Turns out the Hoh Rainforest was too far away to drive to today so we went to Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park instead. The water was comparable to Lake Louise in Banff; so lucid blue with a vivid clarity. We hiked for miles on the Spruce Railroad Trail which follows an old railway route along the lake that was used to haul Sitka Spruce logs out of the depths of the forest…hence its name. The wood was originally intended to manufacture aircraft in WW1, but it ended up in commercial use instead. When demand for the trees petered out, the National Parks Service took over and made the route into a scenic trail. The original train tunnel is part of the hike and is an unusual element of the journey. After exiting the tunnel, you round a corner and the trail becomes rugged with a wooden bridge to cross. It was an excellent hike on a brisk day. Some brave souls were cooling themselves in the lake, but that magnificent water was too cold for these Florida hikers. Stopped at the Ranger’s Station on the way home to get some maps and information for tomorrow’s adventure. Ate dinner in the camper and went to bed early so we can get an early start to go to Sol Duc in the park.
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