Olympic National Park

Hurricane Ridge Road in the heart of Olympic National Park

/ Roadtirementvintage / 8 Comments

Part of our recent road trip with our Seattle family took us into the heart of the Olympic National Park on a very mountainous road. Hurricane Ridge Road  has a steep 7% grade, is windy with scary sheer drop offs and even has tunnels. Care is required when driving to the top of the Olympic Mountains.

Hurricane Road View

Hurricane Road View

 

 

 

 

 

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are several turnoffs along the way where you can stop , park and take in the striking scenery of the Washington State Olympic Peninsula. The skies were partly cloudy on the day we took the drive.  A misty fog was rolling up several of the valleys adding an almost surreal feel to the landscape.

Hurricane Road View

Top of road, parking area

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful scenery, Olympic Mountains

The top, or highest part of the road, was very cold and quite windy. We parked at the large parking area. As soon as I got out of the car I knew I was not dressed warmly enough for the mountain top environment. There were two large modular restroom trailers, both heated. You have to drive the road to really appreciate the magnificent vistas. Pictures do not do the land justice.

 

Massive amounts of driftwood logs on Washington’s Olympic National Park’s Ruby Beach

/ Roadtirementvintage / 3 Comments

Sher and I recently visited family in the Seattle area. We all took a two day road trip to  the Olympic Peninsula and other places. The natural beauty of this far north western part of the state provided one eye opening scene after another.

Driftwood logs on the shoreline

Driftwood logs, sea stacks in left background

 

 

 

 

 

Washington State Olympic National Park is on the Pacific coast in the north part of the state.  This national park has stunning scenery and beautiful coastlines. Highway 101 follows this coast and near the north end of the park it runs next to Ruby Beach. Dramatic “sea stacks”, rocks remaining after ocean weathering are visible from the shore.

Islands in the background off shore

People enjoying the beach, small islands almost gone background

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby Beach is home to an unbelievable amount of huge driftwood logs. Tidal currents have for centuries been responsible for the migration up and down the coastline  of the driftwood logs. Many of these weather worn logs have no doubt been on different parts of the beach over the decades.