Olympic National Park

[Hiker52]

Planning to spend some time in the area of Olympic NP this summer. I see a lot of campgrounds but not so many with the full hookups, etc (and good reviews) that we like when traveling. Which is the best side of the park to stay, probably about a week in the area. Would like to go whale watching plus hiking and touring in the park and the area. Any specific campgrounds for a 35 ft 5th wheel? Will be coming from or going to Mt Rainier. Thanks

[profdant139]

I forgot to post the link:

Hard Rain

By the way, their cafe is really good.

[profdant139]

If you want hookups, we liked Elwha. We also liked Hard Rain RV in the Hoh Valley. That place is almost like boondocking with hookups -- very quiet and remote.

[catkins]

July and August are the dry months..................usually. A bigger worry might be any summer wildfires that we have struggled through the last few years with lots of smoke statewide and some "imported" from Canada. Hopefully we will have fewer large fires. This is a beautiful area, enjoy.

[ppine]

It is rare to dry camp on the Olympic Peninsula.
Wet camping with no hookups.
Forks gets 100 inches of rain. The mountain locations on the west side of the range, get up to 200 inches.

[agesilaus]

Hiker52 wrote:
Thanks for all the input. We can definitely dry camp when needed. Considering Elwha Dam and a couple of others. Looking forward to seeing the area. Is late July and August wet?

When I was in Bremerton they had received 143 days of straight rain. Not all day frog chokers but a steady light drizzle. They don't call it a rain forest for no reason.

[Hiker52]

Thanks for all the input. We can definitely dry camp when needed. Considering Elwha Dam and a couple of others. Looking forward to seeing the area. Is late July and August wet?

[Roy_Lynne]

Salt Beach Campground on the Puget Sound side, just west of Port Angeles is a great campground.
The best place for whale watching is probably La Push, a tiny little Quileute village, on the Pacific side of the Olympics. There is a RV Park there that is right on the water. The beach is rocky and and filled with drift wood but was the only place we have ever seen whales.
And as your driving in the area make sure you stop at Ruby Beach, no camping but have your camera ready.
And even though its a dry campground, at least spend one night at the HOH Rain forest. There are tree sections and one has sites right along the river and the other two are under canopies of trees.

[rarintogo]

If you decide you want to stay at Ft Worden or Flagler, I would for sure make reservations. Both parks are very busy in the summer.

[lbrjet]

We stayed at Elwha RV park and they can easily handle your rig.

[catkins]

Very popular area in the summer, reservations at parks with hoiokups likely a must do. Enjoy!

[rollexx]

On your way to or from Mt Rainier you may want to spend a couple days around Port Townsend.
Either at Fort Worden State Park, my first choice or if they are full, Fort Flagler State Park. You can take a whale watching tour from Port Townsend up into the San Juan islands for Killer Whale sightings.

[GeoBoy]

We stayed at the Port Angels KOA, when we visited Olympic NP. It appears that they have 22 full hookup sites.

[2oldman]

You'll have a much easier time if you can prepare yourself to avoid hookups. My favorite place is South Beach, about 3 mi south of Kalaloch.

[ppine]

I like the country over by Lake Quinalt and Forks. Lower elevations are not quite as wet. The Hoh Rainforest is very interesting for people to see.