I spent the first part of last week camping at Staircase in Olympic National Park with my son. Never heard of it? Well, you wouldn't be alone. Yes....it lacks the grand vistas of Hurricane Ridge. There aren't any world-class waterfalls like the Sol Duc Valley. It doesn't have the incredible rugged beaches of the coastline near Rialto and Kalaloch. Nor does it have the endless mossy cathedrals of the Hoh Rain Forest. It also lacks one other important thing....the crowds crawling all over the park in the middle of summer. What does this little corner of the park offer? ...just quiet trails through emerald green old-growth and alongside tumbling ice-cold rivers. It is the perfect place to unwind for a couple of days.
North Fork Skokomish River, Olympic National Park, Washington
