Picnic area · Olympic National Park
A picnic table above the river’s fast, foamy run.
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
Sol Duc River View: A Picnic Above the Water“You're approaching Sol Duc River View Picnic Area, a simple stop above the rushing river. If you've brought lunch, there's a picnic table looking down toward the whitewater between forested banks.”
Plays as you drive up to Sol Duc River View Picnic Area in the Parkwolf Olympic Tour Guide.
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Guide
Sol Duc River View Picnic Area is a picnic stop above the rushing Sol Duc River, with a picnic table and a view down to the water. I'd use it as a brief pause on the Sol Duc Valley drive; this is a place to sit for a few minutes, not plan a full afternoon around.
The river moves quickly through forested banks below the stop. For a photo, keep some of the bank with the whitewater so the flow reads as part of the valley rather than a patch of water.
Coho use the Sol Duc River on their way toward lakes and mountain headwaters. Salmon Cascades is the separate viewing platform for watching them leap upstream, about five miles along Sol Duc Road; spring and fall are the salmon seasons to look for there.
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
EasySalmon Cascades Trail0.1 mi · 15 min · 0.5 mi awayA tiny accessible walk to a waterfall and seasonal salmon.
ChallengingNorth Fork Sol Duc River Trail to Second Ford12.5 mi · 7 hr · 1.5 mi awayA 12.5-mile river out-and-back to the second ford.
EasyAncient Groves Nature Trail0.6 mi · 45 min · 2 mi awayA mossy forest loop with a much hillier tread than it looks.
ModerateFairholme Campground Loop0.8 mi · 45 min · 3.1 mi awayOld-growth forest on a short loop that rises more than expected.
ChallengingAurora Ridge Trail16.9 mi · 12 hr · 3.7 mi awayA long, quiet ridge climb with optional lake and peak detours.
ChallengingPyramid Peak Trail7 mi · 4.5 hr · 4.2 mi awayA steep climb to a WWII lookout above Lake Crescent.
ChallengingAurora Creek Trail6.8 mi · 6 hr · 4.5 mi awayA shaded leg-burner to the Aurora Ridge junction.
Sight · 0.5 mi awaySalmon CascadesA short platform stop for the cascades and coho run.
Picnic area · 0.8 mi awayPicnic Area along Sol Duc RiverA picnic break beside the Sol Duc River.
Store · 2.9 mi awayFairholme StoreA handy seasonal stop for Lake Crescent supplies and boat rentals.
Sight · 2.9 mi awayFairholme Boat LaunchGet on the water before Lake Crescent’s afternoon wind rises
Campground · 3 mi awayFairholme CampgroundLakeside sites trade a steep gear carry for Lake Crescent access.
Picnic area · 3.3 mi awayLa Poel Picnic AreaFire rings, tree shade, and a glimpse of Lake Crescent.
Entrance station · 3.4 mi awaySol Duc Entrance StationA staffed fee stop before the Sol Duc Valley drive.
Sight · 3.4 mi awaySol Duc Entrance Interpretive ExhibitNine panels make a useful first stop in Sol Duc Valley.Parkwolf’s Olympic ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
