Sight · Olympic National Park
Get on the water before Lake Crescent’s afternoon wind rises
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Olympic Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Olympic National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Olympic audio tourRecorded for this place
Fairholme: Camping and Lake Access“Fairholme is coming up at Lake Crescent's west end, with camping in old-growth forest and a separate public boat launch.”
Plays as you drive up to Fairholme Boat Launch in the Parkwolf Olympic Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Fairholme Boat Launch is a small-boat launch on the west end of Lake Crescent, reached from US 101 via Camp David Jr. Road. It serves canoes, kayaks and small boats. There is a picnic table, and the Fairholme General Store is nearby. Launch parking is also used for campground overflow. Fairholme Campground sits beside the launch, but day-use access to its restrooms and drinking water is not clear, so don’t count on them.
Mornings are often calmer; afternoon wind can quickly raise waves to a foot or more. Lake Crescent stays below 50°F, so check conditions and use cold-water protection such as a wetsuit or drysuit. Motorized boats are allowed, with a 5 mph, no-wake limit within 300 feet of shore.
This is a deep, clear lake shaped by glaciers: ice sheets cut its steep basin, which reaches 624 feet below the surface. That depth and the cold water are part of what makes a cautious launch worthwhile.
Wildlife
710 sightingsOlympic MarmotMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
30 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
42 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around noonSighting map
23 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
71 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
306 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Olympic. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateFairholme Campground Loop0.8 mi · 45 min · 0.2 mi awayOld-growth forest on a short loop that rises more than expected.
ChallengingPyramid Peak Trail7 mi · 4.5 hr · 2.7 mi awayA steep climb to a WWII lookout above Lake Crescent.
EasySalmon Cascades Trail0.1 mi · 15 min · 3.2 mi awayA tiny accessible walk to a waterfall and seasonal salmon.
ChallengingAurora Ridge Trail16.9 mi · 12 hr · 3.6 mi awayA long, quiet ridge climb with optional lake and peak detours.
EasyOlympic Discovery Trail — Lake Crescent West6.5 mi · 3 hr · 3.7 mi awayA paved wheelchair-accessible link follows Lake Crescent’s north shore.
ChallengingAurora Creek Trail6.8 mi · 6 hr · 3.8 mi awayA shaded leg-burner to the Aurora Ridge junction.
ChallengingNorth Fork Sol Duc River Trail to Second Ford12.5 mi · 7 hr · 4 mi awayA 12.5-mile river out-and-back to the second ford.
EasyAncient Groves Nature Trail0.6 mi · 45 min · 4.5 mi awayA mossy forest loop with a much hillier tread than it looks.
Store · 0.1 mi awayFairholme StoreA handy seasonal stop for Lake Crescent supplies and boat rentals.
Campground · 0.2 mi awayFairholme CampgroundLakeside sites trade a steep gear carry for Lake Crescent access.
Sight · 1.9 mi awaySol Duc Entrance Interpretive ExhibitNine panels make a useful first stop in Sol Duc Valley.
Entrance station · 2 mi awaySol Duc Entrance StationA staffed fee stop before the Sol Duc Valley drive.
Picnic area · 2.5 mi awayLa Poel Picnic AreaFire rings, tree shade, and a glimpse of Lake Crescent.
Picnic area · 2.8 mi awayNorth Shore Day Use AreaA dockside picnic break on a deep, glacial lake.
Picnic area · 2.9 mi awaySol Duc River View Picnic AreaA picnic table above the river’s fast, foamy run.
Sight · 3.2 mi awaySalmon CascadesA short platform stop for the cascades and coho run.Parkwolf’s Olympic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
