August 13 – 19, 2025
Black Ball Ferry
Today was the day we crossed from Canada back into the US. This involved another ferry ride. We had made reservations on the Black Ball Ferry that operates between Victoria, BC and Port Angeles, Washington for their 10:30 a.m. crossing. We had been warned that we had to be in line and in our vehicle 90 minutes prior to sailing to go through immigration. Concerned about driving the rig through Victoria traffic to the ferry dock (which is directly in front of the Empress Hotel), we started out extra early. We ended up being there in plenty of time. Upon arrival, the port agents measured the total length of our RV and truck and then directed us to the front of the right-most line. We thought – this is great, we’ll be the first to board. Then they started lining up the motorcycles in the space to the right in front of us. About 90 minutes prior to boarding, one of the US Customs and Border Protection agents came to the truck window and asked a few questions about where in Canada we had been, for how long, etc. She handed us the usual immigration forms and told us to wait in the truck until called into the Passport Control Office. A brief time later they started having one from each party (Bill in our case) line up outside the Passport Control Office. When directed to enter, Bill went inside and presented our forms. He came out with a tag to put on the truck windshield indicating there were 2 of us in the vehicle. Now all we had to do was wait for the ferry to come and fret about getting the rig onto the ferry. As opposed to the BC Ferries which are a straight-through front to back drive, the MV Coho is a side-entrance and stern exit (for those boarding in Victoria). That meant that there was a 90 degree left turn immediately after boarding. As we waited in line for the vehicles crossing from Port Angeles to exit, we watched a huge HDT pulling a very large 5th wheel trailer make (for him) the right hand turn to exit. After backing up 3 times he was able finally able to negotiate the turn. That gave us hope that if he could do it, we could too.
Even though we were first in our line, they boarded the motorcycles first and then the line immediately to our left. We held our breath when it was our turn to board but Bill handled it like a champ. Whew!
Once we were safely aboard, we grabbed some breakfast in the cafe and found our way to a nice passenger lounge on the upper deck. (Dawn was once again relegated to stay in the truck). The wave action on this 90 minute ferry ride through the Strait of Juan de Fuca was much more noticeable than the one from Vancouver to Nanaimo but we didn’t really mind. From the lounge we watched as the ferry entered the harbor at Port Angeles. Shortly thereafter we were instructed to return to our rig.
After exiting the ferry, we stopped to go through customs. The officer basically asked if we had any chicken, eggs, or citrus in our rig (which we didn’t) and then waved us through. Now we were officially back in the US and on our way to the campground.
Elwha RV Park
The campground we had selected, Elwha RV Park, was about a 15 minute drive through town. There, we had a reasonably-sized gravel pull-thru situated on a hill. Each of the hill-side sites had a low retaining wall but unfortunately were not level with a left-to-right slope. When we attempted to level our RV we ended up with the door-side tires being about 2 inches off the ground. We had to “build” an extra step below the stairs with plastic pads to compensate.
Hoh Rainforest and Rialto Beach Tour
One of the things we wanted to see in the Olympic peninsula was the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Park.
Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the U.S., located on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington state. It encompasses 24 square miles (62 km2) of low elevation forest along the Hoh River, ranging from 394 to 2,493 feet. The rainforest receives an average of 140 inches of annual precipitation—among the rainiest places in the United States. The Hoh River valley was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers and is the ancestral home of the Hoh people.
wikipedia
This is a very popular tourist destination and there is only one road leading into the rainforest. Since the drive to the Visitor Center was a 2 hour drive from the RV park, we decided to take an organized tour instead of attempting to do it on our own.
Experience Olympic’s coastal temperate rain forest and diverse ecosystems within the Hoh Rain Forest and at Rialto Beach. After a scenic two-hour drive around Lake Crescent, through Forks, and deep into the Hoh Rain Forest, our guests typically have two hours to explore the moss-laden trails amongst ancient old-growth evergreens within the Hoh. After departing the rain forest and a scheduled stop in Forks, we take advantage of our western location and make a short driving detour to Rialto Beach along the Pacific Coast. We generally have one or two hours to hike and explore the Olympic Wilderness Coast at Rialto alongside massive sea-stacks, driftwood logs, and coastal forests.
Olympic Hiking Company
The Hoh Rain Forest and Rialto Beach Tour was an all day tour that met at the Wharf in Port Angeles at 7:15 a.m. for a 7:30 departure. (Quite early for us!) Their goal was to be at the entrance to the Hoh Rainforest before 10 a.m. to avoid the long lines. Their backup was to pre-position an identical van beyond the entrance (having already entered) and have the tour group walk through the entrance to the other van. (The rule at the entrance is once the parking lot is full, one vehicle is subsequently allowed to enter only when one vehicle leaves.) Fortunately we didn’t need to switch vans as there were only 4 cars ahead of us.
We were given a few minutes to explore the Visitor’s Center while our guide (who was a high school science teacher) parked the van. Then we were off on the Hall of Mosses trail.
A busy trail through lush Washington temperate rainforest that’s great for the whole family. Truly amazing flora including huge old trees (western hemlock, sitka spruce), mosses, lichens, and ferns that are home to species such as roosevelt elk. Look for young Coho salmon as you cross Taft Creek, then wander through a wonderland of moss, trees, and ferns – including an iconic moss-draped archway. This short and sweet loop is the definitive rain forest experience.
All Trails
Then we did the Spruce Nature Trail.
