Hurricane Hill
2 / 10
Hurricane Hill is one of the signature hikes in Olympic National Park, with sweeping alpine views, summer wildflowers, and, on a clear day, a look across the Strait of Juan de Fuca all the way to Canada. So naturally, we made our way up to Hurricane Ridge to see it for ourselves.
Rather than fight for a parking spot at the top, we played it smart and took the shuttle from Port Angeles. We hiked Cirque Rim first, a short loop trail with panoramic views of the surrounding alpine ridges. That morning, fog hung over the distant water, adding a little drama and giving the whole scene a mystical feel. Along the trail, we watched a male deer being harassed by a relentless horsefly, violently shaking his head like he was fronting a rock concert.
Then it was time for Hurricane Hill. The hike itself is only 1.6 miles round trip, but because the shuttle dropped us at the main area, we first had to walk 1.5 miles up the road to reach the trailhead. From there, the paved path climbed steadily, gaining about 700 feet and delivering a solid calf workout. Wildflowers were in full bloom along the way, with lupine, paintbrush, and other bursts of color brightening the slopes. By the afternoon, the fog had lifted and the strait turned a brilliant blue, stretching all the way to Canada.
At the summit, the wildlife kept the day interesting. We saw several more deer, including one doe that crossed right in front of me just a few feet away and another that seemed intent on showing off her fawn. In the trees, pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches flitted around overhead. I also spent plenty of time scanning the rocks in hopes of spotting an Olympic marmot, a species found only in this park. No luck.
On the way back down, we met a friendly couple on their honeymoon. He studied memory, and she researched air quality, so our trail conversation ended up being far more interesting than the usual small talk. They were also kind enough to give us a ride back to the main parking area so we could catch our shuttle.
That was not our only good conversation of the day. On the shuttle ride up, we had chatted with a friendly family of three. We ran into them again on the return shuttle, which runs hourly, and then somehow again at dinner, seated right next to us at Downriggers on the water. We wrapped up an already excellent day with a delicious Dungeness crab dinner.
Then it was time for Hurricane Hill. The hike itself is only 1.6 miles round trip, but because the shuttle dropped us at the main area, we first had to walk 1.5 miles up the road to reach the trailhead. From there, the paved path climbed steadily, gaining about 700 feet and delivering a solid calf workout. Wildflowers were in full bloom along the way, with lupine, paintbrush, and other bursts of color brightening the slopes. By the afternoon, the fog had lifted and the strait turned a brilliant blue, stretching all the way to Canada.
At the summit, the wildlife kept the day interesting. We saw several more deer, including one doe that crossed right in front of me just a few feet away and another that seemed intent on showing off her fawn. In the trees, pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches flitted around overhead. I also spent plenty of time scanning the rocks in hopes of spotting an Olympic marmot, a species found only in this park. No luck.
On the way back down, we met a friendly couple on their honeymoon. He studied memory, and she researched air quality, so our trail conversation ended up being far more interesting than the usual small talk. They were also kind enough to give us a ride back to the main parking area so we could catch our shuttle.
That was not our only good conversation of the day. On the shuttle ride up, we had chatted with a friendly family of three. We ran into them again on the return shuttle, which runs hourly, and then somehow again at dinner, seated right next to us at Downriggers on the water. We wrapped up an already excellent day with a delicious Dungeness crab dinner.