Olympic Adventure Trail

Summary

Distance: ~90km

Elevation: ~1400m

Summary: Take the MV Coho out to Port Angeles and ride beautiful, flowy, smooth singletrack out to Crescent Lake for lunch and return via Highway 112 for tasty beer before you catch the ferry back home.

Route: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1928875?units=km

The Pitch

The Olympic Discovery Trail has a beautiful 40km Adventure Route starting on the outskirts of Port Angeles and terminating at Lake Crescent. This is super-fun, non-technical singletrack that is 100% rideable on gravel bikes. The trail has been impeccably designed and maintained over the years and meanders through lush Pacific Northwest old growth rainforest, new forest, and some recent clearcuts (rejoice in the feeling of warmth on sunny days!). Yes, there is some elevation, but the switchbacks make pleasant work of it and you are rewarded with fun, grin-inducing descents. Need more convincing? BikePacking.com has a good write-up on it (although somewhat dated).

Details

The exact route you take is limited by your riding pace and ferry schedule. Assuming you want to do a day ride and return to Victoria at approximately dinner time, I recommend taking the Adventure Trail out to Lake Crescent and returning to Port Angeles via highway 112. But this is just a suggestion. If you ride at a fast pace and don't spend too much time at the lake, you could ride the trail back or ride further out along the Spruce Rail Trail or even a combination of the two.

M.V. Coho in Victoria Harbour

Coho Ferry - Victoria to Port Angeles

For this route, it makes sense to catch the 6:10 am ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. Consult the Coho Ferry schedule for up-to-date information on sailings, recommended arrival times, and required documentation. As of summer 2022, arriving at the BlackBall terminal at 430 Belleville St. at 5:45 am was sufficient to buy tickets (cyclists don't require a reservation) and clear customs. Travel time is 90 minutes so you should arrive in Port Angeles at approximately 7:40am. Please be aware the ferry schedule changes during the year. Early 6:10 am sailings from Victoria are only available in the summer months!

The MV Coho is a smaller ferry that travels directly to Port Angeles. As such, the open waters can cause the boat to roll (i.e. not smooth sailing like the typical BC Ferry in protected waters). If you are prone to seasickness, you might want to take precautions.

Once you arrive in Port Angeles you can head out straight to the trail or stop at one of the many cafes for coffee and breakfast.

Elwha River Crossing

Port Angeles to Trailhead

After a quick ride from the ferry terminal along bike paths and up into the residential hills of Port Angeles, you'll be on the Olympic Discovery Trail and crossing the Elwha River.

As depicted on the route, the official Olympic Adventure Trail (OAT) begins just off Highway 112 near Ebb Tide Lane.

Non-Stop Singetrack

Enjoy the endless, meandering trail from here to Lake Crescent. Near the Port Angeles end, the trail is used by local trail runners so take care as you round corners.

You'll encounter loamy shaded trails, narrow loose gravel, and exposed dry dirt trail. So much fun! Long descents await you with opportunities to weave through trees, ferns, and salal at high speeds.

Ample opportunity to take breaks and soak up views. Bonus points for bringing coffee cake along!

Lake Crescent

The western end of the Adventure segment terminates where the Lyre River meets Lake Crescent and is a short eastward pedal to the Log Cabin Resort at Piedmont. Take advantage of the dining room to grab lunch, refill your water bottles, and buy goodies at the gift shop. There's even wifi!

The Klallam people's original name for Lake Crescent is "cə́ɬmət." (visit link for pronunciation guidance)

Tip! You can turn this route into an overnighter and either rent one of the cabins or stay at a nearby campsite.

Road Ride Return

Once you've had your fill, and perhaps even a dip in the lake, you'll need to start the journey back to Port Angeles. A brief backtrack from Piedmont toward the Lyre River will bring you to Joyce-Piedmont Road, a chipseal covered mountain road heading North. After connecting to Highway 112, it's a simple matter of grinding out the kilometres to get back near Port Angeles and rejoin the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Coho Ferry - Port Angeles to Victoria

You made it! Hopefully you have enough time before the 5:15 pm sailing to visit one of the local pubs. One of the most popular pubs is the Next Door Gastropub, but, be warned, wait times can be long. Other options include the Hook & Line Pub for a standard pub menu, Angeles Brewing for just a beer, or Barhop Pizza for beer and pizza (and many more). Remember to give yourself enough time to purchase tickets and board the Coho Ferry. BlackBall recommends arriving 40 minutes prior when departing from Port Angeles.

References