The Magical Side of the Olympic Peninsula: Where the Trees Have Enchanted Powers

Prepare to be amazed by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest coast! This hidden gem is ready for you to explore its enchanting allure. Located just a brief drive from Seattle, below the Canadian border, lies the stunning Olympic National Park. Imagine majestic glacier-capped mountains, lush forests that rival the Amazon, and rugged coastlines! Believe it or not, the Olympic Peninsula, with its perpetual moisture, doesn't envy its flashy cousin, the perpetually sun-kissed California coast. You won't need sunscreen or flip-flops here, but prepare to be enchanted by this national park's mystical allure.

🤷‍♂️ What Made Me Think I Could Handle Another Trip? It’s quite simple: I was lounging on my couch, resting and scrolling through Netflix, when I came across the Twilight saga (which I’d somehow never watched before!). Suddenly, a new travel obsession was born. I had this insane urge to visit Forks and the Olympic National Park. Blame it on the vampires and their misty forests; apparently, they have magical powers that make me forget I’m too tired to travel. So, there I was, trading my comfy couch for a rugged park, because if vampires can inspire travel plans, surely I can handle a bit more fatigue! The starting point of this new adventure was in Seattle, Washington. Seattle is always a pleasant stop, and I never tire of taking a stroll to Kerry Park, which offers a panoramic view of the city. Lucky us, the sky is completely clear, and we can spot Mount Rainier off to the right.

Then, we set off towards the Olympic Peninsula, with the quaint little town of Port Angeles as our entry point. After recharging our batteries, we begin the exploration of the peninsula and its four distinct facets: crystal-clear lakes and rivers, mountains, a temperate rainforest, and the wild coastline.

Crescent Lake

Our first selfie/Instagram photo stop is at the edge of Crescent Lake (literally shaped like a crescent!). It's a stunning lake with crystal-clear waters and a view of the surrounding mountains. My photo doesn't do justice to the beauty of the place.

Then, before heading to the temperate rainforest (the most popular spot in the park), we decided to take a quick detour to drive along the Sol Duc River, which runs through the peninsula. As we were driving along the river, we spotted a sign that said "Salmon Cascades." Well, well, well... We decided to stop and go in search of salmon. The place was absolutely gorgeous, with the river winding through a patch of forest and cascading over large rocks in small waterfalls.

Salmon Cascades

I snap a few photos (one of which would later become one of my favorite shots from this trip), and as I'm adjusting my camera, suddenly, a salmon leaps out of the water, against the current, and attempts to "climb" the waterfall! I'm speechless! It doesn't succeed on the first try, and the salmon has to give it a few attempts, but eventually, it makes it, and the salmon manages to scale the waterfall! Impressive!

I decide to settle on a rock and wait for the next salmon to attempt the impossible... and after a few minutes, a second salmon also tries to make the ascent. So, from that moment on, the photo shoot begins, trying to capture a salmon mid-leap! Like the salmon trying to ascend the waterfall, it doesn't work on the first try, but after a good half-hour sitting on my rock, I've got my jumping salmon on my memory card! Absolutely incredible! Just a spontaneous stop, and... the magic of nature unfolds!

Sol Duc Falls

The next stop is a hiking stop. We set off in search of the Sol Duc Falls. We enter the dense forest, and the first thing that strikes us is how green... and how damp it is! We're indeed in one of the wettest areas in the United States. The rainfall is abundant, nurturing the growth of giant trees and a thick carpet of mosses and ferns. It's quite impressive.

After about an hour of hiking (trying not to slip and fall on the damp ground — and mind you, it's August!), we hear the roaring river and catch sight of a small bridge spanning the waterway. I get my camera ready because I have a feeling the Sol Duc Falls are going to be as impressive as I've imagined!

And there's moss, moss everywhere...

The small town of Forks

Ah, Forks, the city of incessant rain, where even umbrellas duel to stay open! If you've ever delved into Bella and Edward's adventures, you might know this little town from a different angle. But frankly, if even Bella hates this place, you think it must really not be fun! And of course, as soon as we arrived, it was pouring! We took refuge in a local motel, just to mentally prepare ourselves to face this horror movie ambiance. The road leading to the temperate jungle is like a magical vegetal tunnel, where moss proliferates to the point where you wonder if it won't end up invading us too!

