Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Washington
Hiking Trails & Maps
Your Virtual Guide to Adventure Outdoors!
Washington
Hiking Trails & Maps
Maps & Trails
Olympic National Parks
Hikers' Guide, (part 1)
Olympic Regional Hotsprings
Olympic National Park Thermal
Treasures
Virtual Dosewallips, East Olympics (No frames)
Virtual
Dosewallips, East Olympics (frames)
Olympic National Park Hikers' Guide (part 1)
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Calypso Falls, Dosewallips region
Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Northwest Washington, west of Seattle, the 900,000-plus acres of Olympic National Park protect a wide variety of habitat. In the west, 57 miles of wilderness beaches, cliffs, offshore rocks, and islands have changed very little since Indian villages first appeared thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. The shoreline vibrates with the energy of crashing waves, the constant ebb and flow of the tides, the cries of gulls and crows. The park is best known, however, for the old-growth virgin forests it protects. Other than in the northwest United States, such temperate rain forests are found in only a few other places around the world. Olympic is also known for its biological diversity. Isolated for eons by glacial ice, the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Peninsula has developed its own distinct array of plants and animals. Eight kinds of plants and five kinds of animals are found on the peninsula and live nowhere else in the world. Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar are common here, with some ancient specimens reaching 300 feet in height and 23 feet in circumference. The dim, vivid green understory is jungle-like with mosses, mushrooms, and ferns. The Olympic Mountains form the third distinct area of the park. Although not very high (Mt. Olympus, the highest point, is 7,965 feet), they are steep and rugged. The mountains act as condensers for the moisture-laden Pacific air. The western slopes receive more rain than anywhere else in the 48 states, more than 160 inches a year in some places. By comparison, the town of Sequim, located in the rain shadow less than 20 miles to the east, gets only 17 inches of rain a year. Elk, deer, black bear, mountain lion, coyote, and marmot are among the area's mammals. Sea otter, whale, and seal are found along the coast. Fishing for trout and steelhead is good in some rivers.
Getting Away:
There are nearly 600 miles of trails leading through mountain passes and old-growth forest and following beside rushing rivers and the Pacific shore. One of the most scenic and interesting hikes in the park is the 18.5-mile Hoh River Trail. Starting at an elevation of 578 feet, the first 12 miles of the trail climb gradually through the ocean-facing Hoh River Valley, then rise steeply above treeline to the Blue Glacier moraine, at 5,000 feet on the flanks of Mount Olympus. The view of the sprawling glacier and surrounding summits is magnificent. Though the trail is heavily used, you can get a feeling of solitude by avoiding the peak seasons-July and August. The most popular coastline route is the 21-mile stretch between Ozette and Rialto Beach. And a few miles north of Ozette is Cape Alava, the Westernmost point of the continental United States. On the beach are boulders with carvings made by the Makah Indians, who occupied the nearby site for 2,000 years. This is a busy area for day hikers, so avoid weekends if possible.
Worth Mentioning:
Alien beings roam the craggy mountain sides. In the 1920s, sportsmen introduced mountain goats to the area. The white, shaggy animals were so prolific that by 1983 their population had grown from around a dozen to nearly 1,200. Studies have confirmed that they are causing significant change in the native plant communities and that they are a potential threat to some rare plants found only in the Olympics. Since 1981, many goats have been live-captured and removed. An environmental impact statement currently being developed will determine the best way to eliminate the threats from the goats.
Access:
Visitor centers are located at Port Angeles and at the Hoh Rain Forest. The main access to the park is U.S. 101. All park destinations can be reached from U.S. Highway 101, which circumnavigates the Olympic Peninsula. Numerous side roads lead to points of interest !
Getting There:
Travel time along any of these routes is approximately two-and-a-half to three hours from the Seattle/Tacoma area to Port Angeles, where the main park visitor center and park headquarters are located.
Bus Lines - Port Angeles is served daily from downtown Seattle and SeaTac Airport by Olympic Bus Lines and Tours. Reservations are recommended: call (360) 452-3858. The Clallam Transit System provides service within Port Angeles and commuter services to locations around the northern Olympic Peninsula. For more information, call (360) 452-4511.
Airlines - Horizon Air (an Alaska Airlines affiliate) provides regularly scheduled flights to Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles from SeaTac Airport and from Victoria, British Columbia.
Rental Cars- All major rental companies serve the SeaTac Airport. Rental cars are also available on the Olympic Peninsula in Port Angeles, Sequim and Grays Harbor.
