only half as frightened as I was when I saw he was headed into the road in front of us. 

If there is a steep mountain road, without guard rail, within a million miles, I can find it.  The road up to Hurricane Ridge definitely met the requirements.  The trip back down put us on the outside of the mountain and with grades to 7 percent it is very hard not to overheat the brakes or transmission.  Wayne’s excellent “white knuckle” driving brought us down safely. 

8/22- Today we headed west on WA 101, which circles the park for about 150 miles, and stopped at the Elwha park entrance  for a short walk to Madison Falls which was very impressive.  After a picnic lunch we continued west for a short stop at Lake Crescent and then to the Klahowya National Forest campground.  We are camped in an old-growth forest near the Sol Duc River.  The trees are unbelievable.  Most are between 200 and 500 years old and between 200 and 300 feet tall.  Wayne and I together couldn’t reach around the trunks.  I know I’ve said this before, but this is the most beautiful place on earth and it’s amazing that we are allowed to camp right inside the forest. 

  

  

8/23- This morning we continued west around Olympic National Park and stopped at the Bogachiel State Park to secure a campsite for tonight.  After a quick lunch at the site we headed for Hoh Temperate Rain Forest about 25 miles down the road.  A stop at the Visitor Center to see the exhibits and then we hit the Hall of Mosses Trail to see the incredible forest which consist of mainly giant evergreens –western hemlock, Douglas-fir and Sitka spruce and the broadleaf moss-draped bigleaf maples.  Some of these trees are huge, 12 feet in diameter at chest height from the ground and 200 to 300 feet tall.  The Hoh Rain Forest is on the west side of the park and receives about 180 inches of rainfall yearly which contributes to the enormous size of these trees.  The pictures just don’t do justice to the size or beauty here.

 

8/24- Next we are headed to the parks wilderness coastal section, Kalaloch.  Here we hope to do a beach walk trail before saying goodbye to Olympic National Park and heading south east to reach Mt. Rainier National Park in a few days.