The Olympic Peninsula Loop: 13 Best Stops on the Drive

The Olympic Peninsula is one of my favorite parts of Washington. I’ve driven the Olympic Peninsula loop road trip more times than I can count, including for Moon Washington State, the guidebook I wrote, and every trip, I find something new. The loop takes you past three completely different ecosystems on one drive: alpine highlands at Hurricane Ridge, the world-class Hoh Rainforest, and the wild Pacific coastline at Rialto and Ruby Beach.

The Olympic Peninsula loop is roughly 330 miles around the park (you can’t drive through it, only around it). Most people do it in 3-5 days. This guide walks through the 13 best stops in the order I’d hit them, starting from the Edmonds ferry on the east side and ending on the south side at Lake Quinault. I’ve included where to stay in Olympic National Park, what’s open in 2026, and a few honest things to know before you go.

If you’re tight on time, my one day in Olympic National Park guide covers a shorter version. If you’ve got a full week, build out a longer Pacific Northwest road trip and use this loop as the centerpiece.

2026 Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive Closures and Updates

A few things have changed on the loop in 2026 that can affect your route and timing. Here’s what to know before you go.

How to Plan an Olympic Peninsula Loop Road Trip

Here’s what you need to know before you set out on the loop, including how to get there, how much time to budget, the best season to drive it, and what to pack.

How to Get to the Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula loop sits on the west side of Washington, with the entire drive running along US-101, which forms the highway loop around the perimeter of Olympic National Park. If you want a quick visual, search “Olympic Peninsula loop map” before you go to see how the route connects.

Most people who do the loop counterclockwise from Seattle take the Edmonds-Kingston ferry, then drive up to Port Angeles to start the loop. If you’ve got time before or after, Edmonds is worth a stop on its own. The ferry is first-come, first-served, so leave early or late if you’re going during summer in Seattle when wait times can stretch to 2+ hours. The current ferry schedule is on WSDOT’s site, and I also have a full Washington state ferry guide if it’s your first time.

Another option is the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry, followed by a drive through Bainbridge Island to reach the Olympic Peninsula. The drive is slightly slower but more scenic.

If you’re driving from the south (Olympia or Portland), get off I-5 in Olympia and take US-101 N. This works well if you’re doing the loop clockwise, ending at Port Angeles.

You’ll need a car for this trip. If you’re flying in, rent at Sea-Tac. Headed up from Vancouver Island first? My Vancouver Island road trip post covers that side too.

How Long Does the Olympic Peninsula Loop Take?

The full loop is about 329 miles around the perimeter of Olympic National Park (you can’t drive through the park, only around it). Straight driving with no stops, the loop takes about 8 hours.

But that’s not the point. Most people spend at least 3 days to see the highlights, and 5 days to actually enjoy it. I usually recommend 4 days as the sweet spot, especially in summer when trailheads at places like Sol Duc and Lake Crescent fill up early and you need flexibility.

If you only have a weekend, focus on the north and west side (Port Angeles, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Hoh Rainforest) and skip the south. See my Olympic National Park one-day guide if you only have one day.

The Best Time to Drive the Olympic Peninsula Loop

I’ve driven this loop in every season, and May through September is the most reliable window. That’s when you’ll have the driest weather, full lodge availability, and accessible high-elevation trails at Hurricane Ridge.

July and August are peak. Warm, dry, and crowded. Book everything early.

June and September are my favorite months. Cooler weather, fewer crowds, and the spring hikes in Washington are still happening in June with wildflowers everywhere.

October through April is the rainy season. The coastal sections remain accessible, but Hurricane Ridge can be limited by snow and weather, and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is closed from late October through late March. If you don’t mind rain, off-season trips are quieter, and you’ll have most trailheads to yourself.

What to Pack for the Olympic Peninsula Loop

I have a full road trip packing list I use for every trip, whether I’m staying local or doing a longer West Coast road trip. For the Olympic Peninsula specifically, a few things matter more than usual:

• America the Beautiful pass: Olympic National Park entrance is $30 for 7 days, but the $80 annual pass gets you into every U.S. national park for a year. Buy it through the park or REI before your trip.
• Hiking shoes: You’ll be on a mix of paved paths, boardwalks, and muddy rainforest trails. Waterproof shoes save you on wet days.
• Raincoat: Even in July, the Hoh Rainforest can throw a downpour at you. A packable, lightweight rain shell is essential.
• Layers: Hurricane Ridge can be 30 degrees cooler than the coast on the same day.
• Refillable water bottle: Most stops have water access.

