More on scenic driving in Olympic National Forest

Bike from the Mountains to the Sea
Well, Puget Sound isn't exactly the sea, but as far as scenic Pacific Northwest coastline goes, it's right up there. Along with excellent views of the sound, the Quilcene ranger district in the Olympic's northeastern quadrant has some of the best biking in the forest. The Mount Zion Trail is a short but rewarding ascent through fir and cedar forest. At the summit on a clear day, you can see Mount Rainier more than 100 miles away. By combining trails and roads, you can create rides that take you up through the forest's diverse layers of vegetation and down to the coast, where you can dig for clams and hunt oysters on the rocks. Many trails on the forest are multi-use, which means you have to watch out for noisy ORVs. Still, there's enough technical singletrack to satisfy the toughest customers.

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Fish the Olympic's Rich Waters
With its unparalleled mix of saltwater and freshwater fisheries, the Olympic Peninsula is as biologically rich in its waters as it is on land. Lake Crescent along the forest's northern edge is rumored to have the largest rainbows and cutthroats in all of Washington. Sea-run cutthroat abound in Hood Canal during summer months and head for the hills come autumn. In the mountains, more than 50 productive lakes await the fisherman who doesn't mind hiking. And, since this is the Pacific Northwest, let's not forget the salmon. Pink, coho, and the much-sought-after chinook all run in the waters surrounding the Olympic Peninsula.

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Hike in Old-Growth Forest
There are over 200 miles of trail on the Olympic National Forest, many of which lead you straight into the ancient forest. The 4-mile Lake Quinault Loop Trail extends deep into the dense vegetation of the Olympic rainforest. It also offers views of Lake Quinault, a boardwalk through a cedar swamp, and trees standing on stilts. The Rain Forest Nature Trail, a half-mile loop, has small signs pointing out the unique features of the rain forest. For a longer, more challenging trek, try the Dry Creek Trail, with its views of Mount Rose and rough ascent into an old-growth stand.

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