Neah Bay
Soon the road forks. If you bear right and take Highway 112, you'll end up at Neah Bay, the westernmost point reachable by car in Washington state. Here the Makah Indian tribe (www.makah.com) has a cultural center and gift shop. And you can camp, hike, or fish in the vicinity.
Lake Crescent
If you bear left at the fork, and stay on Highway 101, you'll soon be along the shores of Lake Crescent, "the most beautiful lake in the United States," boasts one local. Each bend opens another vista more transcendent than the last. The road traces the southern shore of the lake, dipping inside the park boundary. The views rival anything in the Alps. Spend the night at the rustic Lake Crescent Lodge (416 Lake Crescent Rd.; +1 360 928 3211; www.lakecrescentlodge.com); ask for a lakeside cottage with fireplace.
Sol Duc Hot Springs
Another classic resort in the park is Sol Duc Hot Springs (866 476 5382; www.visitsolduc.com), offering cool hikes in misty forests and hot soaks in heated pools.
La Push
As Highway 101 rounds the corner and turns south, watch for the turnoff to 110, leading to La Push, a town surrounded by the coastal section of Olympic National Park and just outside the Quileute Indian Reservation. For views of the Pacific surf and nearby sea stacks, stay at Oceanside Resort (320 Ocean Dr.; +1 360 374 5267; www.quileutenation.org), owned and run by the tribe.
Forks Timber Museum
Back on 101, heading south, you're soon in the logging town of Forks. Stop at the Forks Timber Museum (1421 S. Forks Ave.; +1 360 374 9663), built by the town's high schoolers back in 1990 as an homage to the local timber industry. The museum has displays of equipment and artifacts dating back to the 1870s.
Hoh Rain Forest
One of the real highlights of the drive is a hike in the Hoh Rain Forest in the heart of the national park. Here Sitka spruce and western hemlock reach heights of up to 300 feet, the moss-covered giants thriving on some 150 inches of rainfall a year. The Hoh is like Tolkien's Middle-earth, a supernatural world of fantastic shapes. Like laser beams, shafts of sunlight pierce the wet air, causing steam to rise wherever they strike the soggy forest floor. Enjoy a visitors center (Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, +1 360 374 6925; www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visting-the-hoh.htm), campground, picnic area, and self-guided trail.
Quinault Rain Forest
As wonderful as the Hoh is, some locals prefer the Quinault Rain Forest (www.quinaultrainforest.com), which is farther south along the loop. "In the summer it sees fewer tourists," says one. Enjoy a lake, river, and hiking trails. Drive the 30-mile loop around Lake Quinault for great views of forests and mountains. Stay at the romantic Lake Quinault Lodge (888 896 3827; www.visitlakequinault), a favorite for weddings, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
