Here we go, 4 months of road-tripping through the U.S., from Canada to Mexico!! 😃🇺🇸 We’re buzzing with excitement, fully motivated, and ready to be amazed every single day. That’s what the U.S. is all about, right? 😎 After a month in Alaska in July, we are now setting foot in the continental U.S. for the first time, starting in the mysterious—and rainy—state of Washington, at Olympic National Park. Between lush rainforests and dramatic, misty Pacific beaches, one thing’s for sure: here, we’re not afraid of bears, but vampires!
Thursday, September 1, 2022
We arrived at night in Port Angeles, fresh off the ferry from Vancouver Island, and spent the night in the Walmart parking lot. Which actually works out perfectly, after the border agent confiscated all our veggies the day before, we have a lot to restock! Apparently, U.S.-grown tomatoes bought in Canada are a threat to public safety in the U.S. Go figure. Anyway, for the first time in our lives, we go grocery shopping at 7 a.m. That’s efficiency! Walmart also has decent WiFi, so we take advantage of it to call our families from the parking lot. Then, off we head toward Olympic National Park.
After a quick stop at the visitor center to gather some info and pick up a park map, we head up Hurricane Ridge, a stunning scenic drive that winds its way up to Sunrise Viewpoint, sitting at 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) above sea level. Jeepy has a lot of work to do this morning, considering we start the climb from sea level! At the top, the view over the misty ocean and surrounding mountain peaks is absolutely breathtaking. We enjoy a picnic with one of the best views we’ve had on the trip so far.
Then it’s time to drive back down to the coast. We follow the scenic coastal road all the way to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the United States (excluding Alaska). A short hike of about 1.5 km (roughly 1 mile) leads us to an incredible viewpoint over the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates the Olympic Peninsula from Vancouver Island. Despite the mist swirling around us, the spot is magical. Rémi even catches a glimpse of a gray whale fishing near the cliff!
Our campsite for the night is everything we could wish for, we park right on the beach, facing the Pacific Ocean. Sure, it’s chilly and damp, but hey, we’re not in Mexico yet! 🤪 We eat facing the ocean and spend the evening lulled by the waves and the song of seabirds.
Friday, September 2
After breakfast in the sun (finally!) by the ocean, we hit the road again and drive straight into… Twilight territory! Forks and the nearby Quileute Reservation of La Push are filled with playful signs warning visitors of local dangers, not bears this time, but vampires! It totally brings back memories of my high school years 😁No vampire sightings today, though, it’s super sunny! At least inland. As soon as we approach the coast again, a thick marine fog rolls in and covers everything.
Rialto Beach is everything we imagine a Washington beach to be: moody, wild, and dramatic, with sea stacks rising from the water and driftwood piled high on the shore. We love it.
But as beautiful as the mist is, it’s not exactly warm. So we head inland in search of a bit of warmth. And just like that, a few kilometers away, the fog lifts, the sun shines, and the temperature skyrockets. We swap socks and sweaters for shorts and T-shirts and head out to hike in another part of Olympic National Park: the rainforest. We spend the afternoon walking two beautiful trails: Hall of Mosses (1.2 km / 0.75 miles) and Spruce Trail (1.9 km / 1.2 miles), completely surrounded by towering trees and thick, lush moss. This is what a rainforest looks like!
As evening falls, we follow a Forest Road in search of a quiet camping spot. No luck, everything is dark, damp, and under thick tree cover. Eventually, we pull into a small clearing just off the road. Not ideal, but it’ll do. Tomorrow is a new day, with (hopefully) a better spot. One thing is for sure: we are leaving the forest and the ocean behind and heading for the mountains. Next stop: the stunning Mount Rainier National Park!
