Lake Crescent, Port Angeles
This is my favorite place in the world, and it’s full of some of my favorite memories. The lodge has beautiful views of the icy blue lake and is within walking distance of several hiking trails. It’s a great place to find peace while sitting at the water front, either on the rocky beach or right on the wooden dock (my preference for sure).
My first memory of the lake is from when my family and I took a road trip from Arizona to Washington to explore the Pacific Coast. We stopped there for a quick lunch, and my sister and dad (bravely) jumped into the water and then we were on our way west on Highway 101 toward the beaches!
Fast forward to my college years, when my dad and I would take yearly trips to outdoorsy places. We decided to go back to Lake Crescent and explore the area a bit more; we hiked Mt. Storm King on an usually sunny day, saw a few waterfalls, and ate delicious meals at the lodge.
A few years later, when my now-husband and I went backpacking in the Olympic National Park, we drove past the lake and decided we wanted to come back together. So in May 2022, we went for a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary (and to my surprise, get engaged!); we saw the sights and ate the food and sat on the dock staring out at the stormy lake.
Since at this point, it was one of our favorite spots as a couple, we decided to get married at Lake Crescent in May 2023. During an uncharacteristically warm and sunny weekend, we found a cozy little clearing of trees, surrounded by wildflowers, hazy light, and bright green moss to say “I do”, and then traipsed through the forest taking photos under the trees and along the lake front.
All in all, Lake Crescent has something for everyone - rest and relaxation; short and long hikes; and a dock to jump into the glacial water. 5 out of 5 stars every time.
Lake Crescent is about 30 minutes west from Port Angeles on Highway 101. The Lake Crescent Sticker view is based on a beach-front offshoot of the “Moments in Time” interpretive trail on the lodge’s property. The blog post’s thumbnail picture is the view from Mt. Storm King on a sunny day.