On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Mike in Oly
We are fortunate to live within an easy hour’s drive to this little corner of the Olympic National Forest (ONP), and it’s a lovely drive from Olympia along Hood Canal to Hoodsport to get there as well. Only marred by the last couple of miles thru National Forest land where the road is unpaved, and never in good repair. The forest, canyon and Skokomish river are always a cool, restful retreat, without too many tourists to deal with, and the trail is an easy two miles, with further options for those inclined. My husband and I took a quick jaunt up there in mid-June and spent a beautiful summer afternoon hanging out along the river. This is some of what we saw.
The main trail makes a loop up one side of the river and then crosses and comes back down the other side. At this point it ascends to a bluff above the river giving a nice bird’s eye view.
Some areas along the valley have side creeks coming in to join the river. This one has a waterfall that was formed when a tree fell across the stream. Rocks filled in behind and the water dutifully cascaded over.
A log bridge, next to a much larger fallen log, that traverses a small side creek. The park does it’s best to allow nature to take its course. Those big logs will become nurse logs as time goes on and will nurture new forest for the future.
More water rushing thru forest and over stone, on a small creek heading for the river.
Stone stacks seem to be everywhere these days. Swollen rivers from winter rains will erase them.
A young Steller’s jay scouts the rivers edge.
I don’t normally take photos with humans in them, but in some cases it serves to show scale. This is a mighty river.
Looking upriver. That large rock is as big as a bus.
I took some video of the creeks and the river.
Hope you enjoyed this peek into a corner of the ONP.
sab
“Lovely drive” really understates the utter gorgeousness of this part of our country. I haven’t been there in 45 years but I remember it vividly. Great photos. Thank you.
AlaskaReader
Alternatively, that section of unpaved road is otherwise known as a saving grace.
eclare
It looks so peaceful there, thank you.
Wag
Beautiful. Thank you. So peaceful
stinger
Cool, fresh, green, and the sound of running water. How delightful! I like the way you write about it, Mike in Oly!
arrieve
I feel calmer after looking at those pictures. Lovely.
WaterGirl
Every picture this morning feels like a work of art.
Bodacious
Well, as the bumper sticker says – “I live where you vacation”. At least ours should say that. It is beautiful here. But, also feels a little like deep south, where our once stellar vac rate has lingered at about 54% and tattered mangy Trump flags fly unimpacted by the election. Again, thanks for capturing some of the magic that is freely displayed for everyone to enjoy.
cope
Beautiful pictures of a wonderful area, thanks.
JanieM
ONP is the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited — mountains and coastal strip both. I would love to get back there someday, but these pictures are a lovely reminder in the meantime. Beautiful shots!
StringOnAStick
@Bodacious: Rural PNW does have a rural deep South flavor for sure. Some of the near shacks I see with their tRump flags remind me of what I saw in deep rural MS 30years ago.
susanna
Well, these pictures filled a yearning for nature and pulled at my heart strings. I miss the PNW and places like this.
Thank you. Send more anytime!
mvr
These are great photos. I miss the PNW.
I don’t remember many of the names anymore, but 40 years ago I hitch-hiked first to Glacier NP and then to Olympic National Park to backpack. The Olympic part was backpacking on the coast around Quinalt if I remember right. But later when I lived in PDX I would visit the inland part of the park as well. The drive up along the hood canal was always scenic and quirky. I don’t know if I hit the Skokomish river but I do remember fishing some small stream that I could get to from Port Townsend where my sister lived. And also later going to some hot springs accessible from the north end of the park.
Now that I live in the great American Desert which is apparently going to get wetter and hotter and still have long droughts I still miss it.
Thanks for the photos! They really do convey the PNW feel.