They have included signs on the trail indicating different types of trees and plants and what
the effect of the environment will have on the regrowth of the trees. The trail
allowed us to see the other side of the ridge down to the Juan De Fuca Strait and
across to Victoria B.C. It was another beautiful sight. After going over the trail
we got in our truck and started back down towards the visitors’ center stopping
on the way at a trailhead called Switch Back Trail. As we pulled into the parking
lot
a Doe was standing there as though she was the “greeter at Walmart” seeming
to welcome one and all to the beautiful trail. I decided to go part of the way up
the very steep trail with the deer “hot on my heels”. It quickly became apparent
that she was far more adept at this “trail-climbing-thing” than I was, so I stepped
aside to let the lady pass. As the trail became steeper and steeper I decided that I
had gone far enough for “bragging-rights” and went back down the trail to where
Laura was waiting and “guarding the truck”.
She said she didn’t feel that she
could accompany me up the trail because someone might take the truck and that
it had absolutely nothing to do with the difficulty of the trail. Hmmmm. We got
back in the truck and continued to wend our way downward to the bottom of the
mountain. We realized that one can’t compare one park or mountain to another
as each have their own beauty, majesty and yes! even personality. And, in our
opinion, the Olympic National Park can certainly hold it’s own with any of the
National
Parks in the United States.
Continuing south along the west side of the Olympia National Park, we entered
the town of Forks, named for the river that forks there. This is one of the once
great logging towns which
still carries on as much as allowed with the logging
profession. In the center of town is a delightful totem pole, brightly colored,
with a large eagle on top. The town has it’s usual tourist attractions with boat
rides and the likes. However there is a gem in the rough located just south of the
town on highway 101. The Forks Timber Museum, Information Center, and
Loggers Memorial is a marvel unto itself. Not for the artifacts and photographs
of the early forestry industry which are authentic and rare. Not for the quarter
mile nature trail behind the building with all the trees and bushes neatly marked
with common and scientific names. Not even for the attached visitors center next
door with it’s vast amount of brochures and pamphlets, or even the replica life
size fire tower room, completely outfitted and ready for someone to move in.
The marvel is that all this exists at all. There is no big timber sponsor pouring
corporate funds into it as a way of advertising. The entire complex is simply not
funded by anybody in particular, and guess what? There’s no admission.
Just a donation jar by the sign in book. As we passed through the front door of the
museum we were met by the smiling face of Sherrill Fouts, the museum
manager, guide, and fixer of small problems around the place. With some
prodding, we were able to get an insight to how all this came about.
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