Salt Creek Recreation Area
Salt Creek has some of the best camping, tide-pooling, eagle-viewing, and beach combing in the area. It contains 90 campsites – many catering to RV’s. However, follow the road past the RV area to where it enters a thick forest, and you'll find great spots for tent camping. Staircases lead down to the water where you can walk along rocky headlands or sandy beaches. There are also some old concrete remnants of a WWII bunker to explore. Coin operated showers are available and if you've been camping or in the back woods for a while, they alone are worth the stop.
To reach Salt Creek, take Highway 112 west from PA, turn north onto Camp Hayden Road, near milepost 54. Travel approximately 3-1/2 miles until you see the sign. In the summer, the camp spots can fill up early.
Joyce General Store
The Joyce General Store (16 miles west of P.A. on Highway 112) was built at the turn of the century and has kept it's old world charm. It still has a false front, beaded ceiling, oiled wood floors, and original fixtures. It's great for a quick stop to pick up supplies or unique souvenirs.
Elwha River Valley and Olympic Hot Springs
The Olympic Hot Springs (on the Boulder Creek Trail) are some of the more beautiful and scenic natural hot springs in the Northwest. The springs are a series of rock-lined pools on the side mountain and tucked away in a lush forest. Be warned that they get very busy in the summer and are best visited in the off winter season. If fact, if you are visiting the Peninsula during the high season, the hot springs are probably not worth the crowds. Skiing or snow hiking to the springs in winter is especially fun. Camping at the nearby campgrounds also makes for a great overnight adventure.
To reach the springs, travel west on Route 101 from Port Angeles, then turn left onto Olympic Hot Springs Road, just before 101 crosses the Elwha River. Drive past the Elwha Ranger Station and enter Olympic National Park. Keep going as the rough road climbs up the mountain. It’s about 9 miles from the turn-off on 101 to the trailhead. The last 4 miles of the Olympic Hot Springs Road is subject to periodic closure in the off season due to snow or blow downs.
Park when you get to the end of the road or when you reach barricades marking the start of the unplowed section and start skiing or hiking. Continue along the trail (which follows the old road), towards the Boulder Creek Campground. When you get to the Boulder Creek campground. Follow a path to the creek and cross over on the bridge. The hot-spring pools extend downstream from the bridge. In the summer it’s a pretty easy 2.5 mile walk to the springs. In the winter, depending on where the road is closed, the hike/ski trip will more likely be 5 to 7 miles.
The Elwha River Valley [pdf] is a great scenic area of the park and it's worth taking time to explore. It's also much better explored on foot than by car, and luckily, there are lots of nice trails and hiking in the area, including the 29 mile Elwha River Trail. The Elwha Campground is a nice place to spend a night. It has 40 sites and is open year round.
Sol Duc
For the less adventurous hot-springs seeker, check out Sol Duc Hot Springs, a developed resort where you can stay overnight, or stop in for a soak during the day (although the $10.75 entry fee is expensive). Excellent camping at the nearby Sol Duc campground is nearby. It has 82 spots and no RV hook-ups (which is a good thing) but it does fill up in the summer. There are numerous hiking trails that leave from the area.
Lake Crescent
As you drive west, you can’t help but notice the shimmering, clear waters of Lake Crescent [pdf] as 101 hugs it’s shores. The lake has beautiful clear water and is warm enough to swim in comfortably in the summer. One of our favorite swimming holes can by found by hiking the Spruce Railroad Trail. East Beach is also a great place to swim.
The Lake Crescent Lodge rents boats and the Storm King Ranger Station is the starting place for some great day hikes. The Marymere Falls (2 miles) and Mount Storm King (6.5 miles) trails are worth checking out.
