Washington welcomed us with cool, rainy weather. Coming from drought plagued California, rain was a refreshing change, at least for the first few hours :). I can see why the vampires from the Twilight series chose Forks, WA, a small town near the park, as a place to live. The sun rarely burns through the thick layer of clouds.
Olympic National Park has 3 eco-systems: alpine mountains, temperate rain forests and coastal beaches.
![Mountains, forests and beaches](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9646_mix.jpg)
We didn’t spend too much time in the mountains. We were the second car to go up Hurricane Ridge in 3 days. Foggy, rainy and cold – not everyone’s cup of tea.
![Tunnels on the Hurricane Ridge road](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9679.jpg)
The rainforest was pretty magical, even in the rain. The moss covers everything.
![On the way to Sol Duc area](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0092.jpg)
![Crescent Lake](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9821_mix.jpg)
![Mist over Lake Crescent](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9728.jpg)
![On the hike to Sol Duc Falls](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9809.jpg)
![Gorgeous tree on the hike to Sol Duc Falls](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9825.jpg)
![Ozette Lake area](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9887.jpg)
![Giant tree covered in moss, Spruce Nature trail in the Hoh Rain Forest](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0170.jpg)
![This guy was hiking along with us, Spruce Nature trail in the Hoh Rain Forest](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0215.jpg)
![Loved the ground covered in fallen leaves, Spruce Nature trail in the Hoh Rain Forest](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0229.jpg)
![A calm pond makes for great reflections, Hoh Rain Forest](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0279.jpg)
![Ozette Lake area](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C9891.jpg)
The beaches were super windy. But I loved the pebble and driftwood covered coast. The rocky islands close to the shore make for a nice backdrop for a sunset picture.
![Pebble beach, Ruby Beach](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0308.jpg)
![Sunset at Rialto Beach](http://s-c-photography.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/6R8C0007.jpg)
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