Day 4 – June 30, 2009

Goodbye Lake Crescent! After waking up, eating breakfast and taking a stroll around the property, we checked out of the Lake Crescent Lodge.

After driving along Lake Crescent, we stopped at the Fairholm Store at the west end of the lake to pick up items for lunch. They have a limited supply of items, but you can find something if you are not too picky. We finally settled on bread and salami; we already had mustard from our Hurricane Ridge picnic.

Our next stop was Rialto Beach. As we approached the beach area, the clouds got lower to the ground. When we got out of the car we were greeted with chilly winds. I only had shorts on because it hurt to have pants on my knee wounds, but I finally decided to put on some more layers to warm myself up. We took advantage of one of the picnic tables located near parking lot to eat our self-made sandwiches. We then took a peek of Rialto Beach. We only stayed for a few minutes to take a few pictures and catch in the scenes but the wind was too much for us to handle and we had to catch low tide at Second Beach.

On the trail to Second Beach

Second Beach was next on our list. We found a parking spot even though there are a limited number of spaces. We trekked down the trail to get to the beach. It was a well groomed trail with steps for much of the descent. As you leave the trail you are greeted by loads of drift wood that you must scramble over to get to the beach. It is fairly easy to get across because you can choose numerous routes. The fog was extremely thick as we walked onto the beach. It was a surreal experience to see the fog breezing by even though at times you could not see more than a few feet in front of you. Billy made sure to time it just right so we were there during low tide which gave us an opportunity to check out the tide pools. During low tide be sure you keep your eyes on the water as the waves will still approach closely in the tide pools. We were able to see starfish, urchins and other sea invertebrates. After checking out some of the tide pools at the north end of the beach, we headed in the direction of Third Beach. After walking aimlessly in the fog, we headed back to the car to venture on to the Hoh Rainforest.

The drift wood you must climb over to get to the beach

Second Beach

Billy at Second Beach

As we approached the Hoh Rain Forest area, we get the typical feeling of being in other National Park areas. The parking lot was crowded, but we were able to find a spot fairly easily. It is amazing to see the change in scenery from our earlier adventures. We started off with the Spruce Nature Trail and then checked out the Hall of Mosses. We would have done more, but my knee was not in the best condition for hiking. Billy was disappointed that he did not see any elk. We enjoyed seeing the different trees and other fauna in the area . As we were leaving Hoh Rain Forest, we checked out the largest cedar tree in Washington.

Phone at Hoh Rain Forest Area

Hall of Mosses Trail

Billy at the largest cedar tree

Now it was time for us to go to the Lake Quinault area. As Billy drove, I called the Roosevelt Dining Room at Lake Quinault Lodge to make reservations (they are required to dine there). The drive was fairly easy and non-descript in many areas due to the logging companys' removal of trees. There were some very beautiful sites of the ocean to counterbalance the blight of the forest removal. As we approached the Lake Quinault area, we knew we were in northwest Washington because we saw a bunch of men standing around a dead black bear hoisted up on a forklift.

Billy checked in to the Lake Quinault Lodge in the gift shop/reception area as a I waited in the lobby. We then unloaded our stuff into our room. I was quite a sight walking up the stairs with my bum knee. After settling into our room, it was time to go to the Roosevelt Dining Room for our dinner reservation.

We were seated at a table by the window with gorgeous views of the lake. We were there just in time to see the beginning of the sun setting over the mountains behind the lake. Breathtaking! For dinner, I chose the clam chowder along with the seared tuna appetizer – yummy. Billy had Frogmore Stew which he thought it tasted like spaghetti sauce on potatoes. We shared a fruit cobbler for dessert; it was huge and tasty.

Lake Quinault Lodge at twilight

After dinner, we walked/limped around the hillside area beside the lake. Then we settled down in the lobby area to read and relax for a little while. The wireless Internet was not working.

Another great day in the Pacific Northwest!

Daily Reviews

Fairholm Store – 2 stars
Pros: It is the only store in the area.
Cons: Not very many choices.

Rialto Beach – 5 stars
Pros: Lots of parking, nice bathrooms, quick walk as well as handicap accessible, interesting landscape
Cons: Not an actual con, but the weather is unpredictable – it was cold when we were there.

Second Beach – 5 stars
Pros: Not super popular because it is not as easy to access due to the short trail and logs, beautiful beach with lots of opportunities to explore
Cons: Worst smelling pit toilet-be sure to go to the bathroom beforehand

Hoh Rainforest Area – 5 stars
Pros: Lots of different options for different experience levels
Cons: Parents who don’t teach their children about trail etiquette; it is off the main road

Roosevelt Dining Room at Lake Quinault Lodge - 3 stars
Pros: Views of Lake Quinault; some of the food was tasty
Cons: Frogmore Stew was a disappointment; expensive

Lake Crescent Lodge Review

In short: Spectacular, isolated location and scenery with summer camp quality lodging that does not include a lot of amenities. It includes a goofy but not over the top expensive restaurant.

I have an affinity to national park hotels and lodges. So when we planned our vacation to the Olympic Peninsula, I was excited about staying on the national park property. Overall, I really liked the Lake Crescent Lodge and property. You check-in at the main lodge that houses the lobby, gift shop, restaurant and a small amount of guest rooms on the second floor. There are other guest room buildings on the property along with the cabins, which must be booked well in advance. We received a room in the Storm King Motor Lodge. The rooms are straight out of the 70s with possible 80s flair. To me, it is part of the charm and brings back memories of 4-H camp. We had a full size bed along with 2 run of the mill motel chairs, and a small desk that worked well for holding our food. The bed and bath linens left something to be desired. The bathroom met our needs but there was nothing spectacular about it. The best part of our room was the view of Lake Crescent from our patio door.

The restaurant on site is average, but I would recommend going for one evening just for the experience. Get there early to get a table by the window for gorgeous views of the lake. Even though the wait staff likes to tout that they have chef, the food resembles food that you would eat at any generic restaurant. I was not blown away by any of the dishes.

The main lodge is quaint and reminds me of yesteryear. There are many tables and chairs in the lobby and the sunroom area with access to checkers and other games. We even had the pleasure of enjoying a fire in large fireplace under the Roosevelt Elk head.

The property is quite inviting. Adirondack chairs line the shore of Lake Crescent. There is also a long dock that provides you with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding scenery. There are row boats for rent but no canoes or kayaks. There are a few hiking trails that you can pick up at the property.

I would definitely stay at the Lake Crescent Lodge again as well as recommend it to others. I would like to see updates made to the guest rooms and a few more amenities added. It served the purpose of providing us a place to sleep with the charm of the surrounding area.

Pros: National Park charm, access to hiking trails, easy driving access to Port Angeles, beautiful environment, cozy lodge

Cons: lack of updates/renovations, few amenities, average restaurant, expensive lodging rates