What do Hoh, Quinault and Queets Have In Common?

Hoh, Quinault and Queets are all temperate Rain Forests in the Olympic National Park. We spent three days exploring and hiking in these remote and unusual micro-ecosystems.

The Park protects the largest old-growth forest in
the Pacific Northwest.

Huge trees, ferns and moss create an abundant
biomass supported by 140+ inches of precipitation annually.

Not one surface of the forest is left bare.
The moss creates an eerie out-of-this-world effect.



Due west of Hoh Rain Forest is the beautiful Ruby Beach.

This Pacific coast beach is a unit of the Olympic National Park.

Kalaloch (Clay-lock) National Park Lodge
overlooks the Pacific coast, south of Ruby Beach,
was a great (only available) stop for dinner.



Odd Spruce Burls at the Beach 1 Trail South of Kalaloch



On another day we explored the Quinault Rain Forest, also known as the Valley of the Giants. Quinault contains six record setting size trees, Sitka Spruce, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar, Western Hemlock and Mountain Hemlock.

What is Virginia taking a picture of?

The World's Largest Douglas Fir
40'10" circumference, 302' tall

Quinault Nature Loop Trail

Picnic Lunch on the Shore of Lake Quinault

We saw these iridescent clouds, clouds with
rainbow colors, on the south shore of Lake Quinault.
This happens when especially tiny water droplets or
small ice crystals individually scatter light.

The World's Largest Sitka Spruce
59' circumference, 191' tall

This tree is over 1,000 years old.

On the north shore of Lake Quinault is the trail to the
1889 Kestner Homestead.

We enjoyed some salmon berries along the trail.
These were in season and growing along most trails
in the rain forest.

Largest Western Red Cedar in the World
63'5" circumference, 174' tall

The center is hollow enough to hold a party.



It's a little scary when it creaks in the wind.



Grays Harbor - Our First Stop on the Olympic Peninsula

We have a beautiful and quiet site at Hoquiam River RV Park, on the Hoquiam River and Grays Harbor. Our windows face this tranquil river scene. Since we are located very near the Pacific Ocean we watch the water level of the river fluctuate up to ten feet each day. As the ocean tides come in and go out the river actually flows both directions.

Deck at Hoquiam River RV Park

Beautiful, but invasive, Foxgloves grow in
all the disturbed areas along the roads.

The weather has been unseasonably warm and dry. Taking advantage of this we headed south on this segment of our peninsula tour. Starting at Bottle Beach State Park and then continuing along the coast to Westport and on to Tokeland, we completed a small circle tour returning to Hoquiam.

First glimpse of the Olympic Mountains from
Bottle Beach State Park.
Spotted our first bald eagle of the trip.

Grays Harbor at Westport had plenty of boats
and plenty of harbor seals.

Grays Harbor Light House,
the tallest in the state

 At Furford Cranberry Museum, we learned everything
we ever wanted to know about cranberries.

The many cranberry fields that grow in the Grays Harbor
area were in their spring bloom.

The Tokeland Hotel and Restaurant was our stop
for a late lunch.
This 1889 hotel is the oldest still operating
 in Washington state.
 

Washington's Majestic Mountains

Memorial Day we drove south from Castle Rock to visit the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge sits along the Columbia River about 12 miles north of the city of Vancouver, Washington. This refuge has a 4.2 mile auto tour loop along with two 2-mile wetland hiking trails. The tree swallows and bull frogs were busy on this beautifully sunny day. The refuge is also part of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail. There is a Cathlapotle Plankhouse which was constructed to resemble the houses described by Lewis and Clark when they visited the Indian village more than 200 years ago.

Ridgefield NWR

Cathlapotle Plankhouse

After a picnic lunch at the Refuge we decided to revisit Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Although we were here for a day in 2013, since our RV resort was just across from the entrance road, we couldn't resist going back up the 52 mile drive.

The vegetation is recovering after
the May 18, 1980 eruption.

View from the Johnston Ridge Observatory

Mount Rainier, at nearly three miles in height, is the tallest peak in the Cascade Range and is one of the world's most massive volcanoes. We spent two days touring Mount Rainier National Park. The first day we approached the volcano from the west via the Nisqually entrance and drove to the Paradise Inn and the visitor center at 5240 feet. On our second visit we entered the park from the east at the Stevens Canyon entrance and drove to Paradise. The Stevens Canyon Road was opened just days before due to snow. We also drove along the east park boundary to the White River Entrance and drove as far as we could before we reached the road to Sunrise which was still closed due to snow. I guess we may have to return in July.

Christine Falls

Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center

Paradise Inn

Reflection Lake

Falls Creek Falls

East Side of Mount Rainier
from Cayuse Pass

Olympia, Washington, The Capitol

Stopping for a week in Castle Rock, Washington, we decided to spend a day in Olympia, just 50 miles north on I-5. We took a one hour guided tour of this beautiful building. We also went into the Temple of Justice where the Washington State Supreme Court meets when in session. The Washington State Capitol Campus is comprised of six classical style buildings and gardens completed in 1928.

Since Washington was the 42nd state to be admitted
into the Union, there are 42 steps up to the front porch.

This 10,000 pound chandelier is the largest ever
created by Tiffany. It hangs from a 101 foot long chain
in the center of the 175 foot tall rotunda.

We were able to leave our car parked in the visitor parking lot and take the free Dash bus downtown to the Farmer's Market which is open Thursday through Sunday. We found some great tasting Washington cherries, strawberries and fresh baked cookies. While downtown we had a nice lunch at a little Italian restaurant. After lunch we hopped back onto the Dash for a ride to Sylvester Park.

Farmer's Market Main Building

The Old Capitol Building, also referred to as The Castle, built in Sylvester Park in 1890 now serves as administration offices.

Old Capitol

Washington State Flower is the Rhododendron.
These large bushes are everywhere and in
full bloom this time of year.

Monterey Bay and Big Sur

On a couple of different days we wondered around the beautiful ocean front town of Monterey. We visited Old Fisherman's Wharf, Cannery Row, Monterey Aquarium, the world famous "17-Mile Drive" around the Monterey Peninsula, and the coastal drive down Big Sur. We also enjoyed a couple of delicious meals with beautiful views of the bay.



The free city "Trolley" operated on the weekends and
everyday through the summer months.
This was a great way to see the town without
negotiating traffic.

Old Fisherman's Wharf is now a haven of
restaurants and shops.



This new Cannery Row Monument honors author
John Steinbeck, depicted at top,
and other real and fictional characters
from Monterey's Cannery Row.



The outstanding Monterey Aquarium took
us a full day to visit.

One of several large/multi-storied aquariums.
This is a shark in the three story kelp forest.

A Nautilus in the Tentacles Exhibit

Shrimp Lovers Feast at Bubba Gump's

Strawberries were in season and we
found "The Farm" in Salinas where we
purchased 1/2 flats from the grower.

Vista Point on CA-1.

A marine layer settled in on the Pacific on
this warm dry day.



On the Monterey Peninsula 17-Mile Drive,
 we watched the seals and golfers at Pebble Beach.



Seals, Cormorants and Otters Enjoying the Surf
at Bird Rock

The Lone Cypress has sat on this rocky outcrop
for 250 years. This icon is the living symbol
of Pebble Beach Golf Course

 

The 1932 Historical Bixby Bridge
along the Pacific Coast Highway CA-1

What a difference a day makes.
It turned the bridge into a ghost.
We were glad to see it two different times.