FRIDAY - With a super short 14-mile travel day we don't have a single photo to share.
We basically drove back to US-101 and out of the Sol Duc Valley, then made a right hand turn, drove 2.5-miles down US-101 and made a left hand turn into our new campground.
We've now got another 3-night reservation at the Fairholme Campground on Cresent Lake. It's our final stop in Olympic National Park.
OUR VERY SHORT TRAVEL DAY
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Here we are all snug in our corner campsite at Fairholme Campground.
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The site is plenty large enough for both ROVER and THE POD, except it's...
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...terribly unlevel. We had to stack ALL of our leveling blocks under the right side tires.
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After we unhooked we took a drive to the picnic area just up the road.
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Here you can see just how quickly the bottom drops off, up to 600' in the center of the lake.
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Back just outside of the campground is a dirt ramp that gives boating access to the lake.
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Other popular activities include kayaking and stand-up paddling.
SATURDAY - Today we're going to sneak in a little bit of hiking before we begin our long neglected chores.
After our hike we're going to do nearly 3-weeks worth of laundry, plus fill ROVER with gasoline and refill one of our 30-lb. propane bottles.
The "Moments in Time" Trail is a short .6-mile loop trail that traverses through a wooded area outside of the Historic Lake Cresent Lodge. The trail is meant as a learning tool, with many story boards along the trail explaining your surroundings and the human and natural history of the area.
"MOMENTS IN TIME" TRAIL
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The trail is located about 7-miles east of our campground.
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The campground is at the very western edge of the cresent shaped lake.
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Here's one of the numerous story boards I was talking about.
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This one explains why there is a meadow in the middle of the dense forest.
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Looking at this bench, I'll assume it has been used a lot over the last hundred years.
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This story board explains how trees survive a fierce forest fire.
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This photo is looking up from "inside" of the burned out tree.
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The lower half of the entire tree is burned away from the inside out.
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Wherever the trees thin out the ferns take over.
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Another story board about survival and replenishment in the forest.
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This board explains the importance of nurse logs.
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Here's a prime example of a nurse log doing it's part to maintain the forest.
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Here we found a field full of daisies.
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This double-trunked tree must have collapsed in high winds or a fire.
SUNDAY - After our hike today I can confidently say we saved the best for last at this stop.
Marymere Falls Trail is considered an easy hike that covers 1.8-miles round trip with an elevation gain of 324', 200' of that during the last 1/8-mile before reaching the falls viewpoint.
MARYMERE FALLS TRAIL
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The trail starts out at the Storm King Ranger Station on the shore of Lake Cresent.
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I was wondering how we were going to safely cross to the other side of US-101?
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This makes it easy!
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The first .8-miles of the trail is relatively flat.
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It's when you get to the last .1-mile that you start climbing towards to falls.
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The climb starts with just a few steps up to a bridge over Falls Creek.
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Walking across this 2"x12" bridge plank was a little unnerving.
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Falls Creek under the bridge was very shallow, but fast moving.
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Once across the bridge the climb begins.
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The end of the trail is a loop, where we decided to follow the arrow.
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Up, up, up we go and I believe I hear the falls up ahead.
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There's the falls. I hope there's a better view than this!
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That's more like it. Marymere Falls is 90' from top to bottom.
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It's going to be much easier going back down all those stairs than it was coming up.
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This is where Falls Creek joins Barnes Creek on their way to Cresent Lake.
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The much longer and sturdier bridge over Barnes Creek.
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Barnes Creek as it makes it's way to Cresent Lake.
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Has anyone figured out if these mushrooms are edible? (i.e. Sharon and Rod)
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It's interesting the way the roots of the new tree wrap around the downed tree.
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Some of the root systems are very convoluted.
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Check out this downed tree "cracking a smile".
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We are almost back to the highway now, I can hear the cars going by.
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YEP! We're almost done.
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Check out the crystal clear waters of Cresent Lake.
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This concludes our visit to Olympic National Park.
Looking for our Visited States Map and Data? How about our State by State Bucket Lists or Visited Campgrounds List? If so, click on the sign below to be taken to our other website.
Here we are all snug in our corner campsite at Fairholme Campground.
The site is plenty large enough for both ROVER and THE POD, except it's...
...terribly unlevel. We had to stack ALL of our leveling blocks under the right side tires.
After we unhooked we took a drive to the picnic area just up the road.
Here you can see just how quickly the bottom drops off, up to 600' in the center of the lake.
Back just outside of the campground is a dirt ramp that gives boating access to the lake.
Other popular activities include kayaking and stand-up paddling.
The trail is located about 7-miles east of our campground.
The campground is at the very western edge of the cresent shaped lake.
Here's one of the numerous story boards I was talking about.
This one explains why there is a meadow in the middle of the dense forest.
Looking at this bench, I'll assume it has been used a lot over the last hundred years.
This story board explains how trees survive a fierce forest fire.
This photo is looking up from "inside" of the burned out tree.
The lower half of the entire tree is burned away from the inside out.
Wherever the trees thin out the ferns take over.
Another story board about survival and replenishment in the forest.
This board explains the importance of nurse logs.
Here's a prime example of a nurse log doing it's part to maintain the forest.
Here we found a field full of daisies.
This double-trunked tree must have collapsed in high winds or a fire.
The trail starts out at the Storm King Ranger Station on the shore of Lake Cresent.
I was wondering how we were going to safely cross to the other side of US-101?
This makes it easy!
The first .8-miles of the trail is relatively flat.
It's when you get to the last .1-mile that you start climbing towards to falls.
The climb starts with just a few steps up to a bridge over Falls Creek.
Walking across this 2"x12" bridge plank was a little unnerving.
Falls Creek under the bridge was very shallow, but fast moving.
Once across the bridge the climb begins.
The end of the trail is a loop, where we decided to follow the arrow.
Up, up, up we go and I believe I hear the falls up ahead.
There's the falls. I hope there's a better view than this!
That's more like it. Marymere Falls is 90' from top to bottom.
It's going to be much easier going back down all those stairs than it was coming up.
This is where Falls Creek joins Barnes Creek on their way to Cresent Lake.
The much longer and sturdier bridge over Barnes Creek.
Barnes Creek as it makes it's way to Cresent Lake.
Has anyone figured out if these mushrooms are edible? (i.e. Sharon and Rod)
It's interesting the way the roots of the new tree wrap around the downed tree.
Some of the root systems are very convoluted.
Check out this downed tree "cracking a smile".
We are almost back to the highway now, I can hear the cars going by.
YEP! We're almost done.
Check out the crystal clear waters of Cresent Lake.
This concludes our visit to Olympic National Park.
