From rugged mountains, to lush rainforests, and all the way to sandy beaches, Olympic National Park is a true traveler’s paradise. I am fortunate to say that it is only four hours away my home, making it incredibly easy to visit for short weekend trips such as the one I took last Sunday. After visiting the Hoh Rainforest last summer, my family and I decided to give the coast a try on this trip. We made camp beneath a huge, lush tree whose leaves reflected across the top of our tent to look just like stained glass. It was beautiful, private, remote and quiet, everything a camper could dream of. The only complaint was the copious number of mosquitoes who invited themselves to dinner.
Just down the road is a lovely beach that I soon discovered was home to several curious seals. They were particularly fond of watching young children playing in the waves and surf. They would sit about 20 feet off shore, be observing curiously for quite a long time. The children's faces when they noticed their new playmates were always beyond adorable. The beach is also a rare paradise in Olympic National Park because it allows dogs to walk on it. My four-year-old, 85-pound lap puppy was in pure heaven as I ran her up and down in the surf. She was especially happy being allowed to dig a hole big enough to lay down in, with no one telling her to stop making a mess!
Another paradise nearby is Second Beach. At low tide, someone can walk all the way out to the giant sea stacks (massive towers of rock) that rise up from the depths of the water. Around the base, there are endless fascinating tide pools that serve as a habitat for a number of anemones, starfish and hermit crabs. A short way away, a sea otter lay sprawled across some rocks, sunning itself in the early morning light. The sand is perfectly pure white, ground to a thin mixture that is absolutely perfect for walking barefoot in. The beauty is so breathtaking that you forget anywhere else in the world exists. I never wanted to leave.
When heading out for a picnic dinner Monday night, I was forced to brake suddenly as I spotted something large and furry on the road in front of me. As I watched it waddle leisurely across, I took in its large body and wide, leathery tail. With enraptured delight, I realized I was looking at a beaver! I soon discovered not one but two, living in a lovely pond just off the road. I watched them collect branches for some time, before shifting my attention across the road to the wide river that runs out to join the ocean. With the tide that had just come in, the water had become incredibly salty. Fortunately for us, that meant that in addition to some cinnamon seals and their babies, there were also three seals, and a river otter basking in the shallow water. My favorite seal by far was resting on the end of a log and was so sleepy that he kept almost falling over sideways into the water (see cover photo).
Despite the lack of cell reception and the fact that it started raining at 3:20 a.m. with water dripping onto my face through the tent, Olympic National Park proved to be a fantastic place to escape from a long work week and reconnect with nature, and is somewhere I hope to visit again very soon.
