Family trip on the Olympic Peninsula

[dedominick]

I am hoping for some suggestions for a family camping location somewhere on the Olympic Peninsula. I had all my, low use, easy to get to, and awesome spots nailed down for the Portland area, but up here suggestions would be helpful.

I heard lake cushman, which seems ok, I am not terribly wowed though.

[Dos]

Several years ago, I took my son and a friend around the entire peninsula.
We camped the entire way.

We stopped for lunch at Potlatch State Park.
Stopped in Port Townsend.

Went on to the Elwha River.
There is an amazing series of hotsprings up that road.
I think they recently paved maybe a mile of the footpath, but take that back to the rest of the hot springs.

We stopped around Crescent Lake (beautiful and an eagle came within 6 feet of us!)

Went out to Neah Bay and took the hike there to the most NW point in the contiguous US. <------ highly recommended.
AMAZING cliffs and surf.

Came down the coast and camped somewhere on one of the beaches on a dune. (Maybe near LaPush?)

then the boring part....driving inland into Aberdeen to Olympia.

There are also some amazing places to hike and camp in the Olympic National Forest.

[dedominick]

Sounds like an epic trip!!!

[renegadepilgrim]

Check out Barefoot Jake's blog (www.barefootjake.com), he's not a hammocker, but he's got the scoop on the best spots in the ONP.

I've been up Marmot Pass, Staircase (Skokomish River Trail, I think) and near Quinault Lake on the North Fork of the Quinault River Trail, I think...I am totally having a senior moment and I'm not even that old! All were very pretty. Marmot Pass is amazing and there are options to make some long backpacks from there.

[TallPaul]

I'm living in NC but I'll jump in... Hurricane Ridge gets you up high but I don't recall any car camping... Some backpacking options from there though.
Used to enjoy Sol Duc hot springs, but it may have changed since I was there last.
We mostly backpacked....lovely area.