Olympic Peninsula Loop at a Glance

Here’s an Olympic Peninsula loop drive map of the 13 stops, organized in counterclockwise driving order from the Edmonds ferry. Use this as your itinerary at a glance before reading the detailed breakdown below:

Stop	Region	Time Needed	Best For
1. Port Gamble	East side	30-60 min	Coffee stop, historic town
2. Port Townsend	East side	2-3 hours	Victorian architecture, shops
3. Sequim	North side	1-2 hours	Lavender farms (June-July)
4. Port Angeles	North side	Overnight base	Hurricane Ridge access, food
5. Hurricane Ridge	North side	3-5 hours	Alpine views, easy hiking
6. Lake Crescent	North side	2-3 hours	Marymere Falls, kayaking
7. Sol Duc Hot Springs	North side	3-4 hours	Sol Duc Falls hike, hot springs
8. Cape Flattery	Northwest	3-4 hours	Northwesternmost point, ocean views
9. Forks	West side	Overnight base	Twilight, gateway to Hoh + coast
10. Hoh Rainforest	West side	Half day	Hall of Mosses, old-growth trees
11. Rialto Beach & La Push	West coast	2-4 hours	Sea stacks, Hole-in-the-Wall
12. Ruby Beach & Kalaloch	Southwest coast	2-3 hours	Tree of Life, sea stacks, tide pools
13. Lake Quinault	South side	2-3 hours	World’s largest Sitka spruce

13 Must-See Stops on an Olympic Peninsula Road Trip

As you can see from the Olympic Peninsula loop drive map above, this itinerary covers quite a bit of the region. If you’re wondering why this is a circular drive without any stops in the middle of the map, it’s because you can’t drive through Olympic National Park. One of the most common questions I get from readers is “what’s the quickest way to drive through the park,” and there isn’t one – there’s a huge cluster of mountains in the middle of the park with no roads through them.

This means your trip will take longer because you have to go around the park, but it’s worth it since this is one of the best scenic drives in Washington State.

Are you psyched to explore the Olympic Peninsula yet? Let’s take a look at the best stops and must-see places before you head out on your Olympic Peninsula road trip. 

1. Port Gamble

Port Gamble is a blink-and-you-miss-it town right at the corner where you turn from the Kingston ferry toward the rest of the Olympic Peninsula. It’s not worth half a day, but it’s the perfect stop on your way west. The whole town is essentially one picturesque street of historic shops and old homes (it dates back to 1853, when it was a millworking town), and most loop drivers pull over for coffee, a quick walk, and a peek inside one or two shops before continuing on.

A few specific stops worth your time:

The Port Gamble General Store and Cafe is the anchor of the town. It’s been in operation since 1916, and inside you’ll find a cafe serving fresh sandwiches, espresso, baked goods, and 16 flavors of ice cream, plus an enormous gift shop with PNW-themed home goods and quirky finds. Upstairs is the Of Sea and Shore Museum, a free shell collection that’s the second-largest in the world. My kids loved checking this out on one of our road trips.

If you like history, I recommend the Port Gamble Historic Museum, which is a small but interesting stop to learn about the town’s mill history if you’ve got 30 minutes to spare.

House 11 Taproom & Bottle Shop is where my husband and I stopped after a weekend in Port Townsend. It’s 21+, with a curated list of craft beer and natural/organic wine on tap, and a small kitchen. The vibe is grown-up and quiet, with both indoor and outdoor seating. It’s only open Thursday through Sunday, so plan accordingly. If you have older kids or are doing a family loop, skip this one and head to the General Store instead.

2. Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a Victorian seaport town on the northeast tip of the peninsula, about 30 miles past Port Gamble. It’s one of my favorite small towns in Washington and is worth at least half a day, ideally a full day if you can swing it. The downtown is a walkable strip of historic brick buildings along Water Street, with shops, restaurants, coffee, breweries, and water views in every direction.