Ferry Service - Car and passenger ferry service is available throughout most of the year between Victoria, British Columbia and Port Angeles. Reservations are not available, but for more information, contact: www.northolympic.com/Coho Transport, Incat (360) 457-4491. www.northolympic.com/ferry/
Rapid Transit operates a summer passenger-only ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria. For reservations and information, call (360) 452-8088.
Visitors:
In recent years, approximately 4 million visitors annually. Most visitors come to the park from July through September; December and January are the quietest months. The summer and holidays can become a bit crowded, even camping, so try for early or mid-week trips to find a little more solitude.
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Visitor Centers are located in Port Angeles, Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain forest. Each of these provides exhibits and visitor information. The Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles is open and staffed year-round and serves as the park's primary information and orientation center. The Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Visitor Centers are open throughout the year (when road and weather conditions allow), but may be self-service during the winter months. Exhibits are also located at the following ranger stations: Staircase, Storm King (at Lake Crescent), Ozette and Kalaloch
Camping:
The National Park Service operates 16 campgrounds with a total of 910 sites. Backcountry permits are no longer free (see "Fees"), but can be obtained at any ranger station and most trailheads. In most areas, backcountry campsites are not designated; you can camp anywhere at least one-half mile from the trailhead and 100 feet from lakes or streams. Coastline campsites are either in small clearings tucked away at the forest's edge, or on the beach above high tide snuggled among piles of driftwood and castaway logs. Bring your backpacking stove for cooking; open-fire rules vary. Water availability depends on where you hike, so be sure to discuss the route with a ranger. Giardia is present in the water, so always boil, filter, or treat ! At any time of year, visitors should come prepared for a variety of conditions. Rain gear and layered clothing are a must. Use is year-round in the park. July through September can be quite sunny. If you visit off-season, be prepared for stormy weather, washed-out foot bridges, and down trees.
Fees:
The fee program at Olympic has recently changed in accordance with the Congressionally authorized Recreation Fee Demonstration Program. Entrance permits and passes are sold spring through fall at park entrance stations. The fee is $10.00 per vehicle ($5.00 per person for bicyclists and bus passengers) and is good for seven consecutive days at any park entrance. A $10.00 per vehicle fee is also collected at the Hurricane Ridge entrance on weekends during the winter. Season passes ($20.00; good for one calendar year) are also available. The Golden Eagle Pass, an annual pass good at all National Park Service areas, as well as other Federal Fee Areas is now $50. The lifetime Golden Age pass costs $10 for individuals who are 62 or older and the free Golden Access pass is available to individuals who can show written proof of permanent disability.
There are nightly fees (ranging from $8 to $12) for most park campgrounds, depending on the services and amenities provided at each one. All are available on a first-come, first-served basis. some remain open throughout the winter. Call 360-452-0330 for up-to-date campground information.
Use of the park's RV sewage dump stations costs $3 per use.
There is a $1 daily parking fee at Ozette.
On May 23, Olympic National Park will begin charging fees for all overnight trips into the park’s wilderness backcountry. Proceeds from the wilderness fee program will go directly to fund projects that benefit park wilderness and wilderness users. The Wilderness Fee program has two components -- a Permit Registration Fee and an Individual Nightly Fee. The Permit Registration Fee is $5 for a single permit good for up to 14 days and a maximum of 12 people. The Individual Nightly Fee is $2 per person per night for any overnight stay in the park backcountry. Persons 16 years old and younger are exempt from this fee.
A Frequent Hiker Pass will be available for $30 per person per year. This is an annual, non-transferable pass, good for twelve months from the date of issue. It covers all wilderness use fees for the pass holder. Additional Frequent Hiker Passes for members of the same household will cost $15.
Maximum fee amounts have been set at $50 for groups of one to six for up to 14 nights and $100 for groups of seven to twelve for up to 14 nights. (Without the fee cap, a 6-person group staying 14 nights would be charged $173.) For more information, call the Wilderness Information Center at (360) 452-0330
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES AND PARK USE:
Olympic is a wilderness park, with much of its interior accessible only by trail. A variety of spur roads lead to various destinations around the park. Scenic drives to Hurricane Ridge, along the Pacific Coast and through the forested valleys of the Sol Duc, Hoh and Quinault Rivers provide glimpsesof Olympic's diversity.
The best way to see the park, however, is by getting out of your car and hitting the old trailheads! But if you’re really unable to spend some time hiking Olympic, try these short , but insightful walks:
Short (one-quarter to one-half mile) nature trails are located at Hurricane Ridge (spring through fall only), Elwha, Sol Duc, the Hoh Rain Forest and Quinault. Some of these are wheelchair accessible. Longer trails provide access to other areas of the park, including the park's wilderness beaches and rugged mountainous interior.
