MAGNA NATION - A MODERN ODYSSEY: October 2011

Olympic National Park: One of the wildest places left in the USA [36 PICS]

July 1st, 2011

Tagged moss, mountains, National Park, nature, Olympic National Park, photos, pics, trees

Olympic National Park in Washington offers a bit of everything for nature lovers, hikers and adventurers like Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a dazzling diversity of plants and animals. 95% of this park is still wilderness, making Olympic Wilderness one of the wildest places left in the lower 48 states. The National Park Service says, “This year, nearly 40,000 people will camp in the Olympic Wilderness and several hundred thousand people will take day hikes and walks. Olympic is fragile. But if we care for Olympic, we can preserve its wildness and grandeur for future generations.” In this awe-inspiring national park, visitors can go from glacier, to marvelous moss-draped wilderness, to the sea in one amazing day. [36 Photos]

Olympic National Park - Maple Glade Trail

Maple Glade Trail. It’s supposed to be a humbling experience to stand amidst such giants in the ancient forests of Olympic National Park. Photo #1 by rachel_thecat

Olympic National Park. Photo #2 by Jason Pratt

Olympic National Park - Hoh Valley - Hall of Mosses Trail, Hemlocks growi

This is Hall of Mosses Trail in Hoh Valley. Hemlocks are starting to grow on this stump. Photo #3 by rachel_thecat

Heart Lake. Photo #4 by Davis Doherty

Maples in Olympic National Park’s Hoh Rain Forest. 95% of this national park is designated as wilderness, a paradise for backpackers and hikers. Photo #5 by KevinM

Sol Duc Falls looks like the Garden of Eden. Photo #6 by Frank Kovalchek

Enchanted Valley, Olympic National Park. Photo #7 by ((brian))

Olympic National Park trees and roots in Hoh Rain Forest. Some of the trees in this forest are “old growth forest” meaning they are over 200 years old and some much higher than 30 stories tall and wider than two parking spaces! Photo #8 by Goldom

Road leading up to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. Photo #9 by Frank Kovalchek

Rafting Class II+ whitewater river, Olympic Raft and Kayak - Elwha River

Rafting Class II+ whitewater river, Olympic Raft and Kayak on Elwha River. Photo #10 by Walter Siegmund

Olympic National Park has a 73-mile long wilderness coast that is a rare treasure in a country where much of the coastline is prime real estate. According to the National Park Service, “The rocky headlands, beaches, tidepools nurturing a living rainbow of colors and textures, off shore sea stacks topped by nesting seabirds and wind-sheared trees—all are a remnant of a wilder America.” Photo #11 by Urban

Maple leaves and sword fern cover the ground. Near the midpoint of the Hall of Mosses Trail near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. Natural features and ecosystems range with many rivers, lakes, glaciers and Pacific coast. The forests in this park include coastal, montane, lowland, subalpine and temperate rain forests. Photo #12 by Walter Siegmund

Downed cypress and child at Olympic National Park. Photo #13 by Paul Schultz

Big Cedar Tree, (tiny girl) Olympic National Park

Big Cedar Tree and tiny girl. The photographer wrote, “National park service sign: Big Cedar – Western redcedar has been the art and sinew of coastal Indian village life. The trunk is house plank and ocean-going canoe; branches are harpoon line; outer bark is diaper and bandage; inner bark is basket, clothing and mattress. Tree size expresses climate – heavy annual rainfall, and the nourishing damp of ocean fog. In a scramble for growing space other tree species are using the cedar as a standing nurselog.” Photo #14 by woodleywonderworks

Lakes and mountains, an adventure lover’s dream. Water is but one aspect that defines this beautiful national treasure. Mount Olympus is the park’s highest peak and it’s located in the middle of the range. Rivers shoot out from the central mountains like spokes on a wheel. Photo #15 by ((brian))

The largest known Western Redcedar, in the world with a wood volume of 500 cubic meters (17650 cu. ft.). It is 53.0 m (174 ft) high with a diameter of 5.94 m (19.5 ft.) at 1.37 m (4.5 ft.) above the ground. Photo #16 by Wsiegmund

Coarse woody debris in Olympic National Park mountain stream

This is considered “coarse woody debris” in this mountain stream. Photo #17 by Walter Siegmund

Sol Duc Falls, a waterfall in Olympic National Park. Photo #18 by Kimon

Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington State

Hoh Rain Forest has a mystical appearance with all the moss. This is considered a temperate rain forest where nature has decorated bigleaf maples with epiphytic mosses, ferns, and spike-mosses growing on their trunks and branches. Photo #19 by Michael Gäbler

Ruby Beach in dem Olympic National Park, Bundesstaat Washington, USA

Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park, Bundesstaat, Washington, USA. Photo #20 by Michael Gäbler

Ruby Beach, WA, in Olympic National Park

Dark at Ruby Beach. Photo #21 by John Fowler

The Kalaloch Cedar in the Olympic National Park, with a dbh of 599 (19,6 ft) cm and wood volume of 350 cubic meters (12,270 cu ft). Photo #22 by rachel_thecat

Trees, texture and fog Pacific Northwest Olympic National Park

Amazing trees, texture and even fog in the Pacific Northwest. Photo #23 by Minette Layne

Like a dream at Lake Crescent. Photo #24 by Bala

Olympic National Park - Hoh Valley - Hall of Mosses Trail

Hoh Valley – Hall of Mosses Trail. Photo #25 by rachel_thecat

Coast Range Subalpine Fir groves in meadow. About 0.1 km north of Point 5471′ near the Klahhane Ridge Trail-Meadow Loop Trails junction and close to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. Photo #26 by Wsiegmund