I’ve been to Port Townsend twice. The first time was a day trip with family. We took the ferry from Coupeville on Whidbey Island, met up with a friend who lived there, hit the farmers market, and grabbed pizza at Hill Bottom Pie downtown. The second time, my husband and I went back for a rainy winter weekend because I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I’d loved that first visit.

A few highlights worth your time on the loop:

Fort Worden State Park is the standout. It’s a 434-acre park with a historic military post, miles of beach, the Point Wilson Lighthouse, and old gun batteries you can wander through. It’s easy to spend 2-3 hours here if you like history. Fort Flagler State Park on Marrowstone Island is a quieter park, 30 minutes away, with similar beaches and a network of trails if you have time.

Propolis Brewing was one of my favorite stops on the rainy weekend. We met another travel-writer friend who happened to be in town that same weekend, and the taproom won me over instantly. Comfy couches, plants everywhere, and beautifully crafted European-style farmhouse ales. Easily one of the best brewery atmospheres I’ve been to in the PNW.

Better Living Through Coffee is the most scenic coffee shop in town, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water. You can sit inside and watch the ferry come in, which is exactly what we did on the rainy Saturday. If I lived here, I would easily come here every morning.

Downtown is full of good shops. World’s End is a curated vintage and modern home goods store that I always end up spending too long in. Spice and Tea Exchange is great for picking up small kitchen gifts. The whole downtown is a few blocks long, so you can easily wander through everything in an afternoon.

If you want to break up the loop and stay overnight here, the Tides Inn & Suites is a waterfront hotel right on Water Street, walkable to everything I just mentioned. It’s where my husband and I stayed on our winter weekend, and it’s right on the water – so scenic.

3. Sequim

Sequim sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, which makes it the sunniest spot on the peninsula and the reason it’s the “Lavender Capital of North America.” Most of the lavender farms are clustered in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley just off Highway 101, and they bloom from late June through July. If you’re driving the loop during peak bloom, the lavender fields alone are worth a stop.

I came here after my Port Townsend trip, and I’m obsessed with Purple Haze Lavender Farm. It’s one of the oldest farms in the valley (founded in 1996), and the gift shop alone is reason enough to stop. I bought tons of lavender-scented everything (dried lavender bundles, lotions, soaps) and a pair of bamboo viscose pajamas in light purple that are the softest things I own. I still wear them all the time.

For coffee, I’d stop at Essence Coffee Roasters. It’s a sleek, modern, Scandinavian-inspired space, and they roast their own single-origin beans on-site. I got a nitro cold brew, and it was so good. It’s worth a stop even if you’re not particularly into coffee, because the space is just nice to sit in for a minute.

I love using Roadtrippers for all my road trips because they show you all the fun stops to make along the way. You can get $5 off if you sign up with my code BTR5QTP.

4. Port Angeles

Port Angeles is the largest gateway town to Olympic National Park and the natural overnight base for the north side of the loop. It sits right on the water with views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island, and it has the most restaurants, shopping, and walkability of anywhere on the loop. If you only have one overnight on this drive, I’d spend it here.

I stayed at the Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles Harbor for a fall 2022 birthday weekend, and the location is the reason to book it. The hotel is right on the waterfront and walkable to downtown, the city pier, and the Feiro Marine Life Center, a small aquarium by the water. We walked the pier, popped into the marine life center, and ate burgers at Next Door Gastropub, a few blocks away. It was cold and rainy the whole weekend, but being able to walk everywhere from the hotel made the weather a non-issue.

A few specific things worth doing in Port Angeles on the loop:

• The Coho Ferry to Victoria, BC, leaves right from the waterfront and is a fun half-day add-on if you have the time and your passport.
• Harbinger Winery is in an old logging truck shop, and was where I picked up bottles of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc to bring home.
• Barhop Brewing & Artisan Pizza is a casual, kid-friendly spot if you’re traveling with family.
• Ediz Hook is a three-mile spit that juts out into the strait. You can walk or bike it for free, and you sometimes see seals or whales passing by.
• The Saturday Farmers Market runs year-round, rain or shine, from 10 am-2 pm. It’s worth timing your overnight to land on a Saturday morning if you can.

For deeper coverage of the town, see my full guide to things to do in Port Angeles. For lodging picks beyond the Red Lion, see my where to stay in Olympic National Park post.

5. Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge is the alpine heart of Olympic National Park, and it’s the closest you can get to the high country without backpacking. It sits at 5,242 feet above Port Angeles, with views across the Olympic Mountains in one direction and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island in the other. The drive up from Port Angeles is 17 miles of switchbacks, and the visitor center sits at the top with a series of meadow trails branching out from the parking lot.

This was the first place I ever visited in Olympic National Park. I came up with my parents when I was about 10, and I’ve been back probably half a dozen times since then with friends to hike. Summer wildflowers are always the most scenic, but they’re also when it’s the most crowded. If you can swing it, go on a clear summer weekday and get there early because parking fills up fast.

I’ve done the Hurricane Hill Trail (1.6 miles each way, paved most of the way, with great views from the top), and I’ve always seen deer up there. I usually see marmots too, which are the chunky alpine rodents that whistle when they spot you. They hang out in the rocks near the trail and are not particularly shy.

6. Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is a deep, glacier-carved lake about 30 minutes west of Port Angeles, and it’s one of the most photogenic stops on the loop. The water is unusually clear and a striking shade of blue-green, and the mountains rise straight out of the water on every side. Most loop drivers spend 1-2 hours here, but you could easily spend longer if you want to kayak or do one of the trails that start from the lodge.

I’ve done Marymere Falls three times. The first time was with my kids when they were little, and it was actually the first hike they completed start to finish (the trail is just under 2 miles round-trip, mostly flat with a short uphill stretch at the end to reach the falls). The second time was on a guided tour, and the third time was solo when I was already in the area for something else. The falls are pretty year-round, but they’re at their most dramatic in spring after the snowmelt.

I also love just walking through Lake Crescent Lodge itself. The original lodge was built in 1915, and the main building still has that historic mountain lodge feel, with the smell of woodsmoke from the fireplace and old wood floors that creak when you walk on them. Even if you’re not staying overnight, it’s worth popping in for a coffee, a meal, or just to wander through the lobby.

7. Sol Duc Hot Springs

Sol Duc Valley sits in a deep, mossy pocket of the Olympic rainforest, about an hour west of Port Angeles down a 14-mile road that dead-ends at the trailhead for Sol Duc Falls. It’s one of the more remote parts of the park, but worth the drive. You get a hot springs resort, an iconic waterfall, and an old-growth forest you’ll have mostly to yourself outside of summer weekends. Sol Duc Falls is also one of the best waterfall hikes near Seattle and a centerpiece of any Olympic Peninsula waterfall road trip.

I did the Sol Duc Falls trail during my fall 2022 birthday weekend when I was based in Port Angeles. It was a rainy November day, and we were the only people on the trail when we got to the falls. It actually started snowing while we were there, which was unexpected and made for some great pictures. What I love about Sol Duc Falls is that you walk on a bridge directly over the top of the waterfall, which is unusual for Washington. Most waterfall trails offer views of the falls from below.

If you have more time, you can extend your hike past the falls to several backcountry trails, or soak at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, which is the only lodging in the valley. The resort is open from late March through October, so winter visitors can’t stay overnight, but you can usually still get a day pass to the pools if there’s availability.

8. Cape Flattery

Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point in the contiguous United States, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean. It sits on the Makah Reservation about an hour and a half northwest of Sol Duc, and the trail to the viewing platforms is a 1.5-mile round-trip walk on a well-maintained boardwalk through coastal rainforest. The trail ends at four wooden platforms perched on the cliffs, with views of Tatoosh Island and its lighthouse just offshore, plus sea caves carved into the rocks directly below you.

I visited Cape Flattery solo while I was researching my Moon Washington State guidebook. It was pretty cold and rainy, but after I explored the small town of Neah Bay (which I had never been to before), I picked up my Makah Recreation Pass at the Makah Cultural and Research Center and headed out to the trail. There was no one else on the trail, and I absolutely loved the view. The combination of the rainforest boardwalk, the dramatic cliffs, and the empty Pacific stretching out forever was unforgettable.

9. Forks

Forks is the western base for Olympic National Park and the closest town to the Hoh Rainforest, La Push, Rialto Beach, and the Hall of Mosses Trail. It’s a small logging town that became famous because of the Twilight books, but the real reason to stop here is the access to the rainforest and the wild Pacific coast. Most loop drivers either spend a night here or use it as a day-stop between Sol Duc and the coastal beaches.

