101 highway from olympia to north entrance of park

[Jenanne]

Is it ok for a 40 ft rv with tow to go up 101 on east side of Olympic national Park or is it better to take Highway five all the way up going into the northern entrance of the park

[Finally_Time]

This is getting me confused and I live in the Olympia area.

To answer Jenanne's question. There is no problem going up the east side of Olympic Nat's Park on Highway 101 in a 40 footer with a tow. It is mainly two lanes. It can be a little narrow at times, and there are a couple of narrow bridges, but there is nothing that is unsafe.

If you are coming from the south on I-5 take exit 104 (Highway 101 north) and stay on it all the way the the park's northern entrance at Port Angeles.

[rhagfo]

Tom/Barb wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
I-5 joins highway 20 at Burlington, (west) that will take you to the parks north entrance at Port Angeles, that's how you get to hurricane ridge.I don't understand - Why go through Seattle to Burlington and down 20 through Whidbey Island to the ferry?

Keep in mind, coming up 101, you will join route 3 coming off the hood canal bridge and go west, until you connect with highway 20 coming west from Port Townsend, there is no need to go all the way to P/T, to get to Port Angeles and the north entrance of the park.
You'll save an hour and a half.Why would you take I5/101 and then 3 to the East side of the Hood Canal Bridge and then West vs just staying on 101?

What am I missing?

Your not missing anything, the best route to the north entrance to ONP is up the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, with much of the trip along Hood Canal. We live in Oregon now and I use this 101 bypass to avoid driving through the greater Seattle/Bellevue area.
True no need to go off 101 to Port Townsend, unless one wants to spend some time at the SP on the edge of town.

Look at a map. 101 north on the east side joins 3, which on a map is 104 and then 20 at discovery bay going to Port Angeles . There is no need to go to Port Townsend.

As the OP asked, I-5 is doable. 20 is how it is done.

Drove this way too many time doing IT service for Safeway. The route from I5 north is take Hwy 12 West in Olympia, then 101 North (Shelton exit) then it is just 101 North all the way to the Park entrance. Otherwise it is a long detour through Bremerton and over the Hood Canal floating bridge.

[Tom_Barb]

rhagfo wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
I-5 joins highway 20 at Burlington, (west) that will take you to the parks north entrance at Port Angeles, that's how you get to hurricane ridge.I don't understand - Why go through Seattle to Burlington and down 20 through Whidbey Island to the ferry?

Keep in mind, coming up 101, you will join route 3 coming off the hood canal bridge and go west, until you connect with highway 20 coming west from Port Townsend, there is no need to go all the way to P/T, to get to Port Angeles and the north entrance of the park.
You'll save an hour and a half.Why would you take I5/101 and then 3 to the East side of the Hood Canal Bridge and then West vs just staying on 101?

What am I missing?

Your not missing anything, the best route to the north entrance to ONP is up the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, with much of the trip along Hood Canal. We live in Oregon now and I use this 101 bypass to avoid driving through the greater Seattle/Bellevue area.
True no need to go off 101 to Port Townsend, unless one wants to spend some time at the SP on the edge of town.

Look at a map. 101 north on the east side joins 3, which on a map is 104 and then 20 at discovery bay going to Port Angeles . There is no need to go to Port Townsend.

As the OP asked, I-5 is doable. 20 is how it is done.

[rhagfo]

CA Traveler wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
I-5 joins highway 20 at Burlington, (west) that will take you to the parks north entrance at Port Angeles, that's how you get to hurricane ridge.I don't understand - Why go through Seattle to Burlington and down 20 through Whidbey Island to the ferry?

Keep in mind, coming up 101, you will join route 3 coming off the hood canal bridge and go west, until you connect with highway 20 coming west from Port Townsend, there is no need to go all the way to P/T, to get to Port Angeles and the north entrance of the park.
You'll save an hour and a half.Why would you take I5/101 and then 3 to the East side of the Hood Canal Bridge and then West vs just staying on 101?

What am I missing?

