Olympic Peninsula

Cherished for its natural beauty, the Olympic Peninsula is one of the America's most unique and diverse regions. And as the destination of approximately three million travellers each year, it is also one of Washington state's most visited areas. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound, the Peninsula is home to temperate rain forests, ice cold rivers, giant trees, brilliant waterfalls, alpine peaks, breathtaking glaciers, and an abundance of wildlife, including seven species of salmon and the Roosevelt elk. At the heart of the Peninsula is Olympic National Park. Established in 1938 to protect the most wild and beautiful part of the Peninsula, the park features three distinct ecosystems: the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, old-growth rain forests, and wilderness Pacific coast. Nearly 600 miles of hiking trails criss-cross the park, and access by road is limited. Circling the Peninsula is Highway 101, which meanders through charming coastal fishing villages and the logging town of Port Angeles.
The Olympic Peninsula is organised with a drive along this route in mind, starting from Port Townsend in the north-east corner of the peninsula and driving west toward Port Angeles and Crescent Lake before heading south toward Forks, the Pacific coast, and Queets. Along this route, you will encounter alternative routes that lead off the beaten path to seemingly untouched coastal areas or into the wild interior of Olympic National Park, where hiking trails abound. This spectacularly picturesque area is captured through the stunning, vivid photographs of Mike Sedam. This is the Olympic Peninsula in all of its splendour and magnificence, in all its grace and grandeur.