The Quinault Rain Forest is magical. Staying along Lake Quinault for a few days, the trails were…read moreliterally right outside my lodging. You can do the short Rain Forest Loop trail to get acclimated or do longer loops that connect. Along the way, you'll encounter bright green moss, lush ferns, giant trees, banana slugs, muhshooms, running creeks and more! Having visited the Hoh Rainforest on my last trip to Washington, I have to say that Quinault gives Hoh a run for its money. It's quieter and still as lush and majestic. The area on the south shore of Lake Quinault is part of the Olympic National Forest but on the North Shore of the lake you'll be on Olympic National Park trails. Both have day use fees (self pay) but do have ranger stations for information (check hours as they vary by season.) While it wasn't raining during my time there, everything was still so green and lush. I was able to visit Merriman Falls, the rain forest nature loop, Maple Glade trail and then did a longer hike on the North Shore from Graves Creek out to Pony Bridge (be aware that the lake loop road is washed out and you have to take a long detour to that trail via a very rutted and gravel road.) All in all, it was a wonderful and calming reset and so grateful to have spent time in this lovely area.

Another beautiful rainforest in Olympic Park. Good parking, easy walking path and picnic tables. We…read morewalked down to the lake, it was a easy path. We did drive the 3 mile ring around the lake. You will see watefalls, beautiful lakes and wildlife. The air was so refreshing and clean. We timed this trip, to make sure it wasnt over run with tourist. We walked to the ranger station, and walked around the musuem. This was a nice stop as well. I loved all the totem poles! @noirvedanaturals

One of my favorite waterfalls in Washington. Great trail and drive up to the trail. You park and…read moreturn around, and the trail is right there. I wish there was a sign because you'll get asked a lot, "Is that the trail?" To access the waterfall, if you want to get great shots of the waterfall, you have to climb down to it. We weren't able to because we have an 8-month-old. But we used to climb down to the waterfall years ago. It's a must! Our first time at this hike was 6 years ago, and we've done it a handful of times since then. I do want to say every time we have come there, there are hardly any people on the trail. Most people will scramble down by the waterfall. It's fun. You do see people turn around at the tree/bench because it's a steep climb down. But you are able to still see the waterfall. Parking: There are about maybe 10 cars that can fit, and then parking a couple of feet ahead. Restroom: None

Such a nice hike. Very lush foliage and trees, and is a short out and back, roughly 1.6 miles. Very…read morelow elevation gain, family and dog friendly. There is some parking available right across from the trailhead. There are a lot of small fallen trees, probably due to that huge windstorm that happened a couple weeks ago. There is one tree you will have to climb over. I'm 5'0 and it was tall enough where I was almost sitting on it when I walked over it. And best of all the waterfall is spectacular! Definitely won't disappoint. I don't know how it is in the summer. There are also smaller water falls you can see on the way there.

Enjoyed the trails here. We were searching out shaded trails when traveling through the area and…read morelucked upon Weatherwax. Nothing epic, but it was the only forest type trail system we found in the immediate area. We only took a portion, a bit more than the loop. Some winding & uneven walking surfaces...trails maintained and easy to follow. Street parking only, but wide enough you can get completely off the road.

Easy to imagine you are in an enchanted forest here. 128 acres with a couple of different trails…read moreabout 2 miles total. It is beautiful and quiet. Several spots to look out onto duck lake also.

Eric was a great guide! It's definitely worth paying for the guided tour through this magical place.read more

Went on this tour when visiting Olympic National Park. Who knew there were rainforests in the US!!…read moreThis is a 4 hour tour lead by a National Park guide so not only is it informative, it is affordable! $35 for a 4 hour tour, not a bad deal! It's also the only tour of it's type in the area. You can bring snacks and drinks on the tour van so it's very relaxing. Anyways, this tour starts at Lake Quinault Lodge. On our tour, there were only 6 people, so it was like a private tour! The rainforest is beautiful and being driving around in AC beats driving your own car on the rough road. The guide stops at lots of waterfalls and sights and that you would not know to stop at otherwise. There is also a bathroom break and we stopped at one of the homesteads to explore. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Olympic National Park. It's a great and easy way to see the rainforest. Be aware that there are bugs in the rainforest and you can get bitten like me! Bring your bug spray!

This place is a hidden gem! It has a very isolated feeling to it. The falls flow steadily into a…read morebeautiful oasis of crystal clear water that outlets into a peaceful creek. The hike to the falls is less than a mile from the trailhead with a 200ft elevation gain. Bringing your whole family to appreciate its beauty shouldn't be much of an issue. I'm almost hesitant to write this review based on some of the disrespect I've seen for the nature in surrounding areas ie; Trash left behind by visitors and people engraving their Initials and other things on the trees/earth. Im hoping my review brings people to want to visit this great spot that our national parks/Forests have to offer! Map: Green Trails Grisdale No. 198 GPS GRID: N 47 21.227 W 123 33.912 Directions: - travel north on Forrest Road 22 "Wynoochee Road" -Turn right on Forrest Road 23 and take for 17 miles - the trailhead sign "spoon creek falls" will be on your right. PLEASE Practice "LEAVE NO TRACE"

Great place to clear your mind with all the beautiful natural landscape. I would recommend wearing…read morea long sleeve/pants while doing the hike down due to overgrown bushes and maybe water shoes. Today I didn't get my feet wet but previously we went during rainy times and we had to cross path in water to reach the waterfall. Kinda hard to find since not a lot of signs but my phone navigation got me there. Not much or no cell service. So if needed print it out. Just past the entrance to the waterfall is a fire pit area for possible day camp. Today someone had a tent in this location.Beautiful waterfall with such clear water. Very peaceful and quite.