Your not missing anything, the best route to the north entrance to ONP is up the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, with much of the trip along Hood Canal. We live in Oregon now and I use this 101 bypass to avoid driving through the greater Seattle/Bellevue area.
True no need to go off 101 to Port Townsend, unless one wants to spend some time at the SP on the edge of town.

[CA_Traveler]

Tom/Barb wrote:
I-5 joins highway 20 at Burlington, (west) that will take you to the parks north entrance at Port Angeles, that's how you get to hurricane ridge.I don't understand - Why go through Seattle to Burlington and down 20 through Whidbey Island to the ferry?

Keep in mind, coming up 101, you will join route 3 coming off the hood canal bridge and go west, until you connect with highway 20 coming west from Port Townsend, there is no need to go all the way to P/T, to get to Port Angeles and the north entrance of the park.
You'll save an hour and a half.Why would you take I5/101 and then 3 to the East side of the Hood Canal Bridge and then West vs just staying on 101?

What am I missing?

[rhagfo]

Tom/Barb wrote:
101 from Olympia to Port Townsend is easily doable with a 40' with towed.. we do it often. It is a slow go in places, slow down and enjoy the scenery.

This is a great way to go, big semi's run it all the time

Tom/Barb wrote:
I-5 north from Olympia to port Townsend is doable thru Seattle, north to Burlington and #20 west, Ferry ride dumps you in Port Townsend.

This is an insane route to the north entrance to ONP! We have used the turn left at Olympia and catch 101 up the east side of the Olympic Peninsula to Port Townsend to avoid the crazy JBLM, Tacoma, Seattle traffic! There are a couple narrow bridges near Hama Hama, but a BEAUTIFUL RELAXING drive.

[Tom_Barb]

Ed_Gee wrote:

Jenanne wrote:
Is it ok for a 40 ft rv with tow to go up 101 on east side of Olympic national Park or is it better to take Highway five all the way up going into the northern entrance of the park

Guess I don't understand the question. Near as I knew, Interstate 5 doesn't go anywhere near Olympic National Park....its on the wrong side of Peuget Sound..... ???

I-5 joins highway 20 at Burlington, (west) that will take you to the parks north entrance at Port Angeles, that's how you get to hurricane ridge.

Keep in mind, coming up 101, you will join route 3 coming off the hood canal bridge and go west, until you connect with highway 20 coming west from Port Townsend, there is no need to go all the way to P/T, to get to Port Angeles and the north entrance of the park.
You'll save an hour and a half.

[Tom_Barb]

I-5 north from Olympia to port Townsend is doable thru Seattle, north to Burlington and #20 west, Ferry ride dumps you in Port Townsend.

[Tom_Barb]

101 from Olympia to Port Townsend is easily doable with a 40' with towed.. we do it often. It is a slow go in places, slow down and enjoy the scenery.

[CA_Traveler]

Jenanne wrote:
Is it ok for a 40 ft rv with tow to go up 101 on east side of Olympic national Park or is it better to take Highway five all the way up going into the northern entrance of the park

101 on the West side of the Park or I5 to 101 at Olympia on the East side or some other route including ferries?

The Olympia route is good.

I always thought that the 101 loop around most of the the Olympic Peninsula and heading south was an interesting way to end after starting at the Mexican border! :R

Or does 101 start at Olympia, head north, loop around Olympic Peninsula, head south and end at the Mexican border?

[Ed_Gee]

Jenanne wrote:
Is it ok for a 40 ft rv with tow to go up 101 on east side of Olympic national Park or is it better to take Highway five all the way up going into the northern entrance of the park

Guess I don't understand the question. Near as I knew, Interstate 5 doesn't go anywhere near Olympic National Park....its on the wrong side of Peuget Sound..... ???

[Lwiddis]

Pay attention, keep your speed down and you’ll be fine on this beautiful drive.

[Two_Hands]

We drove that area last summer with no problems. Curves and narrow areas and some traffic sections will slow you down, but we enjoyed the drive. Be safe.