The Magical Misty Tour, otherwise known as the Olympic Waterfalls Trail, offers a different take on exploring the Olympic Peninsula: 24 waterfalls with varying access along the loop around the peninsula or up river valleys.
The Olympic terrain is ideal for waterfalls of various types, often primed by water draining from the Olympic Mountains.
While late fall through spring is the best (albeit wettest) time to see waterfalls, the wet and cool weather has kept a little more water than usual running over the drops.
Summer is also a better time to hike the higher backcountry to see waterfalls still in their prime. Check out the ones farther from the main road, and save the shorter walks and hikes for damper times when the river and creeks are running high.
The Olympic Waterfalls Trail, launched last year, is a more organized way to see the falls, perhaps on a falls-to-falls overnight or two.
Access is as varied as hiking ability: backpack, car, short walk, boat in salt water, or by kayak or raft on a river. Madison Falls on the Elwha River is wheelchair accessible.
The trail’s website delivers an overview map as well as individual maps of each falls, photographs of each, location information, travel instructions and notes on each falls (sometimes with warnings).
The site identifies the ones best viewed in wetter weather. There’s also a comment section to be filled in by waterfall visitors, whether it’s to report a cougar or a washout.
Some of the falls take a little searching, especially those off logging roads, but the website provides GPS coordinates.
Many are sheer surprises to most explorers. Take beautiful 70-foot-plus two-tiered Spoon Creek Falls, about 37 miles up the Wynoochee Valley on a road that’s partly gravel.
It’s a short but moderately steep walk to a fenced viewing area of the upper level, then switchbacks down to the lower level for this hidden gem.
For information: www.olympic peninsulawaterfalltrail.com.
Misty tour package: Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and Crescent Lodge are offering The Last Dam Summer package (dismantling of the Elwha River Dam starts next year). The package includes box lunches each day for each person, water bottles, a waterfall trail map and an informational pamphlet about the dam removal.
Those two resorts, as well as Lake Quinault Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge offer an interpretive experience with the Olympic Waterfalls Trail package, which allows a multinight stay coordinated with guests’ routes.
Both are available through Oct. 30. For information, call 866-297-7367.
Hands-on birding: Skamania Lodge, on the Columbia River near Stevenson, has a Raptor Adventure Program each weekend through Aug. 29.
Presented by the U.S. Forest Service and Raptor Adventures, it introduces guests to the birds of prey and allows guests to learn handling techniques as well as basic knowledge.
For information, call 800-221-7117.
Loop The Loop once again: Work on the pedestrian bridge of Wenatchee’s Apple Capital Loop Trail is complete enough to allow bikers and walkers to cross the Columbia River and complete a loop bike or hike.
Sail through the air: The Lake Chelan XC Open (paragliding nationals) will be held on Chelan Butte on July 10 to 15, part of the U.S. National Series. Also in Chelan, July 15 to 25, is the Paragliding World Cup: America. For information: www. cometothelake.com.
Finding your way: Learn navigational skills through a North Cascades Institute seminar July 30 to Aug. 1.
Map and compass skills teaches time-tested tools that will become valuable allies when exploring the wild places (or if you get lost). For information, www.ncascades.org.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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