Our first, and favorite stop in Olympic National Park was Lake Crescent. Enchanting when engulfed in clouds or in rare bits of sunshine, Lake Crescent always aims to impress.
June 26, 2019
Fairholme Campground
Walk-in sites at the Fairholme campground, on the west end of the lake, cost $20 per night. To our surprise, the water’s edge was a short walk from our campsite. We even saw a rainbow over the lake as the sun peeked through the clouds for the first time that day. There is also a small store near the turn off from the highway that is within walking distance from the campground. They sold firewood, souvenirs, drinks, limited food, and even rented out kayaks and paddle boards. Prices were $20 for one hour or $35 for two watercrafts for one hour.
We made two wild friends while we camped at Fairholme. The first was a deer that walked out right in front of us on the trail down to the lakeside. The second was this adorable little slug we found hanging outside the restrooms. Jon named him Sneldon, even though he knew that it wasn’t a snail.
June 27, 2019
Marymere Falls
The trailhead is located off of Lake Crescent Road which takes you to Lake Crescent Lodge. The trail itself leads you through a tunnel underneath the highway and then on a flat, wide trail with ample tree cover. There are two beautiful bridged river crossings during the hike. A wooden stairway leads you up to a two viewing points of the falls. At the upper viewing station we found a park ranger enjoying a coffee break while watching the falls. This trail is 1.8 miles roundtrip.
Fun fact: The Mt. Storm King trail is also located off of the Marymere Falls trail. At 3.6 miles out and back with an elevation gain of over 2,000 ft, this would have been a challenge, but one well worth it.
Lake Crescent Lodge Canoe Rental
Lake Crescent Lodge rents out paddle boards, single kayaks, double kayaks, and canoes. We rented a canoe from the Lake Crescent Lodge at $20 for an hour. The rental included life jackets, oars, and recommendations of where to paddle to.
We were able to explore several of the small lake houses that were just around the bend from the resort. We witnessed a deer calming grazing on the foliage at the edge of the lake. Luckily for us, the wind was calm enough that we were able to cross the lake with relative ease. We even found a hidden cove just big enough for the canoe to fit.
Little Adventure 