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Rainier & Olympic Itinerary Feedback

BrownFam22

New member
Hello All!
My wife and I are excitedly looking forward to our trip to Rainier and Olympic National Parks this coming September. I've done a good deal of research and put together the below itinerary. I'm looking for any and all feedback from those who know best! This will be our first trip there and we want to see as much as we can over the course of the trip. Of course jamming Rainier and Olympic into a week long trip means some trails will be sacrificed but that's a given.

If anyone has any tips or other recommendations, let us know!

Day 1 - Travel day with flights from TX to SEA. Supply up and get checked into hotel.

Day 2 – September 1 - Mount Rainier National Park

Travel From lodging to Carbon River Area (~2hours)

Hikes: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout, 5.6miles, moderate to strenuous, 1,600ft, 2.5 to 4 hours.

Trying to be done trail by 12:00PM - 1:00PM

Travel to Paradise Area

Hikes: Skyline Trail Loop to Panorama Point, 6.2 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours.

Myrtyle Falls Viewpoint 0.8 miles, easy, 30 min.

Lodging: Check into Paradise Inn

Day 3 – September 2 - Mount Rainier National Park

Hikes in Paradise Are: Camp Muir, 8.4 miles, Very strenuous, 8-10 hours, 4,606 ft gain

Optional Hike (Sunrise): Sourdough Ridge Trail Frozen Lake, 3 miles, moderate, 500ft ascent, 1.5-2hours.

Lodging: Second night at the Paradise Inn

Day 4 – September 3 – Mount Rainier & Olympic

Travel: Checkout early and head to Ohanapecosh Area

Hikes in Ohanapecosh Area: Grove of the Patriarchs 1.5miles, easy, 1-hour CHECK IF STILL CLOSED - do alternative hike or skip. Get there early - Can be challenging to get a parking spot during summer months, midday.

Silver Falls Loop 3.4 miles, easy, 1.5 – 3 hours. Ohanapecosh Visitor Center parking, wonderful short hike

Try to finish hikes around 12PM

Travel - Olympic NP From Ohanapecosh to Staircase Area is ~3 hours, targeting 4:00PM arrival

Hikes in Staircase Area: Staircase Rapid Loop, 2.8 miles, easy, 1.5 – 2 hours. Minimal others on trail.

IF more time due to arriving early in Olympic, could do Mt. Ellinor instead and then head to Northern Region on Day 5.

Day 5 – September 4 – Olympic National Park

Morning Hikes: Option1 - Mount Ellinor (if not day before), 3.2 – 6.2 miles, Strenuous, 3-5 hours.

2 routes, 1 incredibly steep but shorter and one longer but gradual.

Option 2- Head to the Northern Region instead Travel to Northern Region

Hikes in Northern Region: Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mt. Angeles, 6.5 miles, strenuous, 4-6 hours.

Marymere Falls 1.8 miles, easy, 1-hour

Mount Storm King, 4.65 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours, 2,076 ft gain

Lodging Lake Crescent Lodge

Day 6 – September 5 – Olympic National Park

Travel to Pacific Coastline Checkout of lodging in Northern Region and head to Pacific Coastline, early/mid AM

Hikes in Pacific Coastline
: Cape Flattery, 1.5 Mile round trip hike, northern most pacific coast of continental US

Shi Shi Beach, 6-10 miles, Easy, 4-6 hours.

Rialto Beach, Hole-in-the-wall, 3.5mile hike, easy, 1.5 -2.5 hours.

Lodging Town Motel in Forks, WA

Day 7 – September 6 – Olympic National Park

Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Third Beach to Strawberry Point, 3 miles, easy, 1-2 hours.

La Push Beaches, 3rd is the most remote and includes hiking through a forest.

Travel to Hoh Rainforest

Hikes in Hoh Rainforest
: Hall of Mosses, 0.8 miles, easy, 30 minutes.

Spruce Nature Trail, 1.2 miles, easy, 45 min.

Travel to Seattle ~ 4 hours from Hoh Rainforest to the city of Seattle
 
How did the trip turn out? Were you happy with your itinerary? Any suggestions or changes? Was the weather good in early September. I am thinking of going this September- early. Do you recommend then?
 
