the olympics!

August 18, 2016 12:36 PM

We (two humans + our dog master) had loosely planned to take the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles next week and spend 5 days roadtripping around the Olympic Peninsula, but the park itself isn't very dog friendly. Is it worth going over anyways and checking out other spots? Anyone spent time out there with a dog, recommendations on places to explore?

We'll be car + tent camping. The campgrounds are dog friendly so I booked a couple of nights, one each at Sol Duc and Kalaloch, but we're totally up for abandoning those and going in a different direction. But dogs apparently aren't allowed on any of the trails and that kind of kills the main purpose of hiking / general outdoor exploration.

We're very experienced campers with all necessary gear, cooking stove etc. and we'd be game for going off the beaten track. I'm just trying to gauge whether it's worth going over or if the park itself is the only real attraction out that way.

tnx mefi.

posted by mannequito to Travel & Transportation around Washington (3 answers total)

Here is a page with info on dog-friendly Olympic Peninsula hiking. I lived in Port Angeles with a dog about 20 years ago. I remember going to the Salt Creek Recreation Area a lot. Other than that, we probably mostly hiked on DNR land.
posted by Redstart at 1:09 PM on August 18, 2016

Olympic National Forest allows dogs*, just not the National Park, and the forest abuts the park on most sides. I recently did a hike that started in the forest and entered the park and there was a clear "no dogs beyond this point" sign. The forest is beautiful and wild too, just not included in the park boundaries.

*on trails per the ONF site
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 1:12 PM on August 18, 2016

Also looks like they're ok at Kalaloch:

Pets in Olympic National Park
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 1:14 PM on August 18, 2016