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A dog-friendly haven

Lake Quinault Lodge and the Olympic National Forest

Jacques Cousteau poses in front of the Lake Quinault Lodge and its iconic rain gage. The lodge offers pet-friendly rooms and access to trails in the Olympic National Forest which your canine pals will love. Photo credit: Marguerite Cleveland

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Traveling with your dog can be a fun adventure, but if you are at a National Park, dogs are usually restricted to the areas surrounding the parking lots and not allowed on the trails. Not many people realize the Olympic National Park is surrounded by the Olympic National Forest, which is surprisingly dog-friendly, and there are a few trails in the national park that allow dogs. The Lake Quinault Lodge is a good place to hang your hat for a few days and is only a two-hour drive from Joint Base Lewis-McChord with no traffic.

The Lake Quinault Lodge offers pet-friendly rooms in the boat house. These rooms come with a large pet bed and water bowl for use while staying at the resort. The pet fee is $25 for the entire stay. The lodge was designed by Robert Reamer, a Seattle architect who also designed the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park. Built in 1926, it is a lovely rustic wilderness lodge that blends in well with the rainforest to the front and Lake Quinault below.

The lodge is surrounded by the Olympic National Forest, which has over 250 miles of dog-friendly trails. Stop into the Pacific Ranger Station located next door to the lodge for hiking maps and guidelines for dogs in the forest. There are a variety of trails that you can access right from the lodge. Depending how far you want to hike, you can take a short hike to the World's Largest Sitka Spruce Tree or the longer Quinault Loop Trail.

The Roosevelt Room is the onsite restaurant which was named in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt after his visit to the lodge. Although the restaurant does not serve on the deck, there are tables available there and you can order food to go to enjoy alfresco. In addition to the regular menu, the restaurant offers pizza and boxed lunches to go.

For more information, and to take part in the BARK Rangers program, drive about 45 minutes to the Kalaloch Ranger Station on Highway 101. The friendly rangers will provide a quick session so you and your dog can enjoy your visit to the Olympic National Park. Once complete, your dog will receive a card and a medal designating them a BARK Ranger. See below for BARK guidelines and pet-friendly trails in the park.

Bag Your Pet's Poop 

Pet owners are responsible for removing pet waste from all areas in the park including campgrounds, picnic areas, parking lots, roads, pet-friendly trails, and other developed areas.

Always Wear a Leash

Pets must be restrained on a leash no longer than six feet.

Respect Wildlife 

Pets can harass or harm wildlife by making noise or scaring wildlife away.

Know Where You Can Go

Pets are allowed on the following trails:

  • Peabody Creek Trail (Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles)
  • Rialto Beach parking lot to Ellen Creek (half mile)
  • The beaches between the Hoh and Quinault Reservations (Kalaloch area)
  • Madison Falls Trail (Elwha)
  • Spruce Railroad Trail (North shore of Lake Crescent)
  • July Creek Loop Trail (North shore of Lake Quinault)

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