Pacific Northwest Loop in 7 Days
Seattle, Olympic’s rain forest and wild beaches, the Oregon coast, Portland and Mount Rainier.
- Distance
- About 800 mi
- ≈ 1,290 km, rounded
- Time
- 7 days
- at a comfortable pace
- Best season
- Mid-Jul–mid-Sep
- Start → finish
- Seattle → Seattle
In one week from Seattle you can drive through three different worlds: the moss-draped rain forests and driftwood beaches of Olympic National Park, the sea stacks of the northern Oregon coast, and the glaciers and wildflower meadows of Mount Rainier — with Portland’s food carts and the waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge in between. It is the greenest road trip in America, and the coolest in summer.
Day by day
- 1
Day 1 · Seattle to Port Angeles
Washington State Ferry from Edmonds to Kingston (or Seattle to Bainbridge Island), then across the Hood Canal Bridge to Port Angeles. If the road is open, drive up to Hurricane Ridge for the view over the Olympic range. See our Seattle guide.
about 85 mi + ferry · 2 h 30Sleep: Port Angeles
- 2
Day 2 · Lake Crescent & Sol Duc
The glacier-carved blue of Lake Crescent and the short Marymere Falls trail, then the Sol Duc valley for the falls and the hot springs. Evening at Rialto Beach among the driftwood logs.
about 75 miSleep: Forks
- 3
Day 3 · Hoh Rain Forest & Ruby Beach
The Hall of Mosses loop in the Hoh, one of the wettest places in the lower 48 — arrive early, the entrance line is long by 10 am. Ruby Beach’s sea stacks at low tide, then Lake Quinault.
about 105 miSleep: Lake Quinault
- 4
Day 4 · Down to the Oregon coast
US-101 south along Willapa Bay, across the long Astoria–Megler Bridge over the Columbia River, then Fort Stevens’ shipwreck and Cannon Beach, with Haystack Rock at sunset.
about 150 mi · 3 h 30Sleep: Cannon Beach
- 5
Day 5 · Portland
Ecola State Park’s viewpoint in the morning, then inland to Portland: the Japanese Garden, Powell’s City of Books, food carts and craft beer.
about 80 mi · 1 h 30Sleep: Portland
- 6
Day 6 · Columbia River Gorge to Mount Rainier
East on the Historic Columbia River Highway to Multnomah Falls and the Vista House viewpoint, then north on I-5 and into the forests below Rainier.
about 180 mi · 4 hSleep: Ashford
- 7
Day 7 · Paradise and back to Seattle
The Skyline Trail at Paradise through wildflower meadows under the glaciers (Myrtle Falls is the short version), Reflection Lakes, then north to Seattle.
about 130 mi · 3 hSleep: [Seattle](/cities/seattle/)
Short on days? Part of this route also works as a short trip, planned hour by hour:
Best month for the Pacific Northwest
August is the safest bet: dry weather is the norm from July to September in western Washington, and Paradise’s meadows usually bloom from late July. September is quieter and still mostly dry. Outside that window, expect rain on the coast and snow at Paradise well into June. Wildfire smoke from inland fires can haze the views in late summer — keep a flexible day.
What to book ahead
- Lodging in Port Angeles, Forks and Lake Quinault: limited rooms, booked months ahead for August.
- A room near Mount Rainier (Ashford or the historic Paradise Inn inside the park).
- Mount Rainier timed entry: in recent summers the park has required reservations for the Paradise and Sunrise corridors at peak times. Check nps.gov/mora for the current year.
- Multnomah Falls: the waterfall corridor has used seasonal timed-use permits in some summers; check before you go.
- The America the Beautiful pass covers Olympic and Mount Rainier entrance fees.
Shorter or longer
Olympic only
4 days
Seattle – Port Angeles – Forks – Lake Quinault – back to Seattle via Olympia. The rain forest, the beaches and Lake Crescent without the long drive south.
Add the North Cascades
9–10 days
Before or after the loop, drive the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) through North Cascades National Park to Winthrop, open roughly May to November.
Mount St. Helens and Crater Lake
+2 days
Mount St. Helens’ Johnston Ridge is a detour between Portland and Rainier; Crater Lake is a full day further south in Oregon.
Where to sleep along the way
Book the nights that matter first — inside or next to the parks, and in towns hosting a festival — then fill in the rest. Free cancellation keeps the plan flexible.
- Port AngelesHotels ↗
- ForksHotels ↗
- Lake QuinaultHotels ↗
- Cannon BeachHotels ↗
- PortlandHotels ↗
- Ashford (Mount Rainier)Hotels ↗
Partner links · Trip.com
Our hand-picked hotels on this route
Road trip questions
How many days do you need for a Pacific Northwest road trip?
A week covers Olympic, the north Oregon coast, Portland and Mount Rainier at a comfortable pace. Ten days lets you add the North Cascades or Crater Lake.
Seattle to Olympic National Park: ferry or drive?
The ferry (Edmonds–Kingston or Seattle–Bainbridge) is shorter and more scenic. Driving around via Tacoma avoids ferry lines on summer weekends but takes longer.
Is it worth going to Portland on a Pacific Northwest road trip?
Yes, for a night: it breaks the drive between the coast and Rainier, and the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls are 30 minutes east.
Do you need a car for Olympic National Park?
Yes. The park has no road through its center and no park shuttle: each valley is reached by its own road off US-101.
Written by Kylian Dev. Distances and drive times are without stops or traffic; add 25% for a realistic day.