Hurricane Ridge
Years ago, we used to camp at Deer Park, a beautiful campground in the Olympic Mountains, 18 miles into the Olympic Mountains from Highway 101 outside of Sequim. Deer roamed through the campground in the evenings as we stared, so many times, at the beautiful site of Hurricane Ridge from our campsite. I had always wanted to go there.
Hurricane Ridge is one of the two most visited areas in the Olympic National Park, along with the Hoh Rain Forest. The 17-mile, winding road to Hurricane Ridge ascends from nearly sea level, through forests and alpine meadows, and snow-covered peaks and views of the Olympic Mountains. It is named for its gale winds. The weather year-round is unpredictable and it’s not unusual to find snow there in the summer. The area receives an average of 400 inches of snow a year.
Hurricane Ridge Road and the Visitors Center, at an elevation of 5242 feet, were built in the 1950’s as part of a plan for the Olympic National Park by the park’s superintendent at the time, Fred Overly. The lodge was dedicated in 1952 by Washington State Congressman Henry M. Jackson.
Sheryl and I went into the Visitors Center to get some information. When we asked whether we should expect to see bears, the very helpful forest ranger told us it was too hot for the bears. He said they stay closer to the bottom where the rivers and creeks are located, and they hang out there until the temperature higher up on the mountain goes down. We felt moderately safe - hoping the bears stayed low as we went high.
We were fortunate to have beautiful weather the day we visited Hurricane Ridge and climbed the 3.2-mile Hurricane Hill round-trip trail with its elevation of 5757 feet. The weather was sunny and very warm, even at that elevation, and we were glad to have had enough water with us to stay hydrated. The trails were not too crowded. Most impressive were the families with young children, carrying babies in back packs.
Considered “moderately steep”, the Hurricane Hill trail was quite manageable for us. The wildflowers in all colors greeted us at every turn. For the last half mile, at which point the trail became much steeper and more sparse, the sun was beating down upon us with no shade in sight. Sheryl went ahead and I met her at the top where the views for the full 360 degrees were magnificent.
Looking north we could see an amazing image that included the sparseness immediately in front of us, the dense trees below us, the city of Port Angeles, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the Ediz Hook, a spit that extends 3 miles out from the northern tip of Port Angeles. It was amazing how clearly each area showed its differentiation from the others, even at 18-20+ miles away.
In other directions we saw stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. We saw a small blue lake that captured the reflection of its nearby trees. Later I noticed a pattern within a large gathering of evergreen trees that appeared like diamonds in the way the trees had grown. Sheryl didn’t see it, but maybe you will see it in the photo.
Other than the snow on the mountain peaks, we did see one small snowpack. On the way down we noticed a clear sign instructing people to stay on the trails. We saw many people take significant risks, both exploring the snowpack, and also going down to steep ledges of the mountain, separated from trails with fencing, and with no protection from falling.
Descending was a lot faster than going up. Closer to the Visitors Center there were multiple fountains for refilling water bottles and drinking the refreshing cold, clean water. There were several other trails originating near the Visitors Center. The Hurricane Hill trail was perfect for us. It was physically challenging and visually commanding. When we returned to the car and kicked off our boots, we were tired, but very happy.
**The Visitors Center was destroyed by a fire in May, 2023. Check the website for additional information about visiting Hurricane Ridge
