Lake Crescent Lodge - Olympic National Park, Washington - Cottages in the Middle of a Glacial National Park and Wilderness

The Lake Crescent Lodge was built in 1916 and was historically known as the Singers Tavern. The facility served as a base camp for the variety of recreational activities in the Olympic National Park and to this day provides a fine lodging destination for outdoor enthusiasts. A large variety of guest rooms are available at the lodge including historically renovated cottages known as the lakeside Roosevelt Cottages.

Activities along the Olympic National Park are vast. Each year over 40,000 people enjoy camping in the Olympic National Park wilderness. Several hundred thousand hikers and trail walkers explore the region each year. Climbing some of the area mountains is a popular activity. The combination of the rainforest wilderness and mix of snow, rock, and ice make for an interesting climb. In good weather climbing conditions are spectacular but due to the heavily crevassed glaciers it is not recommended during severe winter months and storms. Weather is highly uncertain in the region and heavy fog can make it impossible to find the way back to the trail or camp. Climbing requirements include rope, an ice axe, crevasse rescue gear, and Crampons. A strong knowledge on how to use all equipment and crevasse rescue expertise is required.

The lodge sits along Lake Crescent and provides a prime location for fishing. Trout is abundant in the nearby mountain streams that flow into the lake. Lake Crescent is a catch and release lake and no fishing licenses are required in the park, but a state punch card is required for salmon fishing. Boating on the lake is also available. Guests of the lodge may rent boats by the hour, half-day, or full day. One hour rental fees are $9.00, for a half-day or four hours the rental fee is $25.00, and for a full day or eight hours the fee is $40.00.

Dining at Lake Crescent Lodge offers a lakefront dining room that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner from early May to mid October. Lounge and appetizer food is available from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The casual family atmosphere accompanied with local cuisine makes for a great restaurant. Some of the menu favorites are wild caught salmon, pacific halibut, filet mignon and seafood spinach bar for dinner. For lunch guests may select from fresh halibut and chips, the glacier crab melt, grilled turkey sandwich, and clam chowder.

There is a gift and craft shop located at Lake Crescent Lodge that offers local area northwest Native American handcrafts and artifacts. Souvenirs as well as necessities can be found in this location. The Hurricane Ridge Lodge and Gift Shop is approximately one hour from Lake Crescent Lodge.

The lodge is accessible from Seattle by driving north toward Edmonds and taking the ferry to Kingston. Once across the Hood Canal Bridge along Highway 101, there are signs to the Hoh River Entrance to Olympic National Park, just south of the town of Forks. A one-way excursion from Seattle is approximately five hours.