I rented a cabin near Forks while I was researching a chapter for my Moon Washington State guidebook in 2024. I used the cabin as a base for the Hoh Rainforest, the Hall of Mosses, La Push Beach, and Rialto Beach, and it was such a cozy spot to come back to at the end of each day.

I also stopped at the Forks Visitors Center to see what they recommended and picked up a Forks Tour Map, which marks all the Twilight filming locations and references around town. I watched all the Twilight movies when they came out, mostly because my friends liked them rather than because I was super into them, but driving around town to find the filming locations was actually really fun. You can see the exteriors of the homes they used in the movie (although the interior shots were filmed on a soundstage).

A note on 2026: Rialto Beach is harder to access this year because the Mora Road past the campground is closed for storm damage repairs from July through early fall. Second Beach and Third Beach (accessed directly from La Push) are still open, so the area is still very much worth visiting, just with a slightly different itinerary.

10. Hoh Rainforest

The Hoh Rainforest is one of the only temperate rainforests in the contiguous US and one of the most popular spots in Olympic National Park. It’s about 45 minutes east of Forks down the Upper Hoh Road, and the visitor center is where you’ll start the two main short trails (Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail).

I visited the Hoh while I was based at the Forks cabin for my guidebook trip. I did both the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail on a slightly rainy fall day, and honestly, the weather made it. The fog was rolling in, and the moss was dripping off the trees, and it felt magical. Driving in on the Upper Hoh Road, I also saw three elk just hanging out on the side of the road, which I’d never seen that close before. They were unbothered, just chewing on grass while I rolled past in the car.

If you only have time for one trail, do the Hall of Mosses. It’s the iconic one (0.8 miles, every branch dripping in club moss). The Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles) is a nice add-on if you have the energy, as it follows the Hoh River and offers a different perspective with more open views.

11. Rialto Beach and La Push

Rialto Beach and the three La Push beaches (First, Second, and Third) sit on the western coast about 15 minutes west of Forks. This stretch of coast is what people picture when they think of the Olympic Peninsula: sea stacks, driftwood, gray skies, and waves crashing into rocks. Most loop drivers do at least one of these beaches, and if you have time, hitting two or three different ones gives you a sense of how dramatically the coast changes from one beach to the next.

I’ve been to Rialto Beach and to First and Second Beach at La Push. During my visit to Rialto, I watched a bald eagle perched on a piece of driftwood for a while before it flew off. The beach is wide, rocky, and covered in massive bleached driftwood logs. People come here for the Hole-in-the-Wall hike (about 4 miles round-trip on the sand to a sea arch you can walk through at low tide), but I haven’t done that one yet. It’s on my list for the next trip.

First Beach at La Push is the most accessible of the La Push beaches, with the Quileute Tribe’s village right there and a paved parking lot. Second Beach requires a short 1-mile hike through the forest to reach the sand, and it’s worth the effort because the sea stacks at Second Beach are some of the most photographed on the entire Washington coast.

A note on 2026: the Mora Road, past the campground, is closed for storm-damage repairs from July through early fall, which cuts off driving access to Rialto Beach during the summer. If you’re driving the loop in July or August, plan to skip Rialto and visit First, Second, or Third Beach at La Push instead, each of which is reached via a different road.

12. Ruby Beach and Kalaloch

Ruby Beach and the Kalaloch Beach area sit along the southern coast of Olympic National Park, about an hour south of Forks on Highway 101. This is where the rainforest meets the Pacific in a dramatic way, with sea stacks, tide pools, and bluffs lined with old-growth trees. Both stops are right off the highway, which makes them easy to fit into the loop with minimal detours. That’s one of the best parts of this drive – there are so many stops you can make along the way.

I stopped at both Ruby Beach and Kalaloch Beach during my guidebook trip. Ruby Beach is an easy walk down from the parking lot, and the beach itself is beautiful, with tide pools full of creatures if you’re there at low tide.

Kalaloch Beach is where the Tree of Life is, the Sitka spruce on the bluff with its roots completely exposed over an eroding cliff. It’s wild to see because it looks like it should have toppled over a long time ago, but somehow keeps holding on. Heads up that it’s in rough shape and may not last much longer, so see it sooner rather than later.

