Spending a Weekend at Lake Quinault Washington

“The lake between two rivers,” Lake Quinault is a glacially-carved lake situated at the edge of pristine temperate rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula. Lake Quinault is the ideal jumping-off point for Olympic National Park adventures. Olympic National Park is the perfect spot for exploring the pristine wilderness. It features snow-covered mountains, roaring rivers, and dense temperature rain forests.

With massive moss-covered trees, rushing waterfalls, and cozy accommodations in mind, my partner and I booked a stay at Lake Quinault Lodge in the Fall. We lucked out, too. The Quinault Rain Forest receives 12 feet of precipitation per year on average, making it one of the world’s wettest places. Yet, not a drop of rain fell during our October stay.

When visiting Lake Quinault Washington, please follow all recommended social distancing and mask guidelines. Be respectful of the Lake Quinault community and recreate responsibly so we can all continue to enjoy the area!

lake quinault lodge exterior
lake quinault sunset

History of the Lake Quinault Lodge

Lake Quinault Lodge was built in 1926. Designed by Robert Reamer (architect of the storied Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park), the  Lake Quinault lodge overlooks a grand lawn that slopes down to the shores of Lake Quinault. Its name comes from the Quinault Indian Nation — Coast Salish people who inhabited the Olympic Peninsula long before any lodges were built here. 

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt toured the Olympic Peninsula and famously dined at Lake Quinault Lodge. The following year he signed the act establishing Olympic National Park. Today, the historic Roosevelt Dining Room at Lake Quinault Lodge bears his name and the lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

quinault lodge lobby

Lake Quinault Lodging

Lake Quinault Lodge offers 91 rooms in the historic Main Lodge and adjacent buildings. Stay in the Main Lodge for easy access to the dining room and grand fireplace lobby. Boat House and Lakeside Lake Quinault Lodge rooms are larger, making them a good option for families (pets are allowed in the Boat House rooms only). Fireplace rooms are the finest available at Lake Quinault — perfect for special occasions

lake quinault lakeside room

We stayed in a contemporary Lakeside room in Lake Quinault Lodge. Our room was spacious near the main lodge and offered a small balcony with partial lake views. Besides a TV (which we didn’t use), coffee maker (which we used), and a full bathroom, our Lakeside room was simply furnished with few modern amenities. No matter — we were there to explore. We didn’t mind walking to Lake Quinault lodge, especially with the sunny weather and scenic paths leading across the grand lawn. But staying inside or closer to the main lodge would be best during cooler, wetter weather.

Dining and Activities at Lake Quinault

Normally, enjoying a meal at the Roosevelt Dining Room is a highlight at Lake Quinault. The dining room was unfortunately closed during our visit (due to the pandemic) but the kitchen remained open for takeout. We enjoyed takeout dinner and breakfast in the main lobby, where open seating was available near the fireplace. After dinner, we plopped down on the oversized couches next to the fire and enjoyed a bottle of wine, relishing in every ounce of rustic charm afforded by the historic lodge. 

Lake Quinault Lodge typically offers access to the pool, saunas, and game room. All were closed during our stay — check with the lodge before booking for updates. Year-round driving tours and seasonal lake tours in Lake Quinault were also temporarily closed due to the pandemic. We prefer to explore outdoors independently, so these temporary closures weren’t an issue for us. Instead, we hit the Lake Quinault loop trail!

grand fireplace at lake quinault lodge

Hiking at Lake Quinault

The primary purpose of our trip was to hike and explore the temperate rainforest at Lake Quinault. The lodge serves as a trailhead hub, connecting miles of Quinault loop trails in the Quinault National Recreation Trail System. Pick up a trail map from the lodge or neighboring Pacific Ranger Station before setting out — you’ll need one to navigate this network of intertwining trails. You can walk as little as 0.5 miles on the Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail Loop. Or, turn your walk into a hike with over 8 miles of family-friendly, year-round trails.

world's largest sitka spruce
hiking in the quinault rainforest
gatton creek falls

From the Lake Quinault Lodge, we crossed the street and hiked out to Cascade Falls on a roughly 2-mile loop trail. From there, the trail connects east to the Gatton Creek Trail. We opted to drive a few minutes along South Shore Road, Quinault, WA, to the World’s Largest Sitka Spruce parking area. After admiring the ancient, enormous tree (it’s over 1,000 years old and 191 feet tall), we crossed the street again and hiked to Gatton Creek Falls.

beach at lake quinault lodge

Exploring Beyond Lake Quinault

For more rainforest waterfall adventures, you can drive further east along South Shore Road to Merriman Falls and Bunch Falls. Additional hiking trails beckon in the Colonel Bob Wilderness and Olympic National Park. Perhaps one day we’ll return to summit Colonel Bob Peak — a challenging climb offering incredible Olympic Peninsula views from nearly 5,000 feet. A more modest destination nearby is the historic Kestner Homestead. Check out our Riding the Quinault Bike Loop story for all the details. 

Lake Quinault in Washington is located 40 minutes from Kalaloch and an hour from Ocean Shores — two of the nearest ocean beach destinations. You can also drive north up the peninsula to experience the Hoh Rain Forest, Lake Crescent, and Hurricane Ridge. Check out our Must-See Spots on the Olympic Peninsula story for more ideas!

Adirondack chairs at quinault lodge

Featured image: Rachel Wood. Additional photos by the author.

Brandon Fralic

Brandon Fralic is the author of "Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest" and "Urban Hikes Washington". Based in Bellingham, he writes about trails, beer, and travel for numerous publications. Follow Brandon at @beersatb on Instagram and at his website: brandonfralic.com

4 Comments

  1. Marie on December 17, 2020 at 6:01 am

    Hello, we visited Seattle back in March 2020. Before it all shut down, we were able to experience Lake Quinault and lodge, the hiking trails were beautiful and the lake was just as beautiful. We did the entire Olympic National Park trail tour. I was so amazed by The beaches. We made it to Forks and walked on the beach at La Push and ate at their one local restaurant. By far, the Pacific Northwest has the best clam chowder. We stopped at Port Angeles and tour the downtown area and drove up the mountains as well. I celebrated my birthday by dining at H2O, did food was truly amazing. Seattle has been by far the best trip ever. Plan on going again this summer.
    Thank you for posting your experience. Oh by the way, I took a million pictures.

  2. Cal and Pam Sprague on August 17, 2021 at 2:58 pm

    We were just at Lake Quinalt last week, relishing the trails, lodge, and huge trees…picnic by the lake and hiked some trails. We were also in old Bellingham, Mt. Baker, North Cascades NP, Mt. Rainier NP, and the San Juans, Friday Harbor, among others during 11 day stay. Looking at your pics, we stood in some of the exact same places. Can’t say enough about the PNW…

  3. […] three hours from Seattle, Seabrook provides the perfect launch pad to visit Olympic National Park, Lake Quinault, and some of the most beautiful beaches on the Washington coast. The town hosts events throughout […]

  4. […] freshwater enthusiasts, Lake Crescent, situated in the Olympic National Park, offers crystal-clear waters and visibility reaching up to 60 feet. Divers can explore submerged […]

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