Stella on the Olympic Peninsula

I've been out to the Olympic Peninsula twice in recent weeks; once on a solo recon mission while Ani was out of town, and then together when she returned. I've gotten a pretty good feel for the area. It is beautiful, varied, and a great place for teardrop camping. It really has everything: mountains, beaches, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, rain forests, historic towns, wild life and more. We've just scratched the surface so far, so we're planning on several more trips there this summer. Here's some info you might find helpful in planning a trip.

I had read that the campgrounds are full all summer, so I was concerned about getting into good spots. Michael reassured me that is not true, especially during the week, and he is right. The area is vast and there are lots of campgrounds, most of which were designed for tent campers. So, there is not a crush of big rigs. Most of the people are in smaller trailers, pickup campers, pop-ups or tents.

The National Park campgrounds are nice, but none of them have showers or hookups and only one, Kalaloch, accepts
reservations. The rest are first-come, first-serve. They all have toilets and most have potable water available. One that I stayed in, Altair, is representative of the more out-of-the-way federal campgrounds. It is described as "In wooded area along Elwah River; some riverside sites; 21' recommended RV length (some for up to 35')". Perfect for a TD. Another good one is Heart Of The Hills campground, below Hurricane Ridge. Mora, near the west coast, and Hoh Rain Forest campgrounds also look good. If you are 62 or older, be sure to get the Senior Pass. With it, some of the campgrounds are $6/night. This is the Elwah River at Altair:



Kalaloch (pronounced clay-lock) campground is very popular because it is right above a good beach. In the summer, it is crowded, but you can get in on weekdays. The sites are small and close together. There are no showers. I think a good alternative is South Beach campground, just a few miles south on hwy 101. It is basically a large open lot with picnic tables and fire rings. There are clean flush toilets. I love the anarchy of it. You just pull in and find a place you will fit. It is even closer to the beach than Kalaloch. The beach is wide and long; good for hiking. This is South Beach campground:



The WA State Parks in the area are outside the Nat'l Park, but some of them are really nice. As in other parts of the country, the state parks have better facilities and are better maintained. It appears to me that the national parks are more about preservation, while the state parks are more about recreation. All of the state parks I've seen have showers and most accept reservations. Here's a tip: The state park website requires you to input vehicle type. When you put in "small trailer, less than 18 feet", it filters out a lot of sites a TD will fit on. I asked a ranger about this and he said they are pretty flexible. If you can fit on the site, they don't care how you reserved it. So, on busy days, or if you want a specific site, you can reserve it with "van/camper" or something else. In some places, you can put the trailer on the parking spot of a tent site and park in a lot nearby.

One state park, Bogachiel, is near Forks, on the west side of the peninsula, near the coastal beaches and the Hoh Rain Forest. It has showers and a few hookup sites, so it can be crowded on weekends. It is first-come first-serve. I've stayed in three state parks in the area, Sequim Bay, Dosewallips, and Scenic Beach. They are all very nice. I found beautiful scenery and good hiking at all of them. Sequim Bay SP is on the north coast, between Port Townsend and Port Angeles. If you stay here, you might have the great pleasure of meeting up with Michael and Susan. They walk to the park from their marina almost every day! Dosewallips SP is on the west side of Hood Canal, in the heart of oyster farming country. Scenic Beach is on the east side of Hood Canal, so technically on the Kitsap Peninsula. It's a good stop over on your way to or from the Bremerton ferry. The Hood Canal area is a good option if it is cold and foggy on the west coast. Day use in the WA state parks, and camping in the DFW (department of fish and wildlife) and state forest campgrounds requires a Discover Pass. It costs $10/day or $30/yr and can be ordered online or you can buy it at some of the campgrounds. Here is the view from Sequim Bay SP:



And from Scenic Beach SP:




In addition to the federal and state park campgrounds, there are some national forest, state forest and state recreation area that have campgrounds. They are generally small, with few facilities, but some are in great places. I've stayed in only one DFW campground, on a river near the Hood Canal. It was pretty funky with port-a-potties, but I hear some are much better. If you like finding out-of-the-way places, check out the Washington Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme. It is an atlas with detailed topo maps and all kinds of useful information. ..."including back roads, backwater lakes and streams, boat ramps, forests, wetlands, trailheads, campgrounds, public lands, prime hunting and fishing spots, and countless landmarks and points of interest." They are also available for other states.

