Olympic National Park (Washington State's Olympic Peninsula) is just a couple of hours drive from our place. I heard that this place was called a wonderland and one of the most enchanting and diverse regions on Earth! This summer, we ventured into the park and enjoyed the Washington temperate rain forests and breathtaking coastline that I featured here earlier: DRIFTWOOD , Rain Forest Magic .
Two rain forests amazed us with their huge ancient trees, mosses, lichens and fern fields.
And who is this, peeking out from behind the tree? Moss is a great sculptor!
Precipitation in this area is 12-14 feet per year. The air is pleasantly moist, and your skin feels so fresh after being in the forest for just a couple of hours!
I chose the picture below to show the scale of trees.
Olympic National Park encompasses more than 60 miles of wild Pacific coast. Beaches with huge rocks and ghostly driftwoods were difficult to leave. I could sit there and listen for hours to the sound of the waves, pounding surf and calls of seagulls.
Do you see many people in these pictures? Very few. This was a great plus to visiting the park. Wilderness was a word which often came to my mind.
A million visitors come to Olympic National Park every year, but it seems that they are spread about. Often, we saw no one around.
One of our stops was at the rustic and historic Lake Quinault Lodge.
On October 1, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Lake Quinault Lodge. During his visit, the topic of establishing a park came up over lunch. Nine months later, Roosevelt signed a bill creating Olympic National Park.
What we saw during our trip was just a small part of the park.There is more to see: lowland forest, montane and subalpine forests, alpine meadows, glaciers, etc.
The area is rich with Native American history.
Come see this magnificent part of the world, and it might be your trip of a lifetime!
Come see this magnificent part of the world, and it might be your trip of a lifetime!
(I think the Washington Travel Industry should love me for this phrase!)
This post is part of a week-long bloggers’ celebration of the National Parks hosted by Pam at Digging .
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Copyright Tatyana S http://tanyasgarden.blogspot.com/
Hello Tatyana,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place! The rain forest has an "other world" feel to it and the beach has such a stark beauty. Thank you for sharing.
This is a fantastic place, a beautiful rainforest so different from the tropical; and so different from where I have been. The Lodge looks so cosy, yes indeed it is a fantastic place to enjoy a holiday.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are fantastic a sheer volume of natures best.
Cool photos
ReplyDeleteI was guessing Kalaloch campground
Cute one of the duck family
Miss Tatyana what a wonderful post the trees are magnificent and that beach looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteHave a fun weekend. hugs, Cherry
Oh my Tatyana! You are in the land of dinosaurs. What a cool place to see and explore. I imagine the boys have a great time climbing all over! So when do I get to come visit? :-D
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning photos, Tatyana! The Washington Tourism Council should ask to use some of your photos! Reading these different posts on the National Parks has been so interesting; I'm ready to get out and see more of the USA!
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed a magnificent place! Gorgeous photos. I love the picture of the mother duck and ducklings crossing the road too.
ReplyDeleteBeing a fan of the twilight books,I could not help but imagine vampires lurking in these beautiful trees covered with moss. Beautiful place. I would love to visit here someday. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletebye
Rosey
Makes me want to jump in a plane and visit tomorrow. So pretty and your photos are magnificent. Such a beautiful place and so untouched. Thanks for showing us.
ReplyDeleteThe forest is so amazing as the trees are soo tall and the human so little. I love that walk in the forest with you.
ReplyDeleteBig trees, big moss, big driftwood! Thanks for showing us these lovely scenes from the park, Tatyana. It makes me want to go back soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Tatyana~~ So did you bring home any driftwood? Sorry I couldn't resist. I remember that you were asked that question after your first post. By me and a few others as I recall. Yes, I've got a weird sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteThe beaches are so beautiful; diverse with the trees and the rock outcroppings and the lush green understory. I am awed. No wonder you wanted to share it with your blogging friends. It looks magical and the lodge is huge, definitely worth a visit.
This is so incredible! I feel like I was transported to Jurrasic Park! I'd love to visit some day too. -Jackie
ReplyDeleteReally amazing - like another world.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning place to visit. Parts of the park look so desolate and beautiful. Love your photography of the moss-covered trees. Every bit of spot and every photo was a JOY!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tour you took us on. Just beautiful, there is something magical about rain forests...and to have it all to yourself!
ReplyDeleteThat is the most stunning,spooky,untamed and beautiful landscape I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteDidn't realize how large the trees were till' you showed that one picture...huge !!
Also love the beach and ocean.
You sure do get around ! Love it !
I am definitely adding this to my list of must see places! What a beautiful place!~
ReplyDeleteI love the Olympic Peninsula & National Park. It's a hauntingly beautiful place & your photos are magnificent. Did you find any of the pictographs or petroglyphs on the beach?
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunningly beautiful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteYou got great shots, looks like you had a wonderful time.
Jen
THank you everyone for stopping by! The most amazing for me was the fact, that such great place is so close to us. Out trip was pretty short, and there is much more to see. When you decide to come over,you might stop at our place and use it as a base. I won't charge much, maybe a perennial in a 4-inch pot, ha-ha!
ReplyDeleteTx for showing us where the driftwood photos were taken. Those photos linger in my mind ...
ReplyDeleteTatyana how lucky to live so near to such beautiful places the wonderland and the coast both of which you captured so well thank you for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteГуляла с вами по парку. Упивалась воздухом и покоем... Спасибо тебе, Таня!
ReplyDeleteAn enchanting park... a wonderland is the perfect description. A great photo tour! Beautiful all. Carol
ReplyDeleteWow... may I be Alice?
ReplyDeleteWhat a BEAUTIFUL park and awesome pictures of it. Oooooo, the driftwood and the ocean...and those TREES!
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful!!
Wow! Awesome shots, Tatyana! Love the mossy shots best...I can almost feel its wonderful textures! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteФантастические пейзажи! Таня, очень красиво!!!
ReplyDelete