jesseslife.com

[ I actually visited this park on June 23rd and 24th. Sorry about the confusion.]

I am continually surprised by the diversity of parks in the US National Parks. Mountains, rain foests, rivers, beaches and reefs are all represented somewhere in the park system. However, nowhere in the system are they all in the same park. That’s what I thought. At least until I visited Olympic National Parku in Washington State.

So far, this is the park that I most want to spend more time in. The variety of terrain is incredible. The idea of backpacking from the beach all the way into the mountians is really intruiging. I wanted to sample all the reigons of the park and set off early from North Cascades to see as much as possible. After crossing over on the Port Towsend ferry to the Olympic Penninsula. I started over on the north side of the park, driving all the way up to Hurricane Ridge, one the highest sections of the park. I wanted to be on the overlook by sunset. Beating back mule deer, I hiked up to the overlook and got a wonderful view. It was perfectly clear and I could see for miles in every direction. To my back was the pink line of Hurricane Ridge. As I turned, I traced the shadow of the earth falling across the heavy forests to the south and the Straight of Juan de Fuca to the north. I stood and finally watched the sun set over the hills to the west and into the ocean. Incredible and just something to see in person. Retracing my steps in the dusk, I hopped into Harold and drove carefully down the dark mountain to the comfortable and quiet Heart O’ the Hills campground.

Next morning, I woke up and started driving around the perimeter of the park, stopping to explore the Hoh Rainforest on its western edge. The tall mountains of the park act like a rain break and the Hoh Valley acts like a funnel, concentrating the moisture. Not just a little rain, either. The area gets 12 to 14 feet every year (sounds like New England these days) What one ends up with is a extremely lush, but strangely alien landscape. Moss and ferns cover nearly every surface. The trees are only discernible by their basic shapes, draped with green. The evidence of water is everywhere. I could have spent hours there. Oh, wait, I did! The day was clear, and photographing in the cool forest and with the dappled light was a pleasure.

After leaving the forest, I headed to the last biome in the park, the ocean. Grabbing the last spot at the Kalaloch Rocks campground, I proceeded to explore the driftwood strewn beaches. And again, I caught the sun as it dipped into the Pacific, highlighting the birds and beach goers alike.

I also got a spent some time watching a group of kids try to protect their bonfire from the incoming tide. They had build their fire too close to the water and frantically attempted to build levies to keep the water away. The children were laughing and running, I attempted to capture their efforts on my camera. I’ll let you be the judge. For a while, I thought that the tide had peaked and that they’d do okay. But with one great wave, a huge puff of steam and a groan of children, the fire was extinguished. I sure that this whole event could be a metaphor for something, but what escapes me for now.

I walked back to the truck, refreshed by the ocean air, but tired from the traveling. I had four more parks to go before my refit period, and I was getting bored of the driving and frustrated by the lack of time I was spending in such wonderful country. I’ll be back!