With Olympic's nearly one million acres and three distinct ecosystems, plan on spending at least one very full day to get a feeling for the park's diversity. With this amount of time, visitors often drive to Hurricane Ridge for a taste of the park's high country and mountain vistas. From there, a three-hour drive to the west will bring you to the Hoh Rain Forest, where over 12 feet of rain per year creates a stunning world of huge trees and profuse greenery. Views of the Pacific Coast and Olympic's wilderness beaches can be seen by an additional 30-40 minute drive to Rialto or Ruby Beach.
Visitors interested in hiking or exploring some of the park's lesser-used areas should allow at least several days to see the park. Basic orientation information, as well as exhibits and an introductory slide program are available at the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.
Programs, Activities: A variety of ranger-guided programs and activities are offered throughout the summer at a number of sites around the park. Current schedules are printed in the park's free newspaper, available throughout the summer at visitor centers and ranger stations. Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are offered on weekends, weather permitting, from December through March at Hurricane Ridge.
Food, Supplies:
Food and supplies are widely available in towns and cities around the park. In addition, concession-operated grocery and camper supply stores are located at the Fairholm General Store, Log Cabin Resort, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and Kalaloch Lodge.
Other Concessions, NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities
Throughout the spring, summer and fall, Olympic Park Institute (OPI) provides one to three-day-long field seminars for adults and families. Topics are varied, ranging from natural history of the Olympics to nature photography to kayak, canoe and backpacking outings. OPI also offers residential field science programs for K-12 school groups and hosts elderhostels for people 55 years and older. For more information about any OPI program, call (360) 928-3720.
Accessibility
The Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles is fully accessible, as is the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. Other centers and ranger stations provide varying levels of accessibility. Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available at nine of the park's 16 campgrounds. Several campgrounds also offer paved campsites and picnic tables with extensions to accommodate wheelchair-users. Several nature trails are paved and wheelchair accessible. Others are gravel, but fairly level and may be accessible with some assistance. Among the park lodging facilities, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort has accessible hot spring pools and several accessible cabins. The main lodge building and one room are accessible at Lake Crescent Lodge. Kalaloch Lodge has one accessible cabin.
For More Information:
Olympic National Park, 600 E. Park Ave., Port Angeles, WA 98362; (360) 452-0330. Mail-order service for books and maps is available from the Northwest Interpretive Association, 3002 Mt. Angeles Rd., Port Angeles, WA 98362; (360) 452-4501, ext. 239. Cultural and natural history courses in the park are offered by the Olympic Park Institute, 111 Bames Point Road, Port Angeles, WA 98363; (360) 928-3720. For information on short-term volunteer opportunities, contact the park's VIP coordinator; (360) 452-4501, ext. 219
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The site of a former health resort, Olympic is still a great soak. Very popular in the 1920’s, the resort closed in 1966 when the lease expired. Entropy quickly claimed the resorts buildings. The photographs from its peak period show a nice resort with a large pool & high dive tower, hotel rooms, and rental cabins. By the 1950’s, moss and decay were noticeable. All the buildings are now gone, and some of the wood has been used to shore-up the pools.
Olympic now consists of several small user built pools tucked back in the woods. The springs range in temperature from 100 F to 112 F. It is easy to find a comfortable pool to soak in. There are quite a number of small bubbling hot springs located down short trails all over the area, some have shallow puddles to wallow in. The hillside is full of small pools that can handle between 1 and a couple dozen. The whole area could easily handle about 50 people soaking at one time. Some of the pools were right on the road, others can be found by exploring up a trail next to a stream of hot water. Some look like little more than a murky rock pool, while others are tucked into the trees and quite picturesque. The largest pool is a series of two pools right next to the trail. It is called "The Double Pool". It has a lower pool, that is comfortable to soak in for several hours and can hold about 3 dozen people, and an upper pool that is a bit warmer and is set into an eroding hillside. It is all quite beautiful. There is a very slight sulfur smell that is not annoying, and the water is a fairly murky in all of the pools that I saw, but who minds a little free mineral mud.Most users are nude, and others don’t usually mind. Occasionally the rangers will come up because of complaints, but the springs are on National Park land. Nudity is prohibited, but is still legal. Rangers will ticket if you refuse to get dressed after they ask you, they do not usually make special trips to the springs to harass nude users.The springs are in use all year. In the winter the hike is about 5 miles each way. The length is determined by the road clearing crew. The hike in is only about 2.5 miles after the snow melts, and the barriers are removed. No services are available at the springs. Pack out your garbage, and a little bit more. There is a campground about ¼ mile from the springs. There are outhouses both at the trailhead, and near the end of the trail. Food and some supplies are available at the Elwha General Store.