Hello All!
My wife and I are excitedly looking forward to our trip to Rainier and Olympic National Parks this coming September. I've done a good deal of research and put together the below itinerary. I'm looking for any and all feedback from those who know best! This will be our first trip there and we want to see as much as we can over the course of the trip. Of course jamming Rainier and Olympic into a week long trip means some trails will be sacrificed but that's a given.

If anyone has any tips or other recommendations, let us know!

Day 1 - Travel day with flights from TX to SEA. Supply up and get checked into hotel.

Day 2 – September 1 - Mount Rainier National Park


Travel From lodging to Carbon River Area (~2hours)

Hikes: Tolmie Peak Fire Lookout, 5.6miles, moderate to strenuous, 1,600ft, 2.5 to 4 hours.

Trying to be done trail by 12:00PM - 1:00PM

Travel to Paradise Area

Hikes: Skyline Trail Loop to Panorama Point, 6.2 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours.

Myrtyle Falls Viewpoint 0.8 miles, easy, 30 min.

Lodging: Check into Paradise Inn

Day 3 – September 2 - Mount Rainier National Park

Hikes in Paradise Are: Camp Muir, 8.4 miles, Very strenuous, 8-10 hours, 4,606 ft gain

Optional Hike (Sunrise): Sourdough Ridge Trail Frozen Lake, 3 miles, moderate, 500ft ascent, 1.5-2hours.

Lodging: Second night at the Paradise Inn

Day 4 – September 3 – Mount Rainier & Olympic

Travel: Checkout early and head to Ohanapecosh Area

Hikes in Ohanapecosh Area: Grove of the Patriarchs 1.5miles, easy, 1-hour CHECK IF STILL CLOSED - do alternative hike or skip. Get there early - Can be challenging to get a parking spot during summer months, midday.

Silver Falls Loop 3.4 miles, easy, 1.5 – 3 hours. Ohanapecosh Visitor Center parking, wonderful short hike

Try to finish hikes around 12PM

Travel - Olympic NP From Ohanapecosh to Staircase Area is ~3 hours, targeting 4:00PM arrival

Hikes in Staircase Area: Staircase Rapid Loop, 2.8 miles, easy, 1.5 – 2 hours. Minimal others on trail.

IF more time due to arriving early in Olympic, could do Mt. Ellinor instead and then head to Northern Region on Day 5.

Day 5 – September 4 – Olympic National Park

Morning Hikes: Option1 - Mount Ellinor (if not day before), 3.2 – 6.2 miles, Strenuous, 3-5 hours.

2 routes, 1 incredibly steep but shorter and one longer but gradual.

Option 2- Head to the Northern Region instead Travel to Northern Region

Hikes in Northern Region: Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mt. Angeles, 6.5 miles, strenuous, 4-6 hours.

Marymere Falls 1.8 miles, easy, 1-hour

Mount Storm King, 4.65 miles, strenuous, 3-5 hours, 2,076 ft gain

Lodging Lake Crescent Lodge

Day 6 – September 5 – Olympic National Park

Travel to Pacific Coastline Checkout of lodging in Northern Region and head to Pacific Coastline, early/mid AM

Hikes in Pacific Coastline
: Cape Flattery, 1.5 Mile round trip hike, northern most pacific coast of continental US

Shi Shi Beach, 6-10 miles, Easy, 4-6 hours.

Rialto Beach, Hole-in-the-wall, 3.5mile hike, easy, 1.5 -2.5 hours.

Lodging Town Motel in Forks, WA

Day 7 – September 6 – Olympic National Park

Hikes in Pacific Coastline: Third Beach to Strawberry Point, 3 miles, easy, 1-2 hours.

La Push Beaches, 3rd is the most remote and includes hiking through a forest.

Travel to Hoh Rainforest

Hikes in Hoh Rainforest
: Hall of Mosses, 0.8 miles, easy, 30 minutes.

Spruce Nature Trail, 1.2 miles, easy, 45 min.

Travel to Seattle ~ 4 hours from Hoh Rainforest to the city of Seattle
Did this turn out well? Additions or changes you suggest?
 
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