Olympic in One Day

Start at the Lake Quinault Lodge, in the park's southwest corner. From here, drive a half hour into the Quinault Valley via South Shore Road. Tackle the forested Graves Creek Trail, then head up North Shore Road to the Quinault Rain Forest Interpretive Trail. Next, head back to Highway 101 and drive to Ruby Beach, where a shoreline walk presents a breathtaking scene of sea stacks and sparkling, pink-hued sands.

Forks, and its Timber Museum, are your next stop; have lunch here, then drive 20 minutes to the beach at La Push. Next, head to Lake Crescent, around the corner to the northeast, where you can rent a boat, take a swim, or enjoy a picnic next to the sparkling teal waters. Drive through Port Angeles to Hurricane Ridge; count on an hour's drive from bottom to top if there aren't too many visitors. At the ridge, explore the visitor center or hike the 3-mi loop to Hurricane Hill, where you can see over the entire park north to Vancouver Island and south past Mt. Olympus.