If you love the color green, Olympic National Park is for you. Located in the State of Washington, this park is simply beautiful.
With plenty of rain throughout the year, the park is in a constant state of insanely beautiful green. Much bigger than it first appears, Olympic spreads over 900,000 acres. The geography ranges from coastline to thick forest to mountains capped with glaciers. Much of the park is classified as a rain forest, which means you'll need a coat to handle the cool temperatures most of the time. This is made up, however, by waterfalls that pour off of cliff faces into pools of crystal clear water.
Located roughly two hours outside of Seattle, Olympic National Park is 95 percent wilderness. This untamed geography is an odd contrast so close to a major city. Despite the close location, the park is home to over 1,000 plant species, 300 bird species and 70 mammal species. Of this collection, the park is the only place in the world where 15 types of animals and 8 plant species can be found.
With its northwestern location, water is a constant at Olympic National Park. Depending on the time of year, rain can be a constant. Annually, parts of the park receive roughly 12 feet of rain. This massive volume of rain has a side benefit, to wit, the forested areas of the park have grown massive. Old growth trees top 200 feet in some areas and the ground area is covered with ferns like you've never seen before in your life.
With so much rain, it probably isn't a surprise the park contains over 3,000 miles of waterways and 29 species of fish. Of note, Steelhead and Pacific Salmon use the rivers to migrate to and from the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, no fishing is allowed in the park.
If you visit Olympic National Park, it is best to just start cruising the trails. With over 600 miles of them, you'll have plenty to do.
Rick Chapo is with
Nomad Journals - makers of diary and writing journals. Visit
NomadJournalTrips.com for more articles on the great outdoors and
national parks.