It's almost as if every tree had its own green hat. It feels like a fairy tale, where every blade of moss hides a secret, and where a vampire could emerge at every trunk corner.

Finally, we arrive at the entrance to the world's largest temperate rainforest – one of only three on the entire planet. Here, the forest morphs into a jungle, albeit with a refreshingly cool climate and precipitation galore. Welcome to the Hoh Rain Forest!

It's possible to venture into the forest on foot by taking hiking trails. Sure, we're soaked, but who cares? We forge ahead. The forest is so dense that the towering trees and gigantic ferns provide some shelter from the raindrops. The deeper we go, the more impressive it gets.

Green, green everywhere, but mostly it's plants growing everywhere, moss everywhere, trees sprouting from the trunks of dead trees, mushrooms popping up all over. It's a true jungle out there!

It's truly another world, and it's quite fascinating and magical. My camera is soaked, and it's quite challenging to take photos with my feet submerged in water, but I'm doing my best.

We take another hiking trail; the forest is less dense, and we reach the river, which we can follow for a bit. A ray of sunshine; it's a surreal environment...

We plunge back into the forest for a little while. And the moss reappears...

The forest was a real surprise, and we're completely amazed. Soaked but amazed...

Back to Forks to rest and dry off; then we'll head towards the ocean and the local Indian reserves.

The Wild Coast

The forest and the towering trees stretch all the way to the ocean, and we stop for a first stroll on Rialto Beach. The beaches of the northwest have a raw and wild feel; trees seem to have collapsed onto the sand, huge logs litter the beach, veiled in mist, massive rocky spires emerge from the ocean.

It all has a very mysterious vibe, and the walk on the beach (stepping over tree trunks!) is quite enjoyable, even if it's a bit chilly, even in the middle of summer.

A bit further south, we reach another beach: Ruby Beach, with conifers extending right onto the sand.

The region also includes numerous Indian reserves. The discovery of the Olympic Peninsula was a delightful surprise. The panoramas are breathtaking, and the mysterious and magical forest has its charm. Even the rain, which is part of the scenery, plays a role and creates a certain ambiance.

The Quick Recap (Too Long To Read Edition)

🌟 What Was The Highlight Of My Trip? Without a doubt, my favorite part was getting drenched right in the heart of the forest. Nothing says “adventure” quite like standing in a magical, moss-covered wonderland, where the scenery is so surreal it almost feels like you’re on a movie set, minus the practical effects, of course. The lush greenery and the cold, damp air made me feel like I’d accidentally walked into a giant nature-themed wet sponge. Trying to take photos in the rain? Now that’s a sport all on its own. The camera lens keeps fogging up! But despite all that, the forest was undeniably gorgeou, like nature’s way of showing off its “I-don’t-need-sunshine-to-be-beautiful” look.
📅 How Many Days? Three or four days are perfect to explore the different corners of the peninsula. Two nights in Forks will give you just enough time to soak in the area, even if Forks itself is, well, a bit underwhelming. It’s the kind of town where the highlight is the excellent Mexican restaurant at the entrance (seriously, those tacos!). Just don’t expect Forks to be a bustling metropolis, it’s more of a quiet pit stop.
🎒 What To Pack? A hairdryer, a raincoat, and boots. Sounds simple enough, right? Except we didn’t bring any of those. We ventured into the wet, wild beauty of the forest armed with nothing but sheer optimism and a vague sense of hope. The result? We got thoroughly soaked and managed to learn the hard way that proper gear makes a world of difference. So, take it from us: pack that raincoat, keep those boots handy, and maybe toss in a hairdryer if you want to avoid looking like a drenched mop for the entire trip.
⚡ Energy Level For This Adventure? While we had our fair share of activities, from trekking through mossy forests to navigating damp trails, it wasn’t the kind of adventure that leaves you feeling like you’ve just run a marathon. It was manageable and surprisingly enjoyable. So, while it was an active trip, it wasn’t so demanding that I needed a recovery plan involving a week of nappin and binge-watching Dateline on TV. Instead, it left me pleasantly tired but ready for more, making it a perfectly balanced adventure with just the right amount of exertion to keep things exciting without overdoing it.