Olympic Peninsula loop
Rainforest, hot springs and wild Pacific coast.
A four-day loop from Seattle around the Olympic Peninsula — the Hoh Rain Forest, Hurricane Ridge and driftwood-strewn Rialto Beach, ferries included.
4 days, 427 mi, roughly 10h 28m of driving spread across them — Seattle, WA to Seattle, WA.
Each day below is paced around a realistic amount of time in the car, with stops, timings and somewhere to sleep already worked out. Swap anything you don't like, or rebuild a whole day.
You ferry across the Sound, wander a frozen-in-time mill town, then trace Hood Canal to a harbor sunset.
Port Gamble Historic Museum · Port Gamble
A whole New England-style mill town frozen in time on the water, worth a short wander.
32400 N Rainier Ave, Port Gamble
Salsbury Point County Park · Poulsbo
A quiet waterfront pull-off on Hood Canal, a good leg-stretch with views of the bridge.
Whitford Rd, Poulsbo
Waterfront Trail, Olympic Discovery Trail
An easy shoreline path with views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island.
💡 Go near sunset — the light over the Strait toward Vancouver Island is best then.
Port Angeles
Downriggers on the Water
A solid seafood dinner right on the harbor to cap the drive day.
115 E Railroad Ave Ste 207, Port Angeles
Overnight in Port Angeles, WA
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Port Angeles, WA · $$
Booking happens on the partner's site.
- Reserve the Edmonds–Kingston ferry crossing in advance for summer travel
- Port Angeles hotels near the waterfront have easy free parking, no permit zones
- Fill the gas tank in Port Angeles — services get sparse west and south of town
- Point No Point Lighthouse+9 mi
Puget Sound's oldest lighthouse, a nice short detour with beach access near Hansville.
- Olympic Game Farm+12 mi
Drive-through wildlife park near Sequim, a quirky roadside nature stop.
Mountain morning, lake afternoon: you stand above the clouds on Hurricane Ridge, then walk to a waterfall by a glass-clear lake.
Hurricane Ridge
Sweeping views of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, one of the park's signature panoramas.
💡 Timed-entry reservation required in peak season — book ahead; road can close for weather.
Hurricane Ridge
From the visitor center, the trail continues along the ridge itself.
Hurricane Hill Nature Trial
A rewarding ridge hike with 360-degree views to the Strait, Canada, and the interior peaks.
💡 Start early — fitness required, exposed ridge, weather changes fast up here.
Lake Crescent
A strikingly clear glacial lake ringed by forested peaks, one of the park's calmest beauty spots.
Lake Crescent
Marymere Falls Trailhead
A gentle old-growth forest walk to a graceful waterfall, easy enough after the ridge hike.
💡 Trailhead at Storm King Ranger Station, moderate 2.7km round trip.
227693-227769 Olympic Hwy, Port Angeles
Overnight in Port Angeles, WA
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Port Angeles, WA · $$
Booking happens on the partner's site.
- Hurricane Ridge Road may require reservations or close for snow — check conditions before driving up
- Bring layers — temperature swings hard between town and the ridge
- No cell service past the visitor center, download park maps in advance
- Sol Duc Falls+19 mi
A three-tiered waterfall deep in old-growth forest, roughly 45 minutes further west.
- Elwha River Valley+12 mi
Quiet river canyon trails and hot springs remnants, a lesser-visited corner of the park.
You trade mountains for coast: driftwood beaches at Ruby Beach give way to moss-hung rainforest by afternoon.
Ruby Beach
Sea stacks and driftwood-strewn sand on the wild Pacific coast, one of Olympic's iconic shorelines.
💡 Tide-dependent — check tide tables, low tide reveals tide pools and more beach.
Ruby Beach
A detour inland off 101 leads to the rainforest visitor center.
Hall of Mosses Trailhead · Forks
An easy loop through the Hoh Rainforest's moss-draped old growth, unlike any forest most visitors have seen.
💡 Go midday for best light through the canopy; parking fills early at the Hoh visitor center.
Hoh Valley Rd, Forks
Duffy's
A reliable local diner in Aberdeen for a hearty dinner after a long, scenic driving day.
1605 Simpson Ave, Aberdeen
Overnight in Aberdeen, WA
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Aberdeen, WA · $$
Booking happens on the partner's site.
- Fill up in Forks — long stretches on 101 have no services
- Hoh Rainforest Road can fill and close by mid-morning in summer, arrive early
- Aberdeen has easy street parking near downtown motels, no restricted zones
- Kalaloch Tree of Life+1 mi
A famous cliffside tree with roots exposed over a hollow, a quick photo stop right off 101.
- Quinault Rainforest+16 mi
Home to some of the world's largest Sitka spruce and a scenic lake loop drive.
The last day eases you home, with one waterfall park breaking up the highway run back into Seattle.
Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls · Tumwater
A compact, easy riverside park with waterfalls right off the highway, a good stretch stop.
110 Deschutes Way SW, Tumwater
- I-5 through Tacoma can jam midday — check traffic before the final stretch
- No stops planned inside Seattle — return the rental gas tank full if applicable
- Tumwater Falls Park has free parking right off the interstate exit
- Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge+6 mi
Boardwalk trails through estuary wetlands, a peaceful last nature stop before the city.
- Wolf Haven International+12 mi
A wolf sanctuary near Olympia offering guided walks, a distinctive detour for animal lovers.
Make this trip your own
Plan your own road trip →This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Made with Roadanza
What will the fuel cost?
This route covers 427 mi. Put your own car's consumption and local fuel price in and you'll have the number in a few seconds.
Work it out for this route →Questions, answered
- How long does this route take?
- 4 days as planned here, covering 427 mi — an average of 107 mi a day and about 10h 28m of driving in total. You can stretch it by adding days, which spreads the same distance more thinly rather than adding new ground.
- Can I drive it in fewer days?
- You can, but the driving days get longer rather than the trip getting shorter: the distance doesn't change. Cutting one day from a 4-day plan adds roughly 107 mi to whichever days absorb it. If you're short on time, it's usually better to cut the far end of the route than to compress every day.
- Is this a loop?
- Yes, this one returns to where it starts, so a hire car goes back to the same desk and you don't pay a one-way fee.
- Can I change this itinerary?
- Yes. Open it in the planner and every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives, any day can be rebuilt, and you can add or remove days. The drive times and the budget recalculate around whatever you change.
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