A spa facility located in the wettest region of the U.S. mainland.
It is located within the temperate rainforest of Olympic National Park.
Spa Facility in National Park
The Olympic Peninsula, which includes the westernmost point of the continental United States, lies across Puget Sound from Seattle.
Taking the ferry from Seattle Ferry Terminal to Bainbridge Island is a shortcut, taking about three and a half hours.
Taking the detour via Olympia is about a 4-hour drive.
Sol Duck Hot Springs is a resort located within Olympic National Park, which occupies most of the peninsula's area.
A separate national park entrance fee ($30.00 per vehicle) is required (staff may not always be present).
Within the park, there is also a group of wild hot springs called Olympic Hot Springs, but since the 2017 flood washed away the road, access by car has been impossible.
As a result, reaching Olympic Hot Springs currently requires a 9-mile one-way hike from Madison Falls parking lot, making it difficult.
On the other hand, access to the well-developed Sol Duc Hot Springs is easy.
Please note that they are closed for winter and only operate from April to October.
The hot springs used by the Native American Quileute tribe drew the attention of pioneers in the 1880s, and a five-star hotel was built there in 1912.
The enormous hotel with 164 rooms burned down in just four years, and it is said that none of the buildings constructed afterward could match the luxury of that era.
It was purchased by the National Park Service in 1966 and remains so to this day.
Sol Duck Hot Springs offers walk-ins as well as lodging options including cabins and an RV park.
Walk-in is available for 1.5 hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
Adult admission is $18.00 (at time of writing), and reservations are not available.
Wild Hot Springs also Found
All pool areas are outdoors, and clothing is required.
Overnight guests are free to use the pools.
They consisted of one swimming pool and three circular pools with different temperature settings.
The water temp at the outlet was 120 degrees F.
A distinct sulfur smell was noticeable.
No chlorine odor was detected.
The modern pools may seem dull at first glance, but look up and you'll see beautiful mountains.
This is one of the wettest regions in the continental United States, where temperate rainforests thrive.
It's no wonder the place is packed with guests on weekends.
By the way, I found it strange that near the cabin where I was staying, the smell of rotten eggs was much stronger than around the pool area.
Following my intuition, I stepped into the grass.
The water temp was 106 degrees F.
A hidden wild hot spring with just enough flow for soaking was concealed.
Summary
Sol Duc Hot Springs, Port Angeles, Washington, U.S.
My rating
Type: Lodging, Walk-in
Rule: Clothing requreid
Chemical use: Not detected
Water temp: Up to 120 degrees F
