Things to do nearOlympic Discovery Trail

The Olympic Discovery Trail follows a corridor that once served the logging and railroad industries of the Olympic Peninsula. As timber operations declined, advocates worked over several decades to convert the rights-of-way into a continuous public trail, creating a route that now connects Port Townsend on the northeast tip of the peninsula with the Pacific coast near La Push.

The trail passes through a remarkable range of environments. Near Lake Crescent, the Spruce Railroad Trailhead gives access to a lakeside segment carved through old-growth forest, with deep blue water visible through the trees. Further along, the route skirts the edges of Olympic National Park, offering glimpses of the wilderness that lies just beyond the trail corridor.

Cyclists make up a large share of visitors, and the relatively gentle grades of the converted rail sections make multi-day bike touring accessible. Hikers and equestrians use the softer natural-surface portions. The city of Port Angeles serves as a natural hub near the trail's midpoint, with services, lodging, and ferry connections nearby.

The Olympic Discovery Trail rewards those who take their time with it, revealing the quiet character of the peninsula town by town and watershed by watershed.