OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
CAPE ALAVA - JULY 15-16, 1998
Often referred to as "three parks in one", Olympic National Park encompasses
three distinctly different ecosystems—rugged glacier capped mountains, over 60
miles of wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth and temperate
rain forest. These diverse ecosystems are still largely pristine in character
(about 95% of the park is designated wilderness) and
are Olympic's gift to you.
Olympic is also known for its biological diversity. Isolated
for eons by glacial ice, the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de
Fuca, the Olympic Peninsula has developed its own distinct array of plants and
animals. Eight kinds of plants and five kinds of animals are found on the
peninsula and live nowhere else in the world.
The Ozette-Cape Alva-Sand Point loop is a shore hike along
the Washington coast. The views of the ocean, cliffs, headlands, islands,
and sea stacks provide a unique experience. There is little elevation
change on this hike so it is relatively easy, and there is a surprising amount
of wildlife along the coast.
