| Start | Kalaloch Lodge dispersed camping site |
| Points of interest | Beach 4 Kestner Homestead Quinault Big Sitka Spruce Tree Cache Across America – Washington |
| Eating and drinking | Kalaloch Mercantile Sea Glass Grill |
| End | Westport Winery |
We’re mostly wrapping up our Olympic Peninsula adventure today – first some tide pooling, then Lake Quinault, and finishing up with another Cache Across America before calling it a day at Westport Winery.
Tide pooling
When we debated whether to stay at our dispersed campsite last night, we determined that we would spend the night but get going first thing and get ready at a different location. A quick search later, and we decided the best spot for that would be Beach 4. It was more than perfect: large and relatively empty parking lot and quick access to the beach at low tide! We had some successes tide pooling – seeing a couple of starfish and plenty of sea anemone.
Lake Quinault
After cleaning up from the beach, it was time to head to Lake Quinault. We debated whether to do the North, South, or both shores, and, when in doubt, decided on both! The North Shore meandered relatively far away from the lake itself but did promise a Ranger Station. Unfortunately, as we were still in shoulder season, it was closed. We decided to park there and do the longer trail for the Kestner Homestead walk.
Then we backtracked to access the South Shore (apparently, it is possible to go around – if you don’t have a trailer, but maps were telling us it was faster to go out and around). Before identifying where we needed to park for the giant spruce tree, we noticed a parking lot with an amazing view of the lake and opted to head there to have lunch with a view (ignoring the 24/7 no parking signs ;). Hey, the restaurant was closed, and we didn’t leave the van). Then, a short walk to the “World’s Largest Spruce.” Yep, it’s massive. So are the salmonberry bushes that line the path.
Cache Across America
We’ve mostly wrapped up our Olympic National Park stops but had one more mandatory stop along the coast – the CAA – Washington! This would be our 15th, and it didn’t even require that much of a detour. Easy find and gorgeous views. and enjoyed the beach views along the drive.
Westport Winery
Although we had plenty of dispersed camping options around us, we noticed that there was a Harvest Host nearby. We have never used the service before but stumbled upon it during our research. Essentially, for an annual fee, subscribers can stay for free at hosts for one night. Hosts range from breweries to wineries to farms. Westport Winery seemed like a perfect option for us: (1) near our route, (2) a winery with a restaurant, (3) great reviews, and (4) allow dogs. Fortunately, we made it in time for both a tasting and dinner, and neither disappointed!
The site was lovely too. Four pull-through spots, each with their own little garden, patio set, and fire pit. Definitely a cozy (and pretty) setting for the evening. Each spot has enough space for slideouts/awnings. Unfortunately, for those that would want hookups, no dice. Although the owners installed them, they were unable to get permits for their use.
Eating and drinking
Another advantage to our dispersed campsite from last night was that we were within walking distance of the Kalaloch Lodge Mercantile. Made a stop on the way out to Beach 4 and then again on our way back to Lake Quinault. Verdict: the drip coffee is better than the latte, and they carry Dreamland falafel wraps, which are delicious.
Of course, the star of the show was our dinner at Sea Glass Grill (Westport Winery). Of particular note were the martini flight and the cioppino. Bonus: we only had to walk through the garden to get to Ody and our bed for the night.
Day 4 post-mortem
Another great day with Ody with few observations or complaints. However, we are struggling with the hot water. What we thought was a fluke a few days ago seems to be an actual issue. Looks as though we need to actually turn on the heat in order to get hot water. It doesn’t seem to be firing the furnace when we call for hot water by itself. We’ll need to follow-up with Storyteller on that one.
platoaddict's pursuits 