Washington – Explore the Unique Nature of Lake Quinault

When deciding what to explore on a multi-day road trip on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, I was pleasantly surprised at all the fun things to do at Lake Quinault. We included the Quinault area as our first stop in a clockwise loop around the Peninsula. Lake Quinault sits at the center of activity and there is much to in the rainforest and valley surrounding the lake. Nearly all of the activities are family-friendly, so heading to Lake Quinault could be a lovely weekend getaway. Without further ado, let’s get into activities that will allow you to explore more of Lake Quinault.

The Drive Around Lake Quinault

We made a point to drive around Lake Quinault to see and stop at the diverse viewpoints throughout the drive. The drive itself probably only takes about 1 hour, but I would buffer at least 2 – 4 hours, depending on how many stops you make and hikes you take. The road is not paved the entire time but turns to gravel when driving up the Quinault River Valley. The gravel is well-maintained and we did not have any difficulties in a hatchback sedan. I recommend driving the loop counterclockwise, which is how I will describe encountering the following items that we decided to stop at.

The stops are fun, but the drive itself is also a lovely experience. In general, you will drive along the lake, then by family homes on large areas of land, then along the river valley surrounded by rainforest. Some of the sights you will be able to see from your car, others require a bit of walking. The best part of any drive is that you get to decide what you want to commit to. Here’s what we saw:

World’s Largest Spruce Tree

If you would like some maps and general information, head to the Quinault Wilderness Information Center. Even during Covid, they had brochures and information outside to grab. If you start here, continue on the main road heading away from the freeway for one mile. There will be parking on the right in a gravel area with signs for the “World’s Largest Spruce Tree” Trailhead. Don’t let the trailhead sign scare you, it was a short five-minute walk to get to the actual tree. And yes, the tree is huge.

At a distance, the tree seems large. But the size really becomes apparent when a human is nearby as a comparison or you get close enough to hug it. The Quinault Valley gets up to 12 feet of rain each year, providing a lush environment for the trees to grow. There are many large trees within the Quinalt valley, which is where it got its name “Valley of the Rainforest Giants”. Apparently, there are six trees that are the largest of their kind in the valley. It would be fun to try to find the known ones.

We had a lovely time taking in the view of the tree, marveling in its presence, and taking photos, before moving onto the next stop.

American Forest Associate Tree Stats

The tree is a Sitka Spruce and estimated to be 1,000 years old, 191 ft tall with a diameter of 18 ft, 9 in. The circumference of the trunk is a hefty 58 ft, 11 in at the time of writing. The American Forest Associate gives points for each of these statistics, so there is another tree in the Queets Valley that is taller, but the trunk is narrower. With the diameter and crown spread taken into consideration, the Quinault tree is larger. These stats may change as the tree continues to grow, so be sure to check the Rain Forest Resort Website, which is the property that the tree grows on.