Your Olympic National Park CME conference.

Olympic after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM local time. For an easy afternoon, choose one outing near Port Angeles: the Waterfront Trail from the City Pier, the drive up Hurricane Ridge Road, or a walk to Marymere Falls near Lake Crescent. Leave time for the weather, because the park says Hurricane Ridge Road may be closed at any time and that different conditions can occur in the park at the same time.

Travel, lodging and any park entrance or shuttle fees are arranged separately. Your conference follows your own schedule on your phone or laptop; the park is the setting you choose for it.

Port Angeles on foot

Port Angeles lists the waterfront, Ediz Hook, the Olympic Discovery Trail, the Feiro Marine Life Center, the Fine Arts Center and downtown among its things to do, with a ferry across to Victoria, British Columbia. The Waterfront Trail comes out at the City Pier at the foot of Lincoln Street, where the trail’s own guide mentions parking, restrooms, and nearby shops and restaurants.

The trail is paved and flat for several miles in both directions, and about 4 miles of it runs along the beach from Morse Creek to the waterfront. Choose it if you want a level walk without driving into the mountains. Check current status before planning a visit to the Feiro Marine Life Center.

Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is 17 miles south of Port Angeles on Hurricane Ridge Road, off Mount Angeles Road. The park says clear weather brings views through the year, with sunrise and sunset panoramas, and a network of trails from ridgetop traverses to steep routes down to subalpine lakes. Obstruction Point Road branches off at the parking area and is typically open from mid-June through October 15, weather and snow permitting.

The road is open throughout summer. In winter it is scheduled to open Friday through Sunday and on holiday Mondays, weather permitting, and every vehicle must carry tire chains. The Day Lodge that served as the visitor center was destroyed by fire, so check the park’s alerts for what is open. Hurricane Ridge traditionally records 30 to 35 feet of snow a year. A Hurricane Ridge shuttle runs from downtown Port Angeles in summer, from May to September 1, if you would rather not drive the mountain road yourself.

Lake Crescent and the Spruce Railroad Trail

Lake Crescent lies in the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, about 18 miles west of Port Angeles. The park calls it a deep, glacially carved lake and names the Barnes Creek trail to Marymere Falls as a favorite hike. The Spruce Railroad Trail runs along the lake’s north shore; it is 4 miles long, and about a mile west of its east trailhead it passes through a long tunnel where you should bring a light and cyclists must walk their bikes.

The park lists lodging at the lake, including cottages, cabins and lodge rooms, generally open from late spring until early fall, and says rooms in the park book up fast, especially in July and August.

The Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh receives about 140 inches of precipitation a year. The Hall of Mosses Trail is a 0.8-mile loop through old-growth forest with maples covered in club moss, and the Spruce Nature Trail is a 1.2-mile loop beside Taft Creek and the Hoh River. The park puts the Hoh about a two-hour drive from Port Angeles and under an hour from Forks, so it suits a full day better than an afternoon after study, and the visitor center’s days of operation change with the season.

The coast beyond Forks

The park lists lodging on the coast at Kalaloch, open year round, with campsites, cabins and lodge rooms. It also says communities on the coastal strip are small and far apart, with Forks the largest town and smaller lodging at La Push, Lake Quinault, Sekiu and Neah Bay. If you stay on the coast, expect longer drives to Port Angeles and plan for fog, which the park says is common along the shore in summer.

When to visit Olympic

The Olympic Mountains wring most of the moisture from Pacific storms, which is why the east side supports drier lowland forests than the temperate rainforests of the Hoh and Quinault areas. Spring is cool to mild, with snow and heavy rain possible at higher elevations into June. Summer is mild to warm and the busiest season, with coastal fog and high-country thunderstorms common. Fall is cooler and wetter, and snow can reach the high country by late September. Most winter precipitation falls from November through April, with deep snow at high elevations. Even in summer, temperatures can vary by 10 to 20 degrees, especially along the coast, so bring layers.

Getting to Olympic and your study setting

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the arrival point shown in this guide. The Olympic Peninsula tourism site lists Port Angeles at 125 miles and about 2 hours 35 minutes from Sea-Tac by road, and the park describes bus service from the airport to Sequim and Port Angeles and a daily ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria. The park says to connect to Highway 101 to reach destinations around the park, and the Hood Canal Bridge on the route closes periodically for boat traffic.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.