Over Labor Day weekend this year Prema and I went to Staircase in the Olympic National Park. The campground is in the very Southeast of the Park, about 45 minutes past Olympia. Once you get past Hoodsport, the drive goes one lane, then unpaved. It is a really nice drive up to the campground and you pass by Lake Cushman, which is gorgeous. At the Northern tip of the lake there are lots of huge rocks that people swim out to and lounge on, you can just park at the side of the road and walk down (this is before the park entrance, natch), and would make a killer destination on a hooky day in the summer. The campground itself is pretty nice with river access and bees in the logs that sting you sometimes. And, by "sometimes", I mean "when we were there."
the campsite
Prema and Penny by the river. The whole campground (at least the "A" loop) is right by the river that feeds the lake. You can hear the water gurgle throughout, and it is quite lovely.
There are a few nice little trails from the site, and here are some highlights from the morning's hike. Like pretty much everywhere in the Olympic National Park, it is stupidly gorgeous.
the big cedar
SO BIG!
inside the big cedar
i think this bench might be a doorway to narnia
fuzzy shot of an osprey taking off
Penny posing
It was a very cool place, and we definitely want to return as we didn't get a chance to check out the lake, which on the right day could be pretty amazing too.
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