Olympic Peninsula: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center

Even if one did no hiking and just drove to the visitor center, the views of the Olympics would still be amazing.

It is at 5,242 feet.

Olympic Peninsula: Hurricane Ridge Wildflowers

The wildflowers were out in abundance on trails around the Hurricane Ridge Lodge.

Olympic Peninsula: Hurricane Hill View

The view southward from the top at 5,760 feet. Mt. Olympus is the second peak from the right. At 7,980 feet it is the highest of the Olympics. Mt. Carrie to its right is 6,995 feet but appears higher because it is closer.

The view to the northeast shows Port Angeles and Mt. Baker in the distance. Griff Peak and the results of a fire in 2003 are at the center.

It is a great place to think about the beauty of the Creator's work.

My sister (above) and me (below). Proof we made it.

Olympic Peninsula: Hurricane Hill Trail

Though I had been to Hurricane Ridge many times, I had never hiked the Hurricane Hill Trail. That's our goal, the hill in the upper right.

The trail is a steady incline, about 950 feet elevation gain for the 3.2 mile round trip hike. This is a popular hike and we had to park in a lower lot, adding a half mile to the hike and a little more elevation.

The views from the trail are amazing. Do you see the people on the trail as it comes out of the trees?

Here we approached the top of the hill at 5,760 feet.