13. Lake Quinault

Lake Quinault sits at the southern end of the loop and is the last major stop before you connect back to Aberdeen and Olympia. The area feels different from the rest of the park, denser with rainforest and quieter, with the historic Lake Quinault Lodge on the south shore and a scenic 31-mile loop road that wraps around the lake itself. If you’re doing the full Olympic Peninsula loop, this is your wind-down stop before heading home.

By the time I got here on my guidebook trip, I was pretty tired and ready to be done driving. It was rainy and foggy, which is pretty on-brand for this part of the Olympic Peninsula. I pulled into Lake Quinault Lodge to get coffee and stretch my legs, and the second I walked into the rustic main lobby with the stone fireplace and old wood floors, I perked up.

The staff recommended a quick hike across the street from the lodge, and that ended up being one of the most PNW moments of the whole trip. Cool, damp air, dripping moss, and the sound of the lake somewhere just out of view.

I also drove the full Lake Quinault Loop road, which takes you past waterfalls, old-growth groves, and the world’s largest Sitka spruce. The fog hung low over the water the entire drive, and even though I was on my last legs by that point, it was worth doing.

Olympic Peninsula Loop Itinerary: 3-Day, 5-Day, and Weekend Options

Here’s how I’d structure the Olympic Peninsula loop road trip itinerary depending on how much time you have. These are flexible templates, so move stops around based on the weather and what you’re most excited to see.

3-Day Olympic Peninsula Loop Itinerary

A 3-day loop is the minimum I’d recommend, and it works best if you skip the south end (Lake Quinault) or the far northwest (Cape Flattery) to keep the drive times reasonable.

Day 1: Edmonds to Port Angeles. Take the Edmonds-Kingston ferry in the morning. Stop in Port Gamble for coffee, drive through Port Townsend for a couple of hours, and continue west through Sequim to visit a lavender farm if it’s June or July. Overnight in Port Angeles.

Day 2: Hurricane Ridge to Forks. Drive up Hurricane Ridge first thing in the morning before the crowds. Come back down to Port Angeles for lunch, then head west to Lake Crescent for a quick stop (Marymere Falls if you have time). Continue to Sol Duc Hot Springs for the falls hike, then push on to Forks for the night.

Day 3: Hoh Rainforest, Coast, and Home. Drive out to the Hoh Rainforest first thing for the Hall of Mosses. Drive back through Forks and stop at Ruby Beach for the tide pools. Continue south along Highway 101 toward Aberdeen and back to Seattle.

5-Day Olympic Peninsula Loop Itinerary

This is the sweet spot if you want to actually enjoy the loop instead of just rushing through it. You can fit Cape Flattery and Lake Quinault in without it feeling cramped.

Day 1: Edmonds to Port Townsend. Ferry across in the morning. Spend the full day in Port Townsend (Fort Worden, downtown shops, Propolis Brewing). Overnight at the Tides Inn & Suites.

Day 2: Sequim and Port Angeles. Hit a lavender farm in Sequim, drive to Port Angeles by lunch, and spend the afternoon at the waterfront, the Saturday Farmers Market (if it’s a Saturday), or grab a winery flight at Harbinger. Overnight in Port Angeles.

Day 3: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent. Hurricane Ridge in the morning, Marymere Falls in the afternoon. Have dinner at Lake Crescent Lodge if you can. Overnight in Port Angeles again.

Day 4: Sol Duc, Cape Flattery, and Forks. Sol Duc Falls in the morning. Drive the detour out to Cape Flattery in the afternoon (stop at the Makah Cultural and Research Center to pick up your recreation pass). Overnight in Forks.

Day 5: Hoh, Beaches, and Lake Quinault. Hoh Rainforest first thing, then Ruby Beach and Kalaloch on the drive south. End the day at Lake Quinault Lodge for coffee or an overnight before heading back to Seattle.

Weekend Mini-Loop (2 Days)

If you only have a weekend, you can’t do the full loop, but you can hit the highlights on the north side.

Day 1: Take the Edmonds ferry early. Skip Port Gamble and Port Townsend to save time. Drive straight to Port Angeles, then up to Hurricane Ridge for the afternoon. Overnight in Port Angeles.