WA Atlas and Gazetteer

Additionally, there are some very nice commercial RV parks on the Peninsula. Sometimes you just need a clean hot shower, a laundry room and decent WiFi. I can recommend two. Forks 101 RV Park is right in the town of Forks. It has large, level sites with full hookups and good amenities. I stayed there two nights so I could take two day trips: to the coast to checkout the village of La Push and Rialto Beach, and to the Hoh Rain Forest. There are public campgrounds nearby, but it was 4th of July weekend and I wanted a place with a shower that I could reserve, as well as watch a World Cup game in a sports bar. The town of Forks put on a very fun Old Time 4th of July celebration, complete with a parade, a demolition derby, and a salmon bake. Here is Rialto Beach:



And Hoh Rain Forest:




Another good one is Rain Forest Resort Village, on the south shore of Lake Quinault. I didn't stay there, but I stopped to check it out. We'll definitely stay there on a future trip. This place rents cabins, but they also have a grassy lot near the lake for RVs. They have hookups, showers, laundry facilities, and good restaurants nearby. You can rent kayaks or canoes at Lake Quinault Lodge, which is very close by. They are also adjacent to the "World's Largest Sitka Spruce". The RV sites are first-come-first serve, but I was told they rarely fill up. Lake Quinault is lovely. Again, there are small federal campgrounds nearby, but with minimal facilities. A professional photo of view from Rain Forest Resort Village:



Spectacular scenery is everywhere on the peninsula. Top spots to see are the town of Port Townsend, an historic ship-building town with an RV park right in the marina; Hurricane Ridge, near Port Angeles, with amazing views; the northwest corner of the peninsula, near Neah Bay, which is Native American land, with great views and a museum of Native art and history; the beaches on the west coast, with great hiking and tide pools; and the two big lakes, Lake Crescent and Lake Quinault. You really can't go wrong wherever you go. Try to go to Hurricane Ridge on a clear day. The west coast is a bit colder and wetter. In the off-season, you'll have the place to yourself. Enjoy! Here is Port Townsend:




The view from Hurricane Ridge:



The Hoh River:



A waterfall near Dosewallips SP:

 

Fantastic info, thank you! I plan on doing some exploring on land up there some time soon (done lots by boat already).

One complaint though, you and Michael keep letting our secrets out! It is going to get even busier now because it looks heavenly! (just kidding...mostly!)

 

Wonderful journal and photos...thank you! We plan on visiting once we have our TD as we have heard so much about the OP and haven't yet explored the Pacific NW. Your info is appreciated!

Best,
Diane

 

There are several books that cover camping on the OP. The one I use the most is "Camping Washington - The Best Public Campgrounds for Tents and RVs". by Ron C. Judd.

Camping Washington

The author is a columnist for the Seattle Times. I find his ratings and reviews to be very helpful; he looks at things a lot like we do. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a Teardropper.

 

You captured the OP perfectly Jim, a teardroppers paradise! You made me home sick, oh wait I am home, never mind, ha ha. You mentioned some of our favorite spots and reminded us that we have more exploring to do. We have yet to visit the Hoh rain forest or camp the Hood canal area.

I think the peninsula can handle a few more teardroppers Sarah, but you are right we should keep this secret for ourselves! Diane and Mike, the peninsula will be here for you when you arrive.

A most worthy narrative for a most deserving place, well done Jim!

Michael

 

Thanks, Michael. I agree, the OP can handle more teardrops. This is the only one I saw in two weeks there. It was in the parking lot at Hurricane Ridge. Unfortunately, the owners weren't around to talk to. I guess they left the dog to guard their stuff in the back of the TV. I didn't see a manufacturer's tag. Anybody know what this is?