Large parking but expect it to be full! It's very popular so expect a lot of people too…read more It was overcast when we visited but it was still very beautiful. We stayed about an hour and had a snack on the beach. It's a black sand beach and be aware of the large driftwood thats washed up on the beach, they can be a bit dangerous. Overall a beautiful beach.

Ruby Beach was a stop I missed during my 2023 Olympic trip. This time around, I made sure to add it…read moreto my itinerary. Driving over from my lodging in Quinault took about 50 minutes. Along the way, I stopped at some other coastal overlooks and made Ruby Beach the grand finale. On a September Wednesday, the lot was nearly full. It was a nice day-not too chilly with the sun out. Later on, the fog rolled in and made the scenery even more dramatic. It was a lovely coastal walk. The sea stacks were amazing and even though the tide was coming in, I managed to see a few sea stars. To get to the beach, it's a short downhill path, with a gentle grade. Although it's super popular, if you walk far enough, there's solitude to be had. Ruby Beach lives up to its hype and absolutely worth visiting while on the coast.

Firstly, several of these reviews are for the wrong hot springs. If a review mentions a restaurant,…read moreor a resort, or a time slot, they are referring to the SOL DUC hot springs, not these ones. Also, the reviews that mention that the hike is easy are all outdated! It's a slog to get there! The Olympic hot springs are a 12 mile hike mostly uphill. It used to be a much shorter hike but about five years ago the road washed out and you now have to hike an extra 8 miles... 12 miles total... one way. It's a slog! The springs themselves, while pretty, are shallow, muddy, slimy, and overall pretty gross. The signs warn of fecal bacteria. If you're hoping to hike 12 miles to soak in pristine pools, think again. Nudity is common. If anyone is actually using the hot springs, they will likely be nude. Get over it!! Let the nudists have their place... and 12 miles deep in the woods is a nice place to be nude. You might also see nudists hiking or biking on the trail to the hot springs. It's not common but does happen occasionally. Just smile and say hi! The hike starts off easy on a paved road for about 3/4 of a mile. Then you have to use a single-track dirt bypass trail that is steep and rooty. If you're using a bike you'll be pushing and carrying it over things. Then you're put back on an old paved road again. It's another 2 miles to the Glines Canyon overlook which is fun to see. Then it's another 5 miles on the same road, but now 100% uphill and sometimes steep, just to reach the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, you're already over 8 miles into it and you have another 2.5 or so to hike... bikes not allowed. You have to park at the Madison Falls parking lot. You're supposed to have a National Park pass.

Enchanted springs in enchanted forest, I have camped here quiet a bit when in college…read more Most special hot springs on earth to me. Hike is fun not too strenuous

Located in Olympic National Park, Marymere Falls is the most popular day hike in the Lake Crescent…read morearea of the park. It's less than a mile to the falls, and you go through old growth forest to get to there. The tree trunks are seriously huge. It makes you feel tiny in the grand scheme of things, and it's a very humbling experience. I think I liked the hike more than the waterfall at the end (although the waterfall is very cool!). It's just such a unique experience to go through the forest and feel like you're transported to another world. I definitely need to come back to hike Mt Storm King. It had rained so it was too muddy for me to attempt it. Be sure to check out Sol Duc Valley, which is about 20 miles south. It's a great spot to hike to Sol Duc falls if you're planning on chasing waterfalls on your trip.

Anytime we get a chance to hike to a waterfall, we usually find away to make it happen! Marymere…read morefalls was our second hike of the day after we had a good meal in after hiking Mount Storm King. I generally like to embark on hikes early in the morning to get to see the sunrise and see everything wake up for the day as well as to beat the heat and crowds. But, Marymere hike was a much shorter hike and all descriptions stated it was pretty easy. We started from Lake Crescent lodge and headed our way there. The signs were somewhat easy to find and the map the hotel staff gave us helped us to find the trail head. The hike itself, though easy, had a lot to offer on the way to the waterfall. A clearing where there were river stones and sparkling water that birds seemed to wisp by, two wooden bridges to cross, one was a narrow one. Trekking across bridges like those are always a favorite for me, those bridges then lead you to a small loop trail that got you to a lower area to view the water fall and then you can head up further to a higher vantage point that pretty much took your breath away. The waterfall was so worth it to see and after doing such a strenuous hike in the morning this hike was a piece of cake. If you're heading to this area of Washington I highly recommend hopping out and hiking this trail. It's worth it!

Located in Olympic National Park, Sol Duc Valley contains forest, clear subalpine lakes, and snowy…read morepeaks, with the Sol Duc River threading through it all. The Coho Salmon travel up the river every year to find a place to spawn. Sol Duc Falls is an easy walk from the parking lot-if you can find parking that is! I saw some people had to park farther down the road and walk along side the roadway to access the trail. The trail to the falls is a pretty popular hike since the waterfall is gorgeous, so you get a nice reward for not a lot of effort. Everything was super green when I visited. The landscape was practically glowing! Be sure to check out Lake Crescent, which is about 20 miles north. It's a great spot to meditate and spend some time hanging out.

Parking lot was full so we had to park at the side of the road about 1/4 mile away. I saw RV camp…read moresites which you can walk to the falls from the camp site. I don't recommend driving your RV into the parking lot, there is car parking only. I witnessed at least 3-4 RV's driving in and looping around because there wasn't RV parking. It's an easy walk to the falls once you get on the trail. It's worth to go see once. Beautiful views. It's not enough exercise for me. Lol