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.