Olympic National Park has both beauty and diversity ranging from its well known rain forest to high mountains, coastline, lakes, rivers and wildlife. We've been there several times over the years and were looking forward to exploring even more of what it has to offer. This photo was take from our kayaks on Cushman Lake which is at the southern entrance to Olympic.

But the best laid plans of "Mice and Men"... You know how that goes. I developed a health issue and decided to go directly to Olympia rather than the gorgeous campsite on a bay near Port Angeles we had reserved for a week. It turns out the issue wasn't urgent. My doctor in Virginia told us to continue on our trip and see her when we got back.

Fortunately, we were already planning to visit our niece, Christina, who works in Olympia. She is a good friend, as are her brother Jay and her sister Amy. Jay and I have backpacked together. Both Jay and Christina have been to Burning Man with us, and Peggy is Amy's godmother. Before starting on our West Coast adventure, we had just completed our safari trip to South Africa with their dad John (Peggy's brother) and his wife Frances!

Christina had taken time off from work as an attorney for the Washington State Attorney General's office and had a ton of outdoor stuff planned for us. Fortunately, one of these activities included a hike up the Staircase Rapids Trail on the Skokomish River at the southern end of the park.

Moss covered trees are an iconic symbol of Olympic National Park. No surprise, it's a rain forest! The park receives 100-140 inches a year— more on the coast, less as you journey inland. It is estimated that it takes 70-100 inches a year to create a rainforest. We were hiking on the park's Staircase Rapids Trail when we took this photo. The trail and Lake Cushman receive around 100 inches a year.

The moss creates a magical world where you half expect to find elves around the next corner. Or Bigfoot.

This was a moss covered root.

Speaking of roots, I wondered if this tree was about to rise up and go wandering. Had we arrived at Fanghorn Forest from Lord of the Rings?

Hmm. Were we about to meet Treebeard?

If so, he was lying down and taking a nap for a year or two.

This was the granddaddy of roots along the trail, however. I half expected to find a dryad/wood nymph playing among the roots.

And did! At no prompting from us, Christian immediately headed over to the tree and started climbing among the roots of the forest giant— like she belonged there.

Given the name of the trail, Staircase Rapids, we expected to find rapids along the trail. And we did. But they were gentle. We had missed the massive runoff from snowmelt in the spring.

Most of the snow had already melted off.

Small rapids have a charm of their own, however.

A bridge across the Skokomish River provided this view.

One brave soul wanted a different perspective. At 81, I decided to pass... Grin.

And depended on my telephoto to bring me up close and personal. That's it for today. Monday's post will find us kayaking on Cushman Lake and the Skokomish River just below the Staircase Rapids.

Kayaking on the Skokomish River at the edge of Olympic National Park