Today we drove almost 375 miles around this Olympic Peninsula that we are staying on. Much of this peninsula is the Olympic National Park. Tall mountains in the central region have glaciers from which rivers with glacial silt flow to the Pacific Ocean. US 101, the same route that we have been on in California and Oregon, ends in Washington almost completing a circle by coming up the western side of the peninsula, transcending across the north and then ends down the eastern side within 20 miles to Olympia. There are no roads cutting through the National Park from east to west or north to south. Leaving the campground this morning we drove to Port Angeles where we stopped at the Visitor’s Center for the N.P. From there we continued westward around Lake Crescent and then south. After a stop for lunch in Forks we continued to Hoh Rain Forest Visitor’s Center and then walked the “Hall of Mosses” trail. During the 3/4 mile walk we were rained on, had sunshine and were rained on some more. A stream of water that we crossed over is considered the clearest water in the USA. Moving on along the western side, we passed beaches and areas of tidal pools but the tide was too high to check out the pools. After crossing to the eastern side on a southern route we stopped for dinner and then continued north along Hood Canal and finally back to the campground after about 10.5 hours. We did see a couple deer along the road and then this evening we saw a herd of elk in a grassy area. A full day and we are both feeling tired tonight.
We will be staying here at least 1 more night. Our mail delivery has not gotten here but we are hoping to get it tomorrow.
