Olympia Forest

[Wyody]

I was watching a special on TV the other day about the Olympia National Forest and the gigantic, elderly trees there.

I'm wondering
1) when is the right time to get there weather-wise ... the article mentioned late-spring, early-summer for wildflower season.
2) I saw walkways. Are they wheelchair accessible? My M.I.L. wouldn't be able to take her jazzy (elec) so she would be using the one her favorite son-in-law has to push.

Thanks.

[RodFarlee]

Many trails are wheelchair-accessible. There's a couple guides on the web, specializing in the low vs high country (4 season vs summer season) trails. Here's one: http://accessibletrails.com/Olympict...ympicindex.htm

Best season: May and June for wildflowers. The season starts in April with at low elevations and moves up the mountains, of course. Rhododendrons are at low-to-mid-elevations, 1000 to 4000', so run from April through early June. The alpine wildflower (Hurricane Ridge, Deer Park, etc at ~6000' MSL) season begins in late June, depending on how much snow we got the previous winter, and how warm the spring is. They appear in greatest abundance just as the snow melts off. Many of these species are quite tiny, and it's nice to have a hand lens (or a macro lens for photos). The alpine lilies and paintbrush peak in July.

The Olympics can get rain anytime through typically mid-June. Factor this into your plans - if your tolerance for rain is high and crowds is low, come before mid-June, and vice versa.

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by RodFarlee

Many trails are wheelchair-accessible. There's a couple guides on the web, specializing in the low vs high country (4 season vs summer season) trails. Here's one: http://accessibletrails.com/Olympict...ympicindex.htm

Best season: May and June for wildflowers. The season starts in April with at low elevations and moves up the mountains, of course. Rhododendrons are at low-to-mid-elevations, 1000 to 4000', so run from April through early June. The alpine wildflower (Hurricane Ridge, Deer Park, etc at ~6000' MSL) season begins in late June, depending on how much snow we got the previous winter, and how warm the spring is. They appear in greatest abundance just as the snow melts off. Many of these species are quite tiny, and it's nice to have a hand lens (or a macro lens for photos). The alpine lilies and paintbrush peak in July.

The Olympics can get rain anytime through typically mid-June. Factor this into your plans - if your tolerance for rain is high and crowds is low, come before mid-June, and vice versa.

Thank you Rod. My rain-tolerance is currently pretty high as is the wife's - we'll see how it is in a few months. Of course, have to consider the wheel-chair scenario too.

[MyAzi]

Originally Posted by Wyody

I was watching a special on TV the other day about the Olympia National Forest and the gigantic, elderly trees there.

I'm wondering
1) when is the right time to get there weather-wise ... the article mentioned late-spring, early-summer for wildflower season.
2) I saw walkways. Are they wheelchair accessible? My M.I.L. wouldn't be able to take her jazzy (elec) so she would be using the one her favorite son-in-law has to push.

Thanks.

I would guess early summer would be a good time to visit there. I would think late summer would be a bit warm but that depends on what you are used to.

So your BIL is coming too? To push her along the trails??

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by MyAzi

I would guess early summer would be a good time to visit there. I would think late summer would be a bit warm but that depends on what you are used to.

Forks WA average highs: May/June 65 F, July/August 72 F.
Hurricane Ridge averages about 15-20 F cooler than sea level, with frost on the ground most August mornings. So, bring a jacket.

[MyAzi]

Originally Posted by RodFarlee

Forks WA average highs: May/June 65 F, July/August 72 F.
Hurricane Ridge averages about 15-20 F cooler than sea level, with frost on the ground most August mornings. So, bring a jacket.

I was thinking more like September... what are the temps then? To me that is late summer.

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by MyAzi

.

So your BIL is coming too? To push her along the trails??

Along the way ... when you're not watching ... I will be.

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by MyAzi

I was thinking more like September... what are the temps then? To me that is late summer.

Forks, Sept. av. hi 70 F. More variable wx than August, esp. on the west side (morning fog, may rain) and not much in the way of wildflowers at any elevation. Mushrooms, tho'. Often excellent hiking wx in the interior Olympics, tho' nights are getting longer & cooler, and few ppl. Trout are ravenous, trying to get that last fly before winter sets in, and there aren't many after the first hard frost, so they will hit anything; it's an ideal time for fishing the higher lakes.

[jabm67]

We went to Olympic National Park about eleven months ago, approaching along the coast from the south (we were staying in Moclips) and went up the Hoh River. The elk herd was waiting for us at the park entrance.

I don't think the trails we went on were wheelchair-friendly, but I might be wrong. I was chasing a couple of kids, which distorts my memory.

[MyAzi]

Originally Posted by RodFarlee

Forks, Sept. av. hi 70 F. More variable wx than August, esp. on the west side (morning fog, may rain) and not much in the way of wildflowers at any elevation. Mushrooms, tho'. Often excellent hiking wx in the interior Olympics, tho' nights are getting longer & cooler, and few ppl. Trout are ravenous, trying to get that last fly before winter sets in, and there aren't many after the first hard frost, so they will hit anything; it's an ideal time for fishing the higher lakes.

Wow Thanks Rod and I heard it was much warmer than that!!!

[Wyody]

So, finally, I took a look at the maps locating the boundaries of Olympic Nat'l Park.
I was surprised! I actually thought the entire park would be SW of Tacoma and now I find it's barely that far south at all. Washington sure gets big for what, at first, seems like a relatively small state to westerners.
I have relatives at Port Orchard who I have not yet visited - but hope to in the soons. Thing is, we have a casino in our Oregon town so they'll probably be here first as my aunt and uncle are retired military and enjoy that sort of thing.
I've always wondered if folks living farther north than Seattle ever feel isolated? And maybe answer that problem with things like ... oh, I dunno ... hanging out in web forums?
Is there a town one would recommend for a base-of-ops at the south end of the park for a two-day adventure?

[jabm67]

Originally Posted by Wyody

So, finally, I took a look at the maps locating the boundaries of Olympic Nat'l Park.
[...]
Is there a town one would recommend for a base-of-ops at the south end of the park for a two-day adventure?

Which side are you looking to visit? If it's the coast unit, then staying in Ocean Shores (or the tiny little place I mentioned, Moclips) will work fine. If you're looking at the north end (Hurricane Ridge), then you probably want to be somewhere like Port Angeles, Sequim, etc.

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by jabm67

Which side are you looking to visit? If it's the coast unit, then staying in Ocean Shores (or the tiny little place I mentioned, Moclips) will work fine. If you're looking at the north end (Hurricane Ridge), then you probably want to be somewhere like Port Angeles, Sequim, etc.

Jabm, the gist of the trip is to take mother-in-law, who moved out here with us, to the park while it's still "blooming wildflower" season. She's in a wheelchair and so, need proper pathways. Sequim sounded like a good start - but being property-mgrs we're kinda tied to our residence so, the nearer to us, the better ... which would mean the south end if it suits the "gigantic tree and spring-flower" scenario. We live at the coast so, that is not a pre-requisite.
Moclips sounds a little mythological - like a place where Cyclops would live. Is that so?
I'll have to take a look at the map. My only real experience with the area is Centralia (inland) and Copalis Beach - which I assume both are too far south - and then, there are the relatives in Port Orchard - and I don't know if that puts them on the itenirary or not.