The Olympic Peninsula Loop is a spectacular way to see the natural beauty and wildlife of Washington State. This scenic drive, which defines the perimeter of the Olympic National Park, is over 300 miles of mountains, rainforests, wildlife, waterfalls, and viewpoints to explore from start to finish.

The best time of year for sightseeing in Olympic National Park is spring through fall. This time of year is ideal because the rainforests can experience up to 50 inches of rain in the winter, and by late spring, the landscape is lush and vibrant with life.

There are also spots in Olympic National Park, but this article will discuss the loop around it.

Length	329 Miles
States	1 Washington
Nearby Cities	Olympia, Kamilche, Shelton, Port Angeles, and Hoquiam (not a complete list, but just bigger cities)
Astronomy Sites	2
Bortle Scales	Class 4/5

Astronomy Sites

These are only a few of the potential options available, as what we have chosen to show are state parks and areas that are not explicitly closed at sunset. Please be cautious of weather and conditions when visiting these sites. There are a plethora of state parks in the area that are available to visit and can be used as places for astronomy, but those might be harder to get to, less reliable, and are not something that we would recommend. A Discovery Pass is required to access most of the state parks in the area, which there are many. There are more than 10 state parks and wildlife refuges in the area, most of which have day areas that close at sunset, which is not ideal for astronomy.

Dosewallips State Park

Located only 60 miles north of Olympia, the park is the eastern gateway to the Olympic Peninsula and is in an area with forests, mountains, rivers, beaches and deltas; surrounded by sound and sea. It serves as a great place to serve as an outpost for viewing the region on a roadtrip as the park has a plethora of outdoor activities and 5 miles of shoreline on Hood Canal and the Dosewallips River. This shoreline provides an amazing opportunity to take some night sky photos!

Sequim Bay State Park

Sequim Bay State Park is set in one of the driest micro-climates west of the Cascade Mountains, and hosts a stretch of the Olympic Discovery Trail, which is a 120-mile, multi-use recreation trail that extends from Port Townsend west to the Pacific Ocean. This provides a plethora of opportunities for staying the night and doing some astronomy.

Camping/Lodging

There are many lodges in the surrounding cities that one could stay in, but this article will stick to some of the camping options in the area.

Dosewallips State Park

With 75 tent spaces, 48 utility sites, three platform tents, twelve cabins, one dump station, three restrooms, and two showers, the majority of the campground is available all year. During winter months, December to March, the campground is winterized and only sites 21-29 have water. Reservations can be made through the Washington State Parks website and reservation system. 

Sequim Bay State Park

The park has 45 standard campsites, 15 full-utility sites, three restrooms (one ADA), and three showers, 2 of which are ADA accessible. In the hookup area, several of the sites can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet. Dry camping areas can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet. There are two loops of forested, dry, camping sites, some very near the water. Reservations are in effect May 15 to September 15 and can be made through the Washington State Parks website and reservation system. 

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and make sure to view our other unique astronomy roadtrips such as this one for more places to view astronomy when on a roadtrip.