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Old 18 Jun 20, 04:11 PM  
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katiebaz
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Pacific Northwest Aug 2019 - Day 17 Olympic National Park: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent

This morning we were awake fairly early as we were heading into Olympic National Park and being a Sunday we wanted to get ahead of the crowds. For breakfast we popped to a nearby McDonalds which had the advantage of WIFI so the boys could watch Ben Stokes batting to win the third Ashes test in rather dramatic style.

After a quick stop to pick up sandwiches for lunch, we headed into Olympic National Park towards the Hurricane Ridge area. As we gained elevation the views were stunning and we also got to see some deer grazing by the side of the road.



We parked up at the visitor centre by 9.30am which was already getting busy and headed out for a walk. Unfortunately due to mountain goats being airlifted to Rocky National Park, the walking trails we could do were limited but we still managed to get a good hour’s walk in and admire the views of Mount Olympus and surrounding peaks. During the walk we came across a few elk who seemed quite oblivious to all the people out hiking.







Back at the visitor centre, we purchased more hoodies, t-shirts and souvenirs then sat on the picnic tables outside having a drink and taking in the stunning scenery. We left the car park around 11.30am and were very pleased to have got in early and cars were being held at the park entrance and there was a long queue to get in. Just after the entrance we called in at the main visitor centre for Olympic National Park and spent a lovely quarter of an hour chatting to a friendly ranger and getting some walking trail advice for our next few days in the park. Olympic is a beautiful park but has no roads running through it so you have to reach the different areas of the park by driving around the outside and entering through different entrances, which means you need a good few days to see it properly.

Our next stop was Crescent Lake where we were due to stay that night which took about an hour to drive to. Crescent Lake is a huge glorious lake and we had been recommended a walk along part its shore line, following an old railway line. First we needed lunch and spied a picnic spot not far from the start of the walk right of the water’s edge which looked idyllic. Sadly it was not mean to be as when we sat down and started to eat we got inundated with wasps. No amount of ‘staying still’ or ‘hysterical arm flapping’ (depending on which family member you are) would make them go away and we reluctantly had to give up eating outside and retreat to the car. We then realised that the rest of the tables were empty and were starting to understand why!



After lunch we drove the short distance to the trail head and set off on the 4 mile walk along the water’s edge. The ranger who recommended the walk had said it was a good one to get away from the crowds and they were right as we hardly saw anyone else. Along the way we saw a few people swimming in the lake and wished we had our swimsuits as it looked very inviting.



It was then time to head to the Lake Crescent Lodge where were staying that night and it did not disappoint. The setting was gorgeous and we had a cabin right on the edge of beach area of the lake shore. There were lots of people swimming, hiring canoes/paddle boards and we were keen to join in. After checking in, Daniel and I went swimming, with Daniel jumping off the dock whilst Steve chilled out on a chair outside our cabin.



People started to leave the lake as evening fell and we decided to get ready for dinner. Our only option for dinner was the pricey restaurant in the Lodge but actually the food turned out to be lovely and the portions HUGE so we enjoyed it more than we thought. Daniel had the largest chicken wings we have ever seen, I had a fabulous burger and Steve a portion of fish and chips which was enough to feed all 3 of us.

After filling up we wandered along the beach, which was empty by now and watched the sunset.



It was beautiful and tranquil, well until the mosquitos decided to have a meal on us. We quickly retired to our room, reading and planning the next day as there was no TV or WIFI, which we all really enjoyed. Sometimes it is no bad thing to unplug from the real world for a while and even the teen agreed!

Edited at 04:14 PM.
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Old 19 Jun 20, 07:54 AM  
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CrispyA
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Intriguing about the mountain goat airlift . . . Sorry the pesky wasps spoiled your picnic but hiking sounds great and Crescent lake looks like a lovely spot to stay. Nice food in a National Park as well!
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Old 20 Jun 20, 11:26 AM  
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katiebaz
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Originally Posted by CrispyA View Post
Intriguing about the mountain goat airlift . . . Sorry the pesky wasps spoiled your picnic but hiking sounds great and Crescent lake looks like a lovely spot to stay. Nice food in a National Park as well!
Yes the goat airlift was quite a bizarre reason for the trails being shut! Crescent Lake was so beautiful and warm enough to swim in which was an added bonus.
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Old 30 Jun 20, 11:21 AM  
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smithlane
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Oh my, Olympic NP looks amazing! Your photos are great, especially the last one. Looks professional of the two of you!
The cabin sounds perfect, I've added it to my growing list of accommodations for when we get out to that part of America.
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Old 30 Jun 20, 04:40 PM  
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katiebaz
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Originally Posted by smithlane View Post
Oh my, Olympic NP looks amazing! Your photos are great, especially the last one. Looks professional of the two of you!
The cabin sounds perfect, I've added it to my growing list of accommodations for when we get out to that part of America.
It was a fabulous place to stay and swimming in the lake was idyllic - I highly recommend it if you are visiting Olympic.
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Old 1 Jul 20, 05:48 PM  
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Sparksy72
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Crescent Lake looks beautiful and your last photo is just lovely. How wonderful that you were able to enjoy the lake in the afternoon and swim and relax. Dinner sounds fab too.
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Old 4 Jul 20, 07:25 AM  
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katiebaz
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Originally Posted by Sparksy72 View Post
Crescent Lake looks beautiful and your last photo is just lovely. How wonderful that you were able to enjoy the lake in the afternoon and swim and relax. Dinner sounds fab too.
It was such a gorgeous place to stay and we are definitely converts to lake swimming.
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