Day 2: Drive west to Lake Crescent (Marymere Falls) and Sol Duc Falls in the morning. Have lunch in Port Angeles, then take the ferry back home in the afternoon. Save Forks, Hoh, the coast, and Lake Quinault for a longer trip.

Where to Stay on the Olympic Peninsula Loop

For a full breakdown of where to stay on the Olympic Peninsula, see my detailed guide on where to stay in Olympic National Park. It covers lodges, hotels, cabins, and camping by area. Here’s the short version for loop drivers, based on which base works best for each section of the drive.

Olympic Peninsula Loop Road Trip FAQ

Here are some of the most common questions I get.

How long does the Olympic Peninsula loop road trip take?

The full Olympic Peninsula loop is about 329 miles and takes around 8 hours of straight driving with no stops. Most people spend at least 3 days to see the highlights, and 5 days to actually enjoy it without rushing. My recommendation is 4 days as the sweet spot if you have the flexibility.

What’s the best direction to drive the Olympic Peninsula loop?

Either direction works, but I usually go counterclockwise from the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. This puts Hurricane Ridge and Port Angeles early in the trip while you have energy, and ends the loop on the south side near Lake Quinault before connecting back to Seattle via Aberdeen. Clockwise works fine, too, if you’re coming from Olympia or Portland on I-5.

When is the best time to drive the Olympic Peninsula loop?

May through September is the most reliable window for weather and full lodge availability. June and September are my favorite months because the crowds are thinner, but the weather is still good. July and August are peak season, so book everything months ahead. October through April is the rainy season, which works if you don’t mind the weather and want quieter trails.

Is there a map of the Olympic Peninsula loop drive?

The loop follows US-101 around the perimeter of Olympic National Park. The full route from Edmonds counterclockwise is: ferry to Kingston, north through Port Gamble to Port Townsend, west through Sequim to Port Angeles, then south on US-101 through Forks, the Hoh Rainforest area, Ruby Beach, Kalaloch, Lake Quinault, and back to Aberdeen. Google Maps clearly shows the route when you search for “Olympic Peninsula loop.”

Can you drive through Olympic National Park?

No. There’s no road that cuts through the middle of the park. The Olympic Peninsula loop drive runs along the perimeter of the park on US-101, and you access different sections of the park via spur roads that branch off the main highway (Hurricane Ridge Road, Hoh Road, the road to Sol Duc, and so on).

Where should I stay on the Olympic Peninsula loop?

The two best overnight bases are Port Angeles (for the north side and Hurricane Ridge) and Forks (for the west side and the Hoh Rainforest). If you have a longer trip, add an overnight in Port Townsend on the east side or Lake Quinault on the south side. For full options, see my guide on where to stay in Olympic National Park.

Do you need a pass for the Olympic Peninsula loop?

You need an Olympic National Park entrance pass for the park sections of the drive (Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc, Hoh Rainforest, and the coastal beaches). It’s $30 per vehicle for 7 days, or you can use an annual America the Beautiful Pass ($80), which covers all U.S. national parks. Cape Flattery requires a separate Makah Recreation Pass ($20 per vehicle, calendar year) because it’s on the Makah Reservation, not in the national park.

Is the Olympic Peninsula loop good for families?

Yes, the loop works well for families. Most of the major stops have short, accessible trails (Hurricane Hill, Marymere Falls, Hall of Mosses, Cape Flattery) that are kid-friendly. Forks and Port Angeles both have kid-friendly restaurants and lodging. The drive is long, so a 5-day pace works better than a 3-day if you’re with kids. For more ideas, see my Pacific Northwest family vacation guide.

That’s the full Olympic Peninsula loop road trip. Whether you’re doing the 3-day version, the 5-day version, or just dipping into the weekend mini-loop, you’ll get a real cross-section of what makes the Olympic Peninsula one of the most varied parts of Washington. The combination of alpine views at Hurricane Ridge, rainforest at the Hoh, and dramatic coast at Rialto and Ruby Beach is hard to find anywhere else on a single drive.

If you’re still piecing together your itinerary, my things to do in Olympic National Park guide covers the stops within the park in more detail, and my Washington bucket list post has more PNW road trip ideas if you want to extend the trip.

Have you driven the Olympic Peninsula loop? Let me know your favorite stop in the comments.