Need tips for Olympic National Park

[KKapple]

Planning my next photo trip.
My dad wants to go with me again. He was with my at the Tetons this year for the fall colors.
This looks to be a two week trip with so much ground to cover.
Anyone have some tips and advice for me?

How accessible are the beaches?
Main ones I want to hit are Ruby Beach, Second Beach, Third Beach, Rialto Beach, Point of the Arches, Shi Shi Beach. And of course as many water falls and mountains reflecting in glass looking lakes as possible....not to mention the rain forrests.
Looks like this place is a wonderland.

We will be fishing as well a lot for trout and salmon.

Just starting to make some plans.
Trip will be in the begining of May during the full moon.

[Steelsun]

Went there about 2-3 years ago during late summer - awesome.

We stayed in a little motel about 10 minutes out of Port Angeles - within easy distance to the National Park, several of the trails, lake crescent (awesome place for reflections), and many of the cool beaches. I'll ask my wife about the motel name - it was quaint, old, and cool. Even had goats and chickens running around and it nice to be in the country.

For the beaches we pretty much just started at Port Angeles and started driving west, stopping every once in awhile at the north coast beaches (rocky, tidal pools, starfish, etc), until we hit the Res up in the NW corner (go there and do some of the cliff walks, really amazing - rain forest boardwalks until you hit the cliffs). Then we headed south about 2 hours and hit some of those other western beaches (big logs, rock pillars, etc).

[Steelsun]

It was Indian Valley Motel (with Granny's Cafe): http://www.grannyscafeandmotel.com/motel.htm

If we ever get back up there again, we'll stay here again.

[KKapple]

Originally Posted by Steelsun

It was Indian Valley Motel (with Granny's Cafe): http://www.grannyscafeandmotel.com/motel.htm

If we ever get back up there again, we'll stay here again.

Might have to stay there one night when its time for the showers.
Breakfast looks good.

[huttophoto]

Hi Keith,
We did a 'sampler' tour through the PacWest this past summer (latter half of July). You could easily spend two weeks in the area. Our hiking-focused trip encompassed 1200 miles through Washington and Oregon (North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Columbia River Gorge, Pacific coastline, and Olympic). The routine was hike/drive/sleep/repeat. Normally, these trips are photo-intensive. Not this time.

For our brief visit of the Olympic area, we drove North on US101 from Cannon Beach, Oregon (site of Haystack Rock), stopping at a couple of the coast sites and the Hoh rainforest along the way. Our next overnight stop was in Port Angeles - the gateway to Hurricane Ridge. As an added bonus, we were able to hit some tide pools just outside of Port Angeles (Tongue Point in Salt Creek St. Park).

Of the beaches you listed, ShiShi and Point of the Arches is the toughest to get to. Not so much tough, but the long way around. Rialto, Ruby, Second, etc. are short "parking lot" hikes. It's important to do your research on the tide charts. For example, at Rialto, we thought that we had enough time to make the mile trek to Hole in the Wall; however, the tide came up too fast to make it 'through' the hole. No matter which ones you visit, they are awe inspiring.

The Hurricane Ridge area should still have plenty of snow in early May (snow chains are required in the vehicle through May 1).

Pick up a copies of:
Day Hike! Olympic Peninsula
The Photographer's Guide to the Puget Sound & Northwest Washington

You might also be able to pick up some pointers from folks on the NWHikers forum. Their forum has trail and location info. Plus, there is a sub-forum for photography

Have a great time!