Travel Blog #9: Olympic National Park Day 1
Lake Crescent, Leica M2
I have read numerous reviews of Olympic National Park and how remarkable it is to have three distinct ecosystems in such a small area. One thing I hadn’t read about as part of these articles and reviews is how the park roads are set up to keep them separate and there’s not an easy way to go from one to the next. The basic structure is a giant circle with tendrils drifting into each attraction or area, completely disconnected from the rest as a separate adventure. Olympic has plenty of accessible areas, but this was probably the least accessible for people with mobility concerns to see the good stuff. Trails are rugged, muddy, and generally will need to be hiked by someone with some endurance to make it out and back.
Olympic Trail, Leica M2
Day one we decided to concentrate on the 2 main waterfalls: Marymere and Sol Duc Falls. They are not the most spectacular waterfalls we saw on the trip, but at this point it was about the hike to see them and getting to experience the Mountain Forest. Being there early, the lakes were serenely calm and the temperature was that perfect crispness where you almost need a long sleeve shirt but not quite. For some reason I decided to shoot Black and White on the trip to Marymere Falls, and most of them turned out well but did not show how beautiful the greenery was. They were also almost all underexposed which made it look like we were hiking through a stormy day. I’ve now learned a little better how to shoot in woods with deep shadows and bright sun at the same time, but not this day.
Marymere Lower Falls, Leica M2
Marymere Upper Falls, Leica M2
Getting to Marymere was a lovely hike alongside a creek. It looks like it probably crests several feet higher in the spring but while we were there, we could have easily waded across it. There are plenty of signs asking you not to do it though as it would disturb nests the fish have laid their eggs in, and they provide a sturdy bridge that brings you to the base of the falls. The trail to the falls itself is a somewhat difficult loop. It’s a steep dirt trail, but easier if you follow it counterclockwise. This brings you directly to the top of the falls, and then you can take a few flights of very steep wood and dirt stairs down to the lower part of the falls. It’s not unsafe in any way even if does feel a little treacherous at times and very worth it to visit both. That being said, my personal favorite part of this hike was crossing on a felled tree which was cut in half to make a bridge. It was very sturdy with handrails which makes me believe it was fully intentional, but it did make it feel a little more adventurous.
Olympic SolDuc trail, Nikon f2
Behind SolDuc Falls, Nikon f2
Leaving the crisp mountain hike and driving across to Sol Duc Falls was so drastic it felt like two entirely different parks. Sol Duc is kind of the poster child for the park. Photos of it are on all their marketing and most of the merch at the park stores. Getting from the trailhead to the falls wasn’t too terrible with the trail itself being well maintained and has a few nice sets of stairs to get up and down elevation. The forest was so green and mossy I thought this was considered their rainforest…it’s not, but if you only have time for one thing to do at Olympic this would be my first choice. There is a very cool bridge crossing high over the river below with a perfect view of the falls. It’s a bit wet and most of the people crossing over it stop for pictures, so expect to wait a few minutes for your turn. This was also the place where I finally saw someone shooting an analog camera for only the second time this trip. I honestly had expected to see a lot more people shooting film so I would feel like less of a weirdo using a 60-year-old setup. If you have the time to stick around it’s worth spending a few minutes to walk past the recommended viewing area, the bridge, and scramble down closer to the water for the view. The roots of the trailside trees hold the soil in such a way it makes steps to get down and doesn’t take too much effort as long as you have a reasonable sense of balance and leg strength.
Nikon F2
Nikon F2
We wrapped up the day a tad bit early and headed back toward the hotel and spent a little time shopping at the thrift shops around town in Sequim, where I bought a completely unnecessary digital camera just because it looked cool. They also had a pink hamburger stand in the middle of town named Tootsie’s with what I’ve been told was an amazing gluten free, soy free burger near the old mill. If you’re traveling through and need a recommendation, the Comfort Inn has fresh cookies every night and a super cool group of staff that will visit your website if you chat with them and give them a business card.
Sequim Mill, iPhone 12