A short rain forest loop, the Spruce Nature Trail packs incredible variety into just 1.2 miles (1.9 km). This is a great place to look for the fascinating phenomenon known as “nurse logs” – fallen trees which provide a place for new seedlings to grow. You can see them at every stage, from the new-fallen log with brand new baby trees sprouting on it to the rows of centuries-old trees whose “nurse log” has long since rotted away, leaving them standing in a perfectly straight line, called a colonnade. The trail also winds past the Hoh River, with its unique pale blue glacial waters flowing down from Mount Olympus to the Pacific.
nps.gov
Following our hike into the rainforest, we again boarded the van for the hour drive back to Forks. (Some of you might recognize Forks, Washington as the setting for the Twilight books. Twilight fans click here for more info.) There we made a scheduled stop at Forks Outfitters & Thriftway, a full grocery store with grab & go deli items, a coffee shop, and local souvenirs.
After the majority of the tour group picked up sandwiches, sodas, chips, or similar items we set off on a 30 minute drive to Rialto Beach.
Rialto Beach has fabulous features encompassing rocky beaches, miles of giant drift logs, pounding waves and “seastacks” which are offshore islands.
We didn’t spend long at Rialto Beach as it began to rain. Our guide decided to stop at Marymere Falls on the way back to Port Angeles.
It was a fun, albeit long day but we were able to see a lot of the Olympic Peninsula.
Port Angeles Underground Tour
Looking for something to do more closely located to the campground, we discovered an interesting looking underground tour of Port Angeles.
Due to flooding concerns in the early 1900s, the citizens of Port Angeles worked out an incredible plan to elevate the city’s downtown streets, creating a network of underground tunnels and storefronts. In this unbelievable feat of engineering many older buildings were lost, but a select few remain. The stories they have to tell are captivating.
The tour begins with a fascinating explanation of the history of the city and the tactics used to raise the city streets in 1914. Next, take a short stroll through downtown Port Angeles to visit rediscovered basements and long-forgotten tunnels during the underground portion of the tour. Stop in at one of the city’s original movie theaters, and venture into a hidden brothel above the unassuming family shoe store.
This fully-guided 2.5 hour tour provides insight into the past living conditions of the community. There are several short flights of stairs, and multiple opportunities to sit and listen to stories during the tour.
Underground Tour
The tour was interesting but not what we were expecting. We capped off the evening with dinner at the Next Door Gastro Pub complete with a couple of their wonderful Mezcalitas.
Port Townsend
Our guide for the Hoh Rainforest tour had told that if we had the time, a trip to Port Townsend was worth it. He told us that one of the mottos for the town was “We’re here because we’re not all there”. Intrigued, the following day we drove about 1 hour and 20 minutes east to investigate.
Few places in Washington can match Port Townsend’s long saga of soaring dreams, bitter disappointments, near death, and gradual rebirth. Located on Jefferson County’s Quimper Peninsula at the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula, near where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets Admiralty Inlet, the future town site was home to a band of the Klallam Tribe and smaller groups from other tribes. The first non-Indian settlers arrived in 1851, and Port Townsend, because of its position near the entrance to the sound, soon became Puget Sound’s Customs Port of Entry and a bustling port, seemingly destined for greatness. But its progress was repeatedly thwarted, primarily by the absence of a railroad connection to the major markets then developing on Puget Sound to the south. It survived years of population loss and economic stagnation before the economy was stabilized by the opening of a paper mill in 1928. The city grew slowly over the following decades and gradually blossomed as a tourist destination noted for its natural setting, maritime charm, and many well-preserved homes and buildings from the late Victorian age. The Port Townsend Historic Landmark District was established in 1977, one of three surviving Victorian-era seaports in the nation.
Port Townsend
Not being familiar with the downtown parking situation we snagged one of the first spots we encountered. It turned out that downtown was really DOWN as in at least 6 flights of stairs down. Of course there was plenty of parking to be had if we had only known. Oh well, cue the exercise. We spent some time wandering through town, and checking out some of the shops. (They do indeed sell t-shirts and other items emblazoned with their “motto”). There were a few underground shops and we had dinner at an underground restaurant named Nicko’s Grotto.
After dinner we “enjoyed” the long climb back to the truck.
Hurricane Ridge
Our rainforest guide had also suggested a trip to Hurricane Ridge which we did on our last day in the area.
At an elevation of 4,242 feet, Hurricane Ridge is one of the most easily accessible and scenic areas in Olympic National Park. The Visitor Center burned down in 2023 but you can get a free map from the rangers at the National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles, before making the scenic 18-mile drive up Hurricane Ridge Road. At the top, you can spot Mount Olympus from the viewing patio next to the carpark, and embark on multiple trails like the Hurricane Hill Trail which has amazing views of the ridge.
Hurricane Ridge is named for its intense gales and winds. The weather in the Olympic Mountains is unpredictable, and visitors should be prepared for snow at any time of year. The area receives 400 inches (10,000 mm) of snowfall annually
wikipedia
After taking some photos at the parking area, we decided to hike the short loop directly adjacent to the carpark. It turned out that we were not alone on part of the hike.
We really enjoyed our visit to the Olympic Peninsula. The ecological and climatological diversity is just incredible – from rainforest to snow covered mountain tops, from rainiest city (Forks at 120 inches per year) to driest (Sequim – between Port Angeles and Port Townsend – at 17 inches per year). Definitely a location with something for everyone.