DIRECTIONS: From Port Angeles, take US 101 west for ten miles, turn south and follow the signs to the Elwha Valley. Turn up Elwha Valley Road, it is across the road from Elwha General Store. Proceed south towards Appleton Pass, alongside Boulder Creek, take the paved road to the parking area at the road block/trailhead. Continue up the road on foot. After nearly 2.5 miles you will come to a split in the trail, go through the old parking area, and take the trail to the springs. The trail can be a little muddy for a couple feet, then crosses Boulder Creek and will take you to the hot spring area. The trail is crossed by several trickles of hot water, swim upstream like a salmon, you will find a pool. Some are right next to the trail. Most, but not all, of the paths connote the presence of a nearby spring. If you continue and follow a trail uphill, you will find a very nice pool.
Map: T29 R8W. Lat. N 47.977, Long W 123.682. NPS Olympic National Park (hot springs not shown, look for Appleton Pass)
Piedmont Sulfur Spring
Anytime it says sulfur spring in the name, you should expect the area to smell like one of those egg salad sandwiches that the geek in 6th grade brought to school all the time. You remember, at least once a week, not just right after Easter. If you happen to be that geek, and you still don’t mind the smell of warm sulfur, look for this place. The water is 66 degrees. I don’t have any information about the rate of flow, or any details about what it looks like. If you find it, drop me a note and tell me all about it. I suspect that it is remote enough that you can use it nude, but it may turn you yellow from the sulfur, or make you blue from the cold.
DIRECTIONS: Located near the north end of Crescent Lake.
Map: T30N R9W sec 11.
Sol Duc Resort
POB 2169
Port Angeles, WA 98362
(360) 327-3583
Sol Duc Resort has been a health resort for most of the century. Although it is old, it has been extensively modernized. While Olympic has reverted to a rustic and natural state, Sol Duc has become more up-to-date. Open from early May to the end of September, the resort plans to be open all-year before long. Call for details and reservations.
The 128 degree F. hot spring mineral water goes through a heat exchanger, to heat the swimming pool and shower, then goes into the mineral pools. The swimming pool is filled with chlorinated creek water. The three large soaking pools have natural hot spring water that has cooled to 101 F. to 105 F. on a flow-through basis, no chemicals are added. These pools are accessible for handicapped people. All pools are clothing required.
There are also four clothing optional, indoor, private fiberglass hydrojet pools filled with mineral water from the hot springs. The private pools stay at a comfortable 101 F., and no chemicals are added. All pools are available to the public as well as to registered guests. Bathing suits are required except in private spaces.
Sol Duc Resort has many on site services including campsites, a cafe, store, and quite a few new cabins. A National Park campground is directly across a bridge. A service station is 15 miles, and 30 miles to RV hook-ups.
DIRECTIONS: From Fairholm, take US 101 west for two miles, turn onto Soleduc River Road and go south 11 miles to the resort.
Map: T29N R9W. Lat. N 47.969, Long W 123.864. NPS Olympic National Park (shown on the map).
PRICES FOR SOL DUC HOT SPRINGS
RESORT 1997:
Open Daily May 18 Through October 3. Hot Springs Only open weekends in April And October
9am-5pm
SINGLE CABIN - NON-COOKING OR KITCHEN CABIN IN DUPLEX:
Modern one-room cabin with full bath, electric heat, carpeting, and two double beds.
Kitchen unit in duplex had sink, refrigerator with freezer, and electric range/oven.
Pricing per night as follows:
One or two persons, single
cabin..................$75.00
One or two persons, kitchen cabin.................$85.00
Additional person 4 years of age and older........$10.00
Children under 4....................................FREE
4 adults and 2 children maximum occupancy per cabin. In order to preserve the tranquility of the Park and enjoy its natural surroundings, there are no telephones, radios, or televisions in the cabins. Pay telephones are available at the lodge.
PETS:
Pet fee per pet, per
day..........................$2.00
The Park Service requires all pets to be on a leash. Pets are not allowed on trails, in
public buildings, or left unattended.
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE SITES - CONTAINED VEHICLES ONLY:
Water and power hookups with waste
disposal site nearby.
