07.15.21 Olympic Peninsula

The test run or as Cheryl dubbed it, the maiden voyage with the car and a short hop out of town while I wait for my license plates.

The day started out early as I wanted to catch the first ferry from Whidbey to Port Townsend without a reservation in hand. Always tricky during the summer and when the system is down boats for a few months. I arrived at the Coupeville Ferry about 6:30am to catch a 7:15am boat. I was in luck and was the 4th non-reservation vehicle aboard.

My destination was a campground west of Port Angeles where I knew I could get a site with first-come, first-serve. The drive was about an hour an 20 minutes from the dock. I had high hopes for the campground as I had read good things about it. It was a beautiful setting, however all of the sites were very exposed and everyone was on top of each other. Not my idea of a good time. So I bailed on the campground figuring I might be able to find somewhere else later on. If not, I could make the drive back to Seattle and not camp this time.

My next stop was Olympic National Park and a drive up to Hurricane Ridge. Something that has been on my to do list for many years. Turned out to be a beautiful day for a drive. Farther up the mountain the wildflowers were in bloom and I was lucky to photograph many of them. Also the sun was out up at the higher elevations.

On my return to lower elevations, I pulled up an app I have that lists campsites and discovered a potential campground farther west than I had originally planned. I figured I had a better chance in this direction as fewer people head this far west on a whim.

I lucked out that Bear Creek Campground had a few sites available when I arrived. I lucked out to get the last one farther from the highway of the 3 still free. Also it turned out I could stay for free with my Discover Pass! Even better news, as I was going to have to pay for the original campground I was looking at. Free is always a bonus. No need to go hunting further for a place to stay for the night.

Below are some of the many photos I took today.

©07.15.21 View out the windshield while I waited for the ferry.

©07.15.21 Salt Creek Campground. Not quite what I was hoping for.

©07.15.21 Near the lower Elwha dam removal site

©07.15.21 Very dry grasses at the Olympic National Park Ranger Station

©07.15.21 Along the drive up to Hurricane Ridge the sun has come out, but down below it is still cloudy

©07.15.21 There’s still snow at the very top of the Olympics after the unbearable heatwave 2 weeks ago. Almost to the top of the road.

©07.15.21 Panoramic view across the valley from Hurricane Ridge

©07.15.21 Wildflowers along the road to Hurricane Ridge

©07.15.21 Hosta and wildflowers along the road to Hurricane Ridge

©07.15.21 Different perspective of the snow “covered” peaks

©07.15.21 Still cloudy down below on the way back

©07.15.21 Daisies along the road to Hurricane Ridge

©07.15.21 Lower elevations are still trying to peek through the clouds.

©07.15.21 Tree in bloom along the road to Hurricane Ridge

©07.15.21 Stump along the shoreline of Lake Crescent

©07.15.21 Bluebelle at our first camp site at Bear Creek Campground

©07.15.21 Testing out the in car sleeping arrangements. Good thing I’m not taller or wider or me and my stuff would never fit. Still have the tent along but also want to have this option available too.

©07.15.21 Sol Duc River below the campground.

©07.15.21 View straight up from the center of the campsite

07.16.21 Sequim

07.13.21 Seattle

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