Olympic Peninsula Views

Valerie Henschel / Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau; olympicpeninsula.org

Old Big Leaf Maple Trees

Moss and really-big-tree enthusiasts love Olympic. This photograph was taken at the Fairholm camping grounds. Visit the Hoh and Quinault Rain Forests for more giant trees and moss-covered canopies.

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Aramark Parks and Destinations; visitkalaloch.co

Kalaloch beach

Kalaloch beach is one long stretch of wave-battered beauty. A good place to spend the night is Kalaloch Lodge, where bluff top cabins sit less than 100 feet from the Pacific.

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Valerie Henschel / Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau; olympicpeninsula.org

Roosevelt Elk

Olympic is famous for spotting Roosevelt elk. President Theodore Roosevelt, after whom the elk are named, designated the land a national monument in 1909 to protect the elk; it became a national park in 1938. Look for Olympic's legendary Roosevelt elk on Upper Hoh Road or on your way to the park from Forks, Washington (shown here on Bell Hill with a view Sequim, Washington).

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Copyright Lindsay Noechel / istockphoto

The Olympic Mountains and Crescent Lake

This glacially-carved lake, hidden among the northern foothills of the Olympic Mountains, offers plenty of day activities and stunning natural beauty. Its waters present clear views almost 60 feet deep.

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Dave Logan / Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau; olympicpeninsula.org

Hurricane Ridge

From Port Angeles, drive south on Hurricane Ridge road for 17 miles. Named for the 75-mile-an-hour winds that can blow here in winter, in summer the Ridge is merely spectacular, offering amazing views of the Olympic Mountains and the Olympic Peninsula coastline.

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Aramark Parks and Destinations; visitsolduc.com

Sol Duc Falls

See the wild beauty of Sol Duc on the 0.8-mile hike to Sol Duc Falls. You'll cross a canyon by bridge for an up-close view of three sheets of white water crashing down into a crevasse of black rock.

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Macduff Everton

Hoh Rain Forest

See a rich spectrum of greens: the deep emerald of licorice fern, the wan olive of hanging club moss, and the turqoise of Sitka spruce needles. One of the best ways to see this verdant brilliance is the Hall of Mosses Trail by the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.

See 8 must-see Olympic park destinations