Olympic Nat. Park

[Dave & Penny Smith]

Escapees:
We're in the process of planning a trip to Olympic Nat. Park in June or July this summer. We will be in our 17B and generally prefer public campgrounds (with solar and our dual 6V batteries, we don't need hook-ups). We will be driving from Salt Lake and have a 2 week time-frame. Also, I prefer to have reserved campgrounds generally. Currently thinking of:
Day Campground Nights
1 Craters of the Moon, ID 1
2 Emigrant Springs Heritage Area, OR 1
3 Potlach S.P., WA 1
4--6 Sol Duc, Olympic N.P., WA 3
7--11 Kalaloch, Olympic N.P., WA 4
12 Paradise Pt. S.P., WA 1
13 Crater Lake N.P., OR 1
14 tbd 1

Looking for reaction to (and advice) concerning the above plan. Also, would like to split up the drive from Crater Lake to SLC--any ideas for a campground? As will be apparent from the above plan, we're spending most of our time in Olympic N.P., but prefer to keep driving times to 5--7 hrs. each traveling day to allow for seeing the areas that we're traveling through. Thanks for your suggestions.

Dave

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Dave & Penny Smith

Escapees:
We're in the process of planning a trip to Olympic Nat. Park in June or July this summer. We will be in our 17B and generally prefer public campgrounds (with solar and our dual 6V batteries, we don't need hook-ups). We will be driving from Salt Lake and have a 2 week time-frame. Also, I prefer to have reserved campgrounds generally. Currently thinking of:
Day Campground Nights
1 Craters of the Moon, ID 1
2 Emigrant Springs Heritage Area, OR 1
3 Potlach S.P., WA 1
4--6 Sol Duc, Olympic N.P., WA 3
7--11 Kalaloch, Olympic N.P., WA 4
12 Paradise Pt. S.P., WA 1
13 Crater Lake N.P., OR 1
14 tbd 1

Looking for reaction to (and advice) concerning the above plan. Also, would like to split up the drive from Crater Lake to SLC--any ideas for a campground? As will be apparent from the above plan, we're spending most of our time in Olympic N.P., but prefer to keep driving times to 5--7 hrs. each traveling day to allow for seeing the areas that we're traveling through. Thanks for your suggestions.

Dave

Hi Dave,

Sounds like a great trip. I live in Bremerton 1hr from ONP so we go there quite a bit. My only suggested modification to your ONP visit would be 1 or 2 nights at Ft Warden State park to explore the town of Pt Townsend. It is a quaint victorian former seaport with a rich boating history. Lot of shops and restaurants etc to explore. Ft Warden itself is pretty cool too. This far ahead you should be able to get a campsite down by the lighthouse along the shore instead of up in the forest. The Fort has lots of preserved barracks, officer quarters, and cannon bunkers to explore.

Depending on your fitness and appetite for hiking, the high divide loop out of Sol Duck campground is pretty spectacular!

From Kalaloch base camp, you can explore the Hoh river valley rain forest, and on other days the coastal beaches.


Heading back from Crater Lake, you may want to consider a stop at Steens Mountain in eastern OR. This is BLM land and pretty unique scenery.

https://www.blm.gov/or/districts/bur...steens-mtn.php

For Campground reviews I like this site.

https://www.campendium.com

Sounds like a great trip!

[jbachman]

Many years ago my wife and I drove the whole west cost (from SFO to Vancover). lake crescent (on the north shore of olympic peninsula) was one of the highlights. it has crystal clear water and beautiful setting. Don't recall where we camped, but it was tranquil and georgeous. A mini lake Tahoe of you know what that implies.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by jbachman

Many years ago my wife and I drove the whole west cost (from SFO to Vancover). lake crescent (on the north shore of olympic peninsula) was one of the highlights. it has crystal clear water and beautiful setting. Don't recall where we camped, but it was tranquil and georgeous. A mini lake Tahoe of you know what that implies.

We didn't camp, but lingered along the shoreline for lunch. Saw several bald eagles in the trees and over the water. Mini Lake Tahoe, a good description!

[sailor231]

The park will be really crowded over the july 4th long weekend so I would avoid being there then.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by sailor231

The park will be really crowded over the july 4th long weekend so I would avoid being there then.

I agree with that!! I would avoid that entire week of July 1st - 9th if you can.

[Dave & Penny Smith]

Escapees:

Thanks for your replies and suggestions. We have decided on a trip from 7/06--7/21 and using a combination of state parks (ID, OR & WA), Olympic Nat. Park and one county park (Salt Creek Recreation Area), we've been able to reserve campsites for the entire trip. Having reservations definitely increases the cost of the trip, but results in greater peace of mind. Thanks for your help!

Dave

[NellieFlower]

On Olympic Pennisula we like Tongue Point/Salt Creek County Campground west of PortTownsend. You might consider camping at Diamond Lake instead of Crater Lake and driving from there to Crater Lake about 15 miles. Not sure of your route to SLC but the Virgin Valley Campground on the Shelton Wildlife Refuge on Oregon/Nevada border is a laid back place with a quaint warm springs pool to soak in.

[NCBill]

Sounds like you already have your plans set.

If not, let me make some recommendations. We lived in western WA for 13 years. Our favorite campground is the Clallum County campground at Dungeness Spit, outside of Sequim, WA. Unbelievable location, outstanding views of the Straight of Juan De Fuca. Two other favorites over on Widbey Island: the state park at Fort Casey and Deception Pass. Take the ferry from Port Townsend to Widbey Island.

One last recommendation since you are going to be on the Olympic Peninsula is Cape Disappointment, in Ilwaco, WA. Reminds me we want to take a trip out towards Seattle this year too!

Dungeness Recreation Area

Fort Casey Historical State Park | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission


Deception Pass State Park | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission

http://parks.state.wa.us/486/Cape-Disappointment

[Dave&Jane]

Originally Posted by Dave & Penny Smith

Escapees:
Also, would like to split up the drive from Crater Lake to SLC--any ideas for a campground? As will be apparent from the above plan, we're spending most of our time in Olympic N.P., but prefer to keep driving times to 5--7 hrs. each traveling day to allow for seeing the areas that we're traveling through.

Dave & Penny, we have often driven between Utah and SE Oregon. It's a lonely road, but we like to go via Highway 140, between Lakeview OR and Winnemucca NV (there's a sign in Winnemucca calling this the "Winnemucca to the Sea Highway". It's more than 200 miles from Lakeview to Winnemucca, but you can top off your tank at Denio Junction, the half-way point, if they have gotten the pumps fixed and the new tank installed. The drive is through typical Great Basin terrain so you know what that's like.

It's rustic, with 12 first-come first-served sites, but you could stay for free at the Virgin Valley Campground in the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge (with a warm spring pool & shower house). It's about 3 miles off the highway on a good gravel road. Or, if you prefer, reserve a campsite in advance at the nearby Royal Peacock Opal Mine.

Virgin Valley CG is only about 4 hours from Crater Lake, so you may consider camping near Winnemucca to avoid a 7-hour drive the next day. I haven't been there, but you may find a free campsite in Water Canyon Recreation Area a couple of miles SE of Winnemucca or stay in one of the commercial campgrounds in Winnemucca or Battle Mountain, (but I still like the VVCG option).

Links:
https://www.fws.gov/sheldonhartmtn/s...ecreation.html
https://www.outdoorproject.com/adven...ley-campground (PHOTOS!)
Royal Peacock Opal Mine - RV Park
https://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/Edu...ecreation.html


Dave (and Jane)