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Hiking Washington’s Olympic National Park

Hiking Washington’s Olympic National Park

From $ 3,315 AUD

Description

From high alpine ridges and wildflower-studded meadows to dramatic waterfalls, moss-draped giant trees and rugged beaches, the scenic Olympic Peninsula has it all. Hike along a ridge traverse 5,500 feet above sea level on a coastal hike to Shi Shi beach, one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, walk through the Hoh Rainforest and see some of the largest and oldest trees in Washington, and stay and dine at a historic National Park lodge on beautiful Lake Crescent and enjoy special outdoor dining experiences prepared by your guide. This hiking tour is an opportunity to experience the very best that the Olympic Peninsula has to offer, with a perfect balance of challenge and comfort.

Trip Name
Hiking Washington's Olympic National Park
Last Updated
2024-04-30
Days
3
Capacity
6
Highlights
  • Spend each night at a century-old hotel filled with charm and history, where a comfortable bed awaits, as well as opportunities for shorter hikes just outside the back door.
  • Hike along the alpine wonderland of Hurricane Ridge and take in the views across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island and beyond.
  • Walk through coastal forests to Shi Shi Beach where pounding waves, rugged cliffs, tidal pools, and towering sea stacks create a memorable nature experience.
  • Join your guide at the famous Makah Museum and learn more about the cultural history of the local Makah people.
  • Hike up the wild Hoh River and explore everything this rainforest has to offer while you watch for sightings of the local wildlife like elk, deer, bald eagles, and more.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk. In order to travel on this trip, you: 1. Must be able to understand and recognize the risks and hazards inherent in the activities of the trip, must be able to decide to assume those risks and hazards and must actually and voluntarily assume those risks and hazards. 2. Must be able to withstand exposure to the outdoors including exposure to diverse climactic conditions during the trip, including temperatures ranging from below freezing to +100 degrees F, potentially rapidly changing precipitative conditions from dry conditions to precipitation including monsoons and flash floods, for the duration of the Program. 3. Must be able to monitor and evaluate changes in personal health condition including the onset of dehydration, hyponatremia, heat illness or stroke or hypothermia and must be able to communicate any changes in personal health condition or safety concerns to the guide(s). 4. Must be able to participate in all activities at the time scheduled for each activity; e.g. to beat the heat, guest pick-up and hike start times during summer months may range between 3-6 a.m. 5. Must be able to manage all personal care and mobility during extended periods of exertion of 10-plus hours per day, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 6. Must be able to enter and exit a multi-passenger vehicle either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 7. Must be able to withstand up to eight hours as a passenger in a multi-passenger vehicle, transporting up to 14 passengers at a time, either independently or with the assistance of a companion or an approved assistive device. 8. Must be able to immediately comprehend and follow verbal instructions either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 9. Must be able to traverse wet and dry, sandy, rocky, uneven and/or unstable ground over a distance of 10-plus miles per day including elevation differential (gain and/or loss) of +3,000 feet per day, for a period of up to 10 hours per day, while carrying: a) BACKPACKING/BACKCOUNTRY TRIPS- a backpack weighing 25-50 pounds, b) FRONTCOUNTRY/LODGE, BASECAMP AND INN-BASED TRIPS - a fully loaded backpack weighing 10-15 pounds, either independently or with an assistance companion or an approved assistive device. 10. Must be able to self-manage and self-navigate unsupervised while in the designated camp area either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. 11. Must be able to perform basic camping activities including sleeping on the ground, consuming water from back country sources, consuming food prepared in a backcountry setting and maintaining personal health and hygiene in accordance with guide directives either independently or with the assistance of a companion or approved assistive device. The use of an assistive device to meet any element of the essential eligibility criteria must be approved in advance by Intrepid Travel.

Day 1 - Olympic National Park
After this morning’s Welcome Meeting, take a scenic drive to the Olympic Peninsula and hike along the alpine wonderland of Hurricane Ridge where you will look across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island and beyond. After plenty of playtime in these extraordinary mountains, drive back down to sea level and to our accommodation at a century-old hotel filled with charm and history. Showers and beds await, as well as opportunities for shorter hikes just outside the back door. Or you can just lounge around, chat with your fellow travellers, and enjoy the lakefront views. Tonight you will enjoy an included dinner at the lodge.
Day 2 - Olympic National Park
After breakfast prepared by your guide, head west towards Neah Bay and the Makah Reservation where you will descend through coastal forests for two miles until we reach the pounding waves, rugged cliffs, tidal pools, and towering sea stacks at Shi Shi Beach. Soak up sweeping views of the Pacific coastline before you continue south towards the iconic Point of Arches where you’ll enjoy a gourmet beach lunch before the drive back to our accommodation. Along the way, you will have a chance to stop by the famous Makah Museum (when open) and learn more about the cultural history of the Makah people. Tonight, enjoy a wonderful restaurant dinner as a group.
Day 3 - Olympic National Park
After breakfast, head southwest towards the famous Hoh Rainforest, one of the nation’s largest temperate rainforests where you will see ancient towering trees, moss-draped nurse logs, incredible biodiversity, and abundant wildlife. From here, hike up the wild Hoh River and explore all that the rainforest has to offer. Elk, deer, black bears, bald eagles, and more await you in this incredible ecosystem. After a final gourmet trail lunch, make your way back to the trailhead and then drive to Olympia along scenic Highway 101 which offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. On arrival in Olympia, your trip will come to an end at approximately 5 pm.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
24-05-202426-05-2024AUD $ 3,315-
26-07-202428-07-2024AUD $ 3,315-
23-08-202425-08-2024AUD $ 3,315-
13-09-202415-09-2024AUD $ 3,315-

Accommodation

Mountain Lodge (2 nights)

Transport

Private vehicle

Map