Per vehicle per night.............................$15.00
THE SPRINGS RESTAURANT:
Breakfast from 8am
Poolside Deli opens 11am
Dinner beginning 5pm
HOT SPRINGS AND POOL:
Open daily, 9am to 9pm (close 8pm in September)
Day use per person................................$5.50
Children under 4 (restricted to toddler pool and chlorinated swimming pool)................FREE
62 years and older................................$4.50
MASSAGE:
One and one-half hours............................$60.00
One hour..........................................$40.00
Half-hour.........................................$30.00
Please make your appointment at the pool booth.
RESERVATIONS:
Cabin and RV reservations can be
made by telephone 8am to 8pm.
Check-in time 4pm Check-out time 11am
DEPOSIT:
A deposit equal to one night’s lodging is required to confirm your reservation. Deposits will be refunded if cancellation is received by mail or telephone 48 hours prior to scheduled arrival date at 4pm. The balance of room charges is due upon check-in. CANCELLATION FEE..................................$ 5.00
Rates are subject to Washington State sales tax.
All sales subject to .8% Park Service utility surcharge.
Rates are subject to change.
Management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone.
Two nights minimum stay for holidays.
No public laundry service available at this facility.
We accept cash, travelers checks, VISA, Mastercard, Discover,
American Express, or personal check with proper identification for amount of purchase only.
No refunds due to electrical outage.
The National Park Service charges an entrance fee at Sol Duc Road P.O.Box 2169, Port Angeles, WA 98362 (360) 327-3583
Olympic National Park Hot Springs
from an National Park Service brochure
Several hot springs can be found in Olympic National Park, occurring on or near the Calawah fault zone. This presently inactive fault zone extends from the southeastern Olympics to the northwest and probably into the Pacific Ocean.
One spring area can be reached by road, others have been reported in remote areas of the back-country. Indian legend reputedly speaks of the origin of the Sol Duc and Olympic Hot Springs: Two "dragon-like" creatures" (lightning fish) with a mutual hatred for one another engaged in a mighty and desperate battle. There was no victor as both were evenly matched. Admitting defeat each of the creatures crawled into their separate caves where they still weep hot tears of mortification.
OLYMPIC HOT SPRINGS
The Olympic Hot Springs consist of 21 seeps located in a bank on Boulder Creek, a tributary of the Elwha River. Several of these have been trapped by human-made rock lined depressions. The depth of these pools is about one foot and water temperatures vary from lukewarm to 138 degrees F (54 degrees C).
A resort existed in the area until 1966, when the lease expired. Heavy winter snows caused many of the buildings to collapse. They were removed, but the seeps remain. Nudity is prohibited. The impounded pools frequently fail water quality standards for public bathing. Use at your own risk.
SOL DUC HOT SPRINGS
Sol Duc is an Native American word for "sparkling water". In the 1880’s, Theodore Moritz nursed a native with a broken leg back to health. In gratitude, the Indian told Moritz of the "firechuck" or magic waters. Moritz staked a claim, built cedar-log tubs and soon people were coming great distances to drink and bathe in the healing water.Michael Earles, the owner of the Puget Sound Mills and Timber Company claimed he was cured of a fatal illness after visiting Sol Duc. When Moritz died in 1909, Earles bought the land from his heirs and built a $75,000 road to the springs from Lake Crescent. Three years later, on May 15, 1912, an elegant hotel opened. The grounds were immaculate - landscaping, golf links, tennis courts, croquet grounds, bowling alleys, theater, and card rooms. A three-story building between the bathhouse and hotel held the sanitarium. With beds for one hundred patients, a laboratory, and x-ray it was considered one of the finest in the west.
Four years later in 1916, sparks from a defective flue ignited the shingle roof of the hotel. The water had not yet been turned on as it was early in the season. Wires were short-circuited on the organ and Beethoven’s "Funeral March" began to play as the hotel was consumed in flames in just three hours. The resort of today may be more modest than the one that existed sixty years ago, but people enjoy the "hot tears" of the Sol Duc dragon. The resort is open from late spring through early fall and offers cabins (some cooking cabins), a dining room, gift shop, a swimming pool, three mineral water pools, therapeutic massage, snackbar, and RV sites.
An 86 unit National Park campground lies on the banks of the Solduck River. Evening programs are offered nightly from July 1 through Labor Day.
The area is supposed to have more springs, but it looks to me like a better place to soak nude is Olympic Hot Springs. It is about a 30 minute drive, then a 2.5 mile easy hike.
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