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I determined to go to the Olympics the summer of 2021, not in Japan (though that would have been the chance of a lifetime), but the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. Following are photos of what I could explore, and links to more. I traveled around the Washington peninsula from east to west, and didn't have to pay for the tollbridge going that direction. This post is about the Olympic Mountains; the towns and beaches I explored are featured in the following post: "Forks, Port Angeles, and Sequim WA--Coastal Towns and their Surrounds" https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/forks-port-angeles-and-sequim-wa-coastal-towns-and-their-surrounds  Olympic Mountains from the intersection of Old Olympic Hwy and Hwy 101, just east of Port Angeles WA Olympic National Park Visitor Center--3002 Mt Angeles Rd, Port Angeles, WA Directions: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/directions.htm List of places to go: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/conditions.htm Area Info, links to details: https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/discover/area-information/ Camping https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/camping.htm 1939 Guidebook https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/brochures/1939/olym/sec1.htm Hurricane Ridge--continue up the road for abt 17 mi, figure abt 45 min, depending whether you make stops at the view points. You'll need to pay or show a pass. A pass gets you past the pay point more quickly. I think I counted about 15 short guardrails top to bottom. One of many Olympic roads not really suitable for a huge RV. The sign at the beginning of the descent wisely advises shifting down to 2nd gear. You'll be on the steep precipitive side of the road in the decline. Elwha Valley--Madison Falls is only about 10 mi from Port Angeles. Go west on Hwy 101 to Olympic Hot Springs Road, which follows the river south upstream and you'll get tantalizing glimpses along the way. Lake Crescent Harness your enthusiasm when you see the sign that says 50 mi between Port Angeles and Forks WA ... don't think in terms of freeway speeds! The highways of the Olympic Peninsula are often narrow, winding, undulating, and sometimes a line of vacation vehicles, logging trucks, and various others. "City" buses also connect communities and points of interest. If you continue on the East Beach Day Use Area road, or the Camp David Jr Rd from Fairholme, you can get to the paved trail on the north side that claims to be handicapped accessible. But when I asked a ranger about it, she admitted that having ridden it on a bicycle, she wondered how a wheelchair could manage. Not every trail that is paved is appropriate for a wheelchair, especially a manual wheelchair. Similarly the Olympic Discovery Trail signs all along the way (between Port Townsend and Forks) carry a wheelchair symbol, but someone needs to scope out which parts are actually manageable with a wheelchair, and a manual wheelchair as well--which is not at all the same thing. I stopped at
https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/lake-crescent-lodge https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/log-cabin-resort/
Sol Duc Hot Springs--resort; hiking & waterfall not wheelchair accessible as far as I could tell https://www.olympicnationalparks.com/lodging/sol-duc-hot-springs-resort/ https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-sol-duc-valley.htm https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/sol-duc-area-brochure.htm Hoh Rain Forest Not far south of the small town of Forks WA, is the Upper Hoh Road, leading east to the visitor center. As with most of the Olympic National Park, I would advise a person with a wheelchair to have either a motor or a hale and hardy/hearty helper. On the way up to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center you’ll be intrigued to stop at:
Quinault I explored
Quinault Rain Forest North Shore Rd to the Quinault River Ranger Station (flat trails & old Kestner homestead) Amanda Park--Hwy 101 between North Shore Rd & South Shore Rd Quinault Rainforest South Shore Rd--Lake Quinault Lodge etc. I stayed 3 nights at the Olympic Lodge in Port Angeles WA, and will say more about that in an upcoming post "Forks, Port Angeles, Sequim". I ended up car camping one night at Mora, and will include that in the aforementioned post. And I stayed one night at Lake Quinault Lodge--not for spare change. See photos and captions below.  Here are the long and short of the stops I made on the Quinault Rainforest South Shore Rd Quinault Rain Forest nature trail
Lake Quinault Lodge
Olympic National Park encompasses ocean beaches as well as the Olympic Mountains, but I decided to include them in a post with the towns Forks, Port Angeles, and Sequim WA:
3 Comments
Susan Ternyey
11/6/2021 08:55:53 pm
Valuable accessibility info at https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/physical-mobility-accessibility.htm
Susan Ternyey
6/20/2022 12:32:48 am
Another of John Williams great accessible adventure videos
Susan Ternyey
6/20/2022 12:47:56 am
A great 1.5 hour video of hiking in the Olympics for those of us who could never see i such grandeur and delights except through the efforts and sharing of others Leave a Reply. |
Wheelchair WomanI've been in a wheelchair for 30+ years. It poses some challenges for traveling. Maybe others can benefit from my experiences. Archives
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