Rainy Day At Olympic Peninsula

BOU AVENUE
Rainy Day At Olympic Peninsula

After spending Easter with my brother and his family in Kirkland, Washington, Zosia Zgolak and I drove out to the Olympic Peninsula on 10 April 2023. Along the way, we stopped for a quick walk in the rain at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge just east of Olympia. From there, we drove to the coastal city of Ocean Shores where we visited the North Jetty at the entrance to Grays Harbor before playing a half round of disc golf at the Ocean Shores Community Club. Our next stop was at Lake Quinault where we did a short loop hike on the Rainforest Nature Trail followed by a visit to the "World's Largest Spruce Tree" (by volume). We then drove through the coastal section of Olympic National Park and stopped for dinner at a scenic highway pullout before visiting another giant tree--this time, a cedar--near the resort of Kalaloch. Our last stop of the day was at Ruby Beach, and we subsequently retired for the night at Hoh Ox Bow Campground (free with a Discover Pass).

	Zosia braves some rainy weather on a bird-watching deck at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
	The beaches at Ocean Shores are open to motorized traffic.

Soothing, isn't it?

With no motorized vehicles here on this day, Zosia can only hear the roar of the Pacific Ocean waves.

	Zosia stands on the rocks of the North Jetty which flanks the entrance to Grays Harbor.
	With Grays Harbor at her back, Zosia makes a putt at the Ocean Shores Community Club's 9-hole disc golf course.
	On the Rainforest Nature Trail near Lake Quinault, Zosia examines some fungi on a moss-covered log.
	The trillium thrives in the rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula.
	Near Lake Quinault is this Sitka spruce tree which is over 58 metres tall and has a circumference of nearly 18 metres. The blue sign behind Zosia touts this as the "World's Largest Spruce Tree" and estimates its age at about 1000 years.
	Zosia eats dinner inside the car at this scenic highway pullout in Olympic National Park.
	The Big Cedar Tree in Olympic National Park used to stand over 53 metres high but was split by a storm in March 2014.
	Zosia weaves through some driftwood at Ruby Beach. Behind the rocks in the distance is Abbey Island.
	This rock outcrop at Ruby Beach stands like a silent sentinel watching the Pacific Ocean.
	Zosia practices doing a Tyrolean traverse on a driftwood log.

Whew! I'm tired! Time for bed!

Visiting Ruby Beach is a fine way to end a rainy day at Olympic Peninsula.