The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Hood Canal. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous United States, and Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point, are on the peninsula. Comprising about 3600 square miles, the Olympic Peninsula contained many of the last unexplored places in the contiguous United States. It remained largely unmapped until Arthur Dodwell and Theodore Rixon mapped most of its topography and timber resources between 1898 and 1900.
Geography[]
Clallam and Jefferson Counties, as well as the northern parts of Grays Harbor and Mason Counties, are on the peninsula. The Kitsap Peninsula, bounded by the Hood Canal and the Puget Sound, is an entirely separate peninsula and is not connected to the Olympic Peninsula.
The Olympic Peninsula is home to temperate rain forests, including the Bogachiel, Hoh, Queets, and Quinault Rainforest. Rainforest vegetation is concentrated primarily in the western part of the peninsula, as the interior mountains create a rain shadow effect in areas to the northeast, resulting in a much drier climate in those locales.
The Olympic mountain range sits in the center of the Olympic Peninsula. This range is the second largest in Washington State. The highest peak is Mt. Olympus.
Major salmon-bearing rivers on the Olympic Peninsula include, clockwise from the southwest: the Humptulips, the Quinault, the Queets, the Quillayute, Bogachiel, the Sol Duc, the Lyre, the Elwha, the Dungeness, the Dosewallips, the Hamma Hamma, the Skokomish, and the Wynoochee River.
Natural lakes on the peninsula including, Lake Crescent, Lake Ozette, Lake Sutherland, Lake Quinault, and Lake Pleasant. Two dammed rivers form the reservoirs of Lake Cushman and Wynoochee Lake; two previous reservoirs, destroyed in the Elwha Ecosystem Restoration, included Lake Aldwell (behind the former Elwha Dam) and Lake Mills (behind the former Glines Canyon Dam).
Climate[]
The climate on the Olympic Peninsula varies greatly depending on the location. Most of the peninsula has an oceanic climate, or Cfb under the Köppen climate classification. The weather can be be quite unpredictable and varied, but is generally considered moderate.
Port Townsend's weather is usually quite pleasant, with an average daily wind speed of 10 miles an hour making it a mecca for boating and sailing enthusiasts.
Sequim sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, and receives an average of about seventeen inches of precipitation a year, giving it an arid climate perfect for agriculture and golf.
Port Angeles is impacted by both the mountains and the sea, has predominantly a marine type climate, with cool summers, mild but rather cloudy winters, moist air, and a narrow daily range in temperatures.
In the rain forest valleys of Forks and Quinault, precipitation can average 120 inches per year. Seventy-six percent of the yearly precipitation falls during the six months between October 1 and March 31.
Seasons[]
Spring is mostly wet, mild and often windy. Higher elevations are cooler with some snow. Temperatures usually range from 35 degrees F. to 60 degrees F. The Olympic Peninsula has a climate conducive to flower growing, and the color show in spring is usually quite spectacular.
Summers are generally fair and warm. Afternoon temperatures in the warmest summer months average from 65 degrees F. to 70 degrees F., occasionally reaching 80 degrees F. A temperature of 85 degrees F. is considered unusually warm. Night time temperatures can drop as low as 45 degrees F. Frequently, during the latter half of the summer and early fall, fog banks and low clouds form over the ocean and move inland at night. Tops of the clouds are generally below 3000 feet; thus higher elevations are sometimes clear while the lower valleys are filled with fog. Fog sometimes disappears before mid-day. On most summer afternoons near the water, a moderate to cool breeze can be expected. A few thunderstorms usually occur each summer, especially in the higher elevations. Normally very little rain falls during the summer months but it has also been known to rain for several days during this period.
Fall is usually cool and wet with occasional winds. Early snow storms are possible in the mountains. Temperatures usually range from 35 degrees F. to 65 degrees F. Frequently, during the latter half of summer and early fall, fog banks and low clouds form over the ocean and move inland at night and usually burns off by mid-day.
During the Winter season, afternoon temperatures are in the 40's and night time readings are usually in the upper 20's or lower 30's. Wind storms can occur. In lower elevations and near the water, snow seldom reaches a depth in excess of six to ten inches or remains on the ground more than a few days. However, snowfall and depth on the ground increases dramatically along the slopes and tops of the mountains, with Hurricane Ridge averaging 400 inches of snowfall each year.
Parks and Recreation[]
The peninsula contains many state and national parks, including Anderson Lake, Bogachiel, Dosewallips, Fort Flagler, Fort Worden, Kitsap Memorial, Lake Cushman, Manchester, Mystery Bay, Old Fort Townsend, Potlatch, Sequim Bay, Shine Tidelands, and Triton Cove state parks; Olympic National Park; and the Olympic National Forest. Within the Olympic National Forest, there are five designated wilderness areas: The Brothers, Buckhorn, Colonel Bob, Mt. Skokomish, and Wonder Mountain. Just off the west coast is the Washington Islands Wilderness.
Conservation Efforts[]
A major effort called the Wild Olympics campaign is under way to protect additional wilderness areas on the Olympic National Peninsula, protect salmon streams under the Wild and Scenic River Act and provide a means for Olympic National Park to offer to buy land adjacent to the Park from willing sellers.
Transportation[]
From Olympia, the state capital, U.S. Route 101 runs along the Olympic Peninsula's southern edge and up the western and northern shorelines.