Places to stay near Mt. Ranier, Olympic and Crater Lake NPs

[alesis]

Hey guys-
We're visiting WA/OR from June 25-July 5 in 2020. We're flying in and renting a car, so we won't have the camper.

I planned this trip a couple years ago w/ the camper, but had TV problems so we didn't go. I do know that everyone said there isn't a good central spot to visit both MRNP and ONP from one place, so I'll need to have somewhere to stay near each, and obviously another for CLNP.

We're looking for cities with airbnb/hotel/rental campers. Please advise where you'd suggest we stay so we can get into the parks easily. Any help is appreciated, thanks!!

Also, what entrances are best for each park (if they have multiple) to see the most?

[goducks10]

alesis wrote:
Ok, so I now have a place booked near Packwood to see Mt Rainier NP.

Any suggestions for areas around Crater Lake NP? Airbnb/VRBO doesn't have much that seems very close...

https://www.travelcraterlake.com/lodging-camping/crater-lake-lodge/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla...

It's a gorgeous historic lodge. The restaurant is also very nice.

[RedRollingRoadb]

alesis wrote:
Ok, so I now have a place booked near Packwood to see Mt Rainier NP.

Any suggestions for areas around Crater Lake NP? Airbnb/VRBO doesn't have much that seems very close...

Crater Lake Lodge

[alesis]

Ok, so I now have a place booked near Packwood to see Mt Rainier NP.

Any suggestions for areas around Crater Lake NP? Airbnb/VRBO doesn't have much that seems very close...

[alesis]

Thanks! I think we're looking at the Ohanapeecosh entrance since it's more central to the park and has more options for accommodations close by.

[jamesu]

Regardless of the doubts posted raised by “ppine” after my initial post, I stick by my previous recommendations based upon my experience as a lifetime resident of W. Washington. The Ohanapeecosh entrance near Packwood, as I stated before, is a good one in Rainier’s SE corner. Another option is the entrance between Ashford and Longmire in the Park’s S.W. corner if you had come through Eatonville via Tacoma.

From Mt. Rainier both I-5 and US-97 are viable routes to Crater Lake.

You can PM me if want. Happy to help.

[alesis]

Ok we booked an airbnb in Port Angeles for visiting Olympic. 🙂

We're doing Olympic first on our trip, then to Rainier, then to Crater Lake, then flying out of PDX to go home. Since that's our game plan, what entrance to Rainier would you suggest we stay near for both viewing the park and driving from there to CLNP?
Using Mapquest, it looks like the drive is pretty similar from the east or west side of MRNP to get to CLNP, so is there a MRNP entrance that's better to stay near?
At least from an Airbnb standpoint, it looks like Packwood has the most places to stay. Good spot?

I'm assuming we'd stay near the North entrance to CLNP since we're going to PDX to fly out.

[jamesu]

ppine wrote:
Randle, PA and Forks are not exactly handy locations for visiting these parks. You have a lot of commute time built into your trip.

ppine, I am curious how you would advise the OP, given his trip parameters that he won’t be RV’ing, but will be renting a car and will rent accommodations along the way.

[ppine]

Randle, PA and Forks are not exactly handy locations for visiting these parks. You have a lot of commute time built into your trip.

[jamesu]

Mt. Rainier NP is big, and Olympic NP even bigger. To stay in one place at each park to be able to fully experience each park is tough.

Since you are not rv’ing on this trip, for Mt. Rainier I suggest finding a motel in either Packwood or Randle. This is fairly near the Ohanapeecosh Entrance in the S.E. corner of Rainier NP with access to Sunrise, an awesome high elevation viewing area; within a couple miles of the Ohanapeecosh Entrance pull over, park, and take a walk through “The Grove of the Patriarchs”...a beautiful walk through a forest of impressively huge old growth Douglas Firs. Packwood and Randle are somewhat remote on US-12 (White Pass Hwy) so you won’t find fancy accommodations, but the location is perfect in that you are fairly equidistant between Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams (12,276’), and the backside of Mt. St. Helens. A trip to the summit of White Pass gives you impressive views of the backside of Rainier’s summit. I recommend at least 4-5 days in this location to be able to explore all 3 mountains.

Olympic NP is huge and cannot be seen from one location, but I recommend you rent a motel in Pt. Angeles from where you can visit the NP Visitor Center and Hurricane Ridge, Crescent Lake, and explore the Sol Duc and Elwa Rivers...all on the north perimeter of the Olympic Peninsula. Also Salt Creek Recreation Area near Joyce 12 miles west of Pt. Angeles on WA-112...a beautiful, craggy spot with tide pools, beaches on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 3-4 days in Pt. Angeles should be enough.

To explore the Hoh Rain Forest on the west perimeter of Olympic NP I recommend you motel it in Forks or google for accommodations in LaPush. Once again this is pretty remote so accommodations will likely be pretty basic. Forks is an old logging town and LaPush is a village on the ocean about 10 miles west of Forks. LaPush gets you into hikes on the Pacific beaches portion of the NP. Depending upon your level of activity you could probably use 2-4 days in Forks/LaPush.

[ppine]

There are few facilities at any of them.

[goducks10]

https://www.travelcraterlake.com/lodging-camping/crater-lake-lodge/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=pla...