5-day Tour

This itinerary describes the “car-camping” tour. If you choose to join a tour that provides hotels/cabins, the stops and locations are approximately the same. We recommend the camping tour because we will see more birds and wildlife while staying at the campgrounds. We have wonderfully comfortable tents and sleeping pads.

Day 0, : You will need to arrive in Seattle the night before the tour starts. You are responsible for booking and paying for your hotel in Seattle.

Day 1, Heart O’ Hills: Tour begins with pick up at the Bainbridge ferry terminal at 10:15am. The downtown Seattle ferry leaves at 9:35am, it is 35 minutes across Puget Sound, and arrives at Bainbridge at 10:10am. From Bainbridge it is a 2-hour drive (90 miles) to Hurricane Ridge in where will do some easy walking and sightseeing. We will have a picnic lunch and spend the afternoon there. Hurricane Ridge is at an elevation of 5,242 feet and has amazing views of Olympic National Park. From Hurricane Ridge, it is a 30-minute drive (12 miles) to Heart O’ Hills campground in Olympic National Park, where we will be camping for the night.

Day 2, Salt Creek: From Heart O’ the Hills it is a 1-hour drive (45 miles) to the Sol Duc Valley in Olympic National Park. Along this route we will make several stops for viewing waterfalls and Lake Crescent. From the Sol Duc it is a 1-hour drive (45 miles) to Salt Creek, which is along the waterfront cliffs of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. At low tide there is great tide-pooling and the park has trails for hiking. We will camp at the Salt Creek County Park for the night.

Day 3, Mora: From Salt Creek it is a 1-hour drive to Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park. Along the way we will stop at the Sol Duc fish hatchery. In the Rialto area we will also be visiting the Quileute Tribe at La Push (20-minutes each way). Rialto is a spectacular beach for sea-stacks and La Push has great tide- pooling and beach walking. These locations are also great for marine life and birds. We will be camping at Mora in Olympic National Park and this campground is located in the marine-climate rainforest and there are trails for hiking.

Day 4, Cape Disappointment: From Mora, it is a 1-hour drive (45 miles) to the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park, where we will visit for a nature walk and viewing wildlife, such as deer and elk. From the Hoh Rainforest, it is a 1-hour drive (40 miles) to Kalaloch Lodge, where we will stop for a picnic lunch and look for birds and marine life, such as whales. From Kalaloch, it is a 3-hour drive (145 miles) to Cape Disappointment State Park where we will camp for the night. Along the route we will stop at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. Cape Disappointment is located at the mouth of and is an excellent area for birds, wildlife, and hiking. The scenery is spectacular.

Day 5, Bremerton drop off: In the morning we will be birding and walking the many trails at Cape Disappointment. Before we leave the area, we will drive across the bridge, across the Columbia River to Astoria, Oregon. From Cape Disappointment it is nearly a 3-hour drive (170 miles) to the Bremerton ferry. Along the route we will stop at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. We will stop halfway at the Vance County Park for a break. We expect to arrive at the Bremerton ferry in the late afternoon. The ferry is 1-hour across Puget Sound to downtown Seattle. There is no fare or fee to “walk-on” the Bremerton ferry.

Details

• Travel Dates: By request or join an already scheduled trip • Group size: 2 - 4, plus guide • Trip Length: 5 days (4 nights) • Included: Lodging, camping gear: Tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. All cooking supplies: Stove, fuel, pots, pans, plates, bowls, cups, utensils, etc. Food: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Drinks: Water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, hot cider, juice, soda. • Not included: Airfare to Seattle (SEA), Seattle ferry tickets*, entrance into Olympic National Park (if you already have a pass, bring it along), snacks in between meals, kayaking or bike rental fee.

Price: 5-day “car-camping” tour at state and national park campgrounds is $1,425 per person (based on double occupancy). 5-day birding tour at Hotels/Cabins is $1,825 per person (based on double occupancy). Please contact us for solo traveler rate.

Lodging: If you choose a tour with hotels/cabins, the lodging is basic, not fancy.

*Ferry tickets not included: There is no need to purchase ferry tickets in advance if you are a “walk-on” without a car. From Seattle to Bainbridge: Adult (age 19 – 64) = $9.05, Senior (age 65 & over) and Youth (age 6 - 18) = $4.50. For the Bremerton ferry back to Seattle, there is no charge.

Gear you need to bring: Outdoor clothes including hiking boots, rain jacket and pants and warm clothes, including hats and gloves. The mountains and seaside can be chilly even in the summer. Everyone should have their own head lamp and/or flashlight, refillable water bottle, day pack for hiking and a personal small emergency kit.

Campfires and Meals: For the car-camping tour, most locations permit campfires (when there is not a fire ban) and we will have a campfire every night. Meals: Breakfast will be cooked on the grill or on the fire at camp. Lunch will be picnic style, sandwiches, fruit, etc. Dinner will be cooked on the grill or on the fire at camp. We travel with a mini-Weber Charcoal Grill and we can grill steaks, hamburgers, chicken, or fish. Sometimes we have hotdogs and s’mores on the fire. We also travel with a Dutch Oven and cook shrimp stir-fry, pasta dishes and other delicious meals. We can accommodate vegetarians and vegans, no problem!

Showers: There are pay showers at Salt Creek and Cape Disappointment campgrounds on nights #2 and #4.