Hiking at Lake Quinault

We went to Eastern Washington for the weekend and Lake Quinault was on our must do list! This lake is so beautiful and is located in Olympic National Park. Here’s what we did when we visited!

Quinault Lake
Approx. 2 hours from JBLM

We parked at the Lake Quinault Lodge and grabbed lunch at the Roosevelt Dining Room which has a gorgeous view of the lake while you eat. The Lodge has maps of the trails in the area and a small gift shop.

The restaurant has really big portions so Travis and I split the Monte Carlo sandwich. It was good but they make this sandwich a little differently than a traditional Monte Carlo. I prefer the original but Travis liked this one. We were told we had to get some pie so we grabbed a marionberry pie. It is a handmade pie with homemade whipped cream and a side of ice cream. It was soooo good.
For more info on the Roosevelt Dining Room, click here.

The lodge is beautiful and I would definitely consider staying here for a trip. They have their own beach access with boat rentals and more.

Instead of moving the car and driving to the hike we planned to do, we just decided to hike from the Lodge. The Lodge has a few trails around it and they are all connected with the Quinault Loop Trail. This trail is not on the All Trails App and I actually couldn’t find any info about it until I found this paper at the lodge. Its great because it connects all of the campgrounds and the lodge with the surrounding trails.

We came specifically to do the Rain Forest Nature Trail which can be found on the All Trails App. Highlighted is the route we took from the lodge to that trail. You can also find the Pony Bridge Trail on the All Trails App. I would’ve loved to do the full Quinault Loop if we had the time that day. I love the All Trails App because it will show you exactly where you are on the trail while you hike.

The trail from the lodge to the Rainforest Loop was only 0.9 miles and its a gorgeous walk along the lake. Keep in mind these are private residences you are walking past and they own the docks along the lake!

Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail
0.9 Miles, Easy
The hike picks up in the middle of a campground. There is a parking lot and restrooms. Keep in mind this is a National Park and you’ll need to display your pass or pay for a day pass if you are parking here! America the Beautiful Pass is free for military. This trail is not dog friendly.

This hike is a really pretty trail through a lush rainforest. At the bridge there is a small path that leads down to the river and these falls. It’s a great place to splash around in.

This trail is short and easy! There are also some educational stops with info about the rainforest and what kind of animals you can find in here.

For more info on Quinault Lake, click here.
For more info about Lake Quinault Lodge, click here.
For more info on Olympic National Park, click here.
For more info about the Rain Forest Nature Trail, click here and here.

To see more things to do in this area and what else we did on our weekend trip, see my other posts here:
What to See and Do in Forks, Washington
Hiking Hall of Mosses in HOH Rainforest
Visiting Kalaloch Beach and Tree of Life
Visiting Ruby Beach

Finding the fun everywhere life takes us!
Love, Olivia Michelle