Hidden In An Ancient Forest On Washington's Olympic Peninsula Is An Elegant, Historic Lakefront Lodge

Picture the deep, damp green of the Pacific Northwest's old-growth forests, the kind where moss hangs thick from massive trees. Right in that scene, on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, you'll find the Lake Quinault Lodge. This lodge, finished back in 1926, sits on the southeast edge of Lake Quinault, deep inside the Olympic National Forest. Its look, with natural wood-stained cedar and a timber frame, gives off a feeling of a true wilderness escape. The man behind the design was Robert C. Reamer, an architect from Seattle who blended in some Colonial Revival touches like balanced shapes and peaked roof ends. It was built (safely) near the water's edge, giving views across the lake toward the rainforest.

When you visit, you're right at the doorstep of the Quinault National Recreation Trail System, opening up miles of paths, which is home to some of the largest Sitka spruces, Douglas firs, and western red cedar trees. The lodge itself holds a piece of American history, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed on the property in 1937. During his visit, the idea of creating the much larger Olympic National Park surrounding the area was chatted about, linking the lodge to the park's beginnings. Walking inside, the main building forms a V-shape. The lobby sits right at the point of the V, centered around a huge stone fireplace that acts as a communal spot for people staying there after a day hiking in the woods or enjoying the lake.

Lake Quinault Lodge provides plenty of amenities for guests to feel comfortable and find recreation. As prices start around $130 per night, many rooms look out over the lake, and a few have balconies or fireplaces. For unwinding, there's an indoor heated swimming pool plus a sauna, and guests have easy access down to Lake Quinault, where kayaks and canoes are allowed during the warmer seasons. The property includes a game room, shops, and a garden area as well.

If you want to learn more about the surroundings, there are guided tours that run into this overlooked Washington rainforest or onto the lake, explaining the natural history. One tour that is run by the lodge is the Lake Quinault Rainforest Tour, which is a 4-hour excursion that takes you on a 33-mile trip on a shuttle bus, going deep into parts of Olympic National Park. This area contains all the temperate types of rainforests found in the lower 48 states, which is slightly different than one tropical rainforest in the U.S. that feels like a beautiful Costa Rican vacation, and along the way, you'll see the lush surroundings with huge trees, running waterfalls, and secluded ponds. The tour makes its way into the Valley of the Giants, giving travelers a chance to view the Quinault Rainforest. You can also learn about the Quinault Indian Nation, as well as early days of exploration in the area. If you're not wanting to go on a formal tour, you can hike directly into parts of the rainforest yourself.

To tie into the history of the lodge, the main dining spot is the Roosevelt Dining Room, named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's important stay. The restaurant serves traditional American food and uses fresh, regional ingredients. The interior of the restaurant is a simple, rustic design, but you experience great panoramic views looking out over Lake Quinault while you eat. It serves breakfast daily, lunch just on weekends, and dinner each night.

Just a short way away, you can drive to other dining choices like the Quinault River Village Internet Cafe for breakfast, lunch, or coffee. Other parts of this group include the nearby Dino's Pizza and Grill, serving pizza, burgers, plus fish and chips, or The Salmon House Restaurant, which has fresh salmon to enjoy. You can also drive to the Kalaloch Lodge to eat at the Creekside Restaurant where they serve a majority of local ingredients, wines, and foods to support the community. Speaking of wine, you can drive about 40 minutes to Olympic National Park's best beach and hidden paradise, and dine at the Ocean Crest Restaurant at Ocean Crest Resort to soak in Pacific Ocean views, mixed with the lush forest surroundings.