Olympic National Park---Washington State Sept 2013

[RVing_4_FUN]

Leaving on a 7 day trip mid sept around the Olympic National Park. With maybe a one day trip onto Vancouver Island without the trailer. Wife loves to hike and special places....especially the out of the way places she can go. Any suggestions on places to hike, see, stay or avoid on this loop around the National Park. We are pulling a 38 foot 5th wheel so we are a tad long for the national park campgrounds.
any suggestions are appreciated. Dry camping is ok for a couple days...but we will need to dump at some point!!

[DarthMuffin]

I really liked Sol Duc campground (and the hot springs) when we were there. You probably won't fit in the NF campground there, but there's a private one right next to it that you will fit in (not nearly as pretty, just a parking lot). There's some hiking near there at the end of the local access road.

The Hoh Rain Forest is also a must see, but definitely a day trip for you. There's some short hikes/nature trails that are very unique, nowhere else like it.

[RVing_4_FUN]

Appreciate thoughts and feedback.
Wife will love the added spots to hike. I appreciate the knowledge of places to park the trailer. If you only drive thru an area on a paved road---you miss so much. Will plan on a days drive to Port Angeles/Sequim area....spend a 3 nights go to Victoria BC, Hurricane Ridge then over to La Push for a few days of the coast....will have a couple days to work down the coast toward Oregon and then sadly back to Portland.

[kknowlton]

There's a pretty, wooded state park in the area around Forks - can't offhand remember the name of it. Had we not planned to camp in Olympic NP, we might have tried it. There were some hookups there, at least electric, in some sites.

[accsys]

While in the Forks area, be sure to go up to the tip of the peninsula and see the Makah Cultural and Research Center in Neah. It is one of the best I have seen and it's a beautiful drive along the coast as well. Once done there, go on out to the Cape Flattery Trail which has fantastic views if the fog is not too thick.

[2gypsies1]

The main, paved access to the national park is in the town of Port Angeles. Drive your tow vehicle up to the top and there are many nice hikes to do. I would suggest staying either in Sequim or Port Townsend or west of Port Angeles at Salt Creek County Park.

The next area with some nice hikes are in the Crescent Lake area and Salt Creek would be a good place to stay.

Continuing west you might want to stay at Forks 101 RV in Forks, which is very convenient for touring the rain forest and coastline. Beyond Forks your choices are very limited for nice parks.

Have fun and hope for no rain!!

[donkeydew]

salt creek recreation area is right on ocean very nice, water and electric only with dump station. forks 101 rv park is a nice park that is central to la-push,rialto beach and the hoa rain forrest and with in driving distance to neah bay

[crabbin_cabin]

Spent two weeks at the campground at JOhn Wayne marina in Sequim. Great park. Also from Pt. Angeles be sure to drive up Hurricane Ridge in the Park. Also spent a week at the Quileute RV park in LaPUsh (second year in a row there!)Lots of beach hiking! and wave watching.
Further south along 101 - be sure to drive into the Hoh Rain Forest for great hikes etc. the Park cg there has pretty small sites - suggest you leave your trailer at LaPush and drive down there. Oh yes - the highway from 101, just north of Forks, to La Push (15 miles) is a good road - no problem for you with your rig. Further south go to Ilwaco and the Long Beach area - literally dozens of cg to chose from.
Enjoy!
John

[louiskathy]

I want to get to LaPush, WA someday soon. I have a friend who said it's really scenic. There's a CG that overlooks the ocean with hiking trails going down to the beach. You get there via LaPush road... from Forks, WA. Forks is on hwy 101 on the west side of the NP.

I'm not sure if LaPush Rd is an easy road for a 38ft 5th wheel. You'll have to check on that.