Built-in 1926 the Lake Quinault Lodge near Olympic National Park offers you the opportunity to stay within the park and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
This part of Washington State is hard to describe it is so beautiful. Located in the Olympic National Forest this historic lodge is located on the shore of Lake Quinault.
The lodge built in 1926 has multiple room options including rooms with Lake Quinault views! How can you go wrong waking up with a view out over the water?
Lake Quinault Lodge is located 90 minutes from the Hoh Temperate Rainforest via highway 101. This is a great place to stay during a trip to the park. You can easily reach the main attractions of the park while staying in a gorgeous ninety-year-old lodge.
Lake Quinault Lodge
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Don't miss the eagle rain gauge outside on the back deck.
It is crazy to see that the rain is measured in feet not inches.
There are a few types of rooms to choose from at the lodge. From lakeside rooms to boathouse rooms they all offer something a little different.
The lakeside building along with rooms in the grand and rustic lodge main building is truly amazing. this rustic lodge built almost a hundred years ago has 91 rooms total and one suite.
Lake Quinault Lodge Amenities
There is a heated pool, sauna and game room available for guests.
When the weather is lovely there are lawn games outside along with Adirondack chairs placed for the perfect view of the lake.
Lodge Fireplace Room with Lake View - King Bed
We stayed in a 1st-floor room with a semi-view of the lake and a fireplace. The bed was really comfortable and the room was really quiet.
I will say that the fireplace might not be worth the upgrade cost. It runs off the temperature of the room so if the room warms up the fireplace turns off. It then randomly turns on once the room cools down.
I don't think I would pay for the fireplace upgrade in the future.
Room amenities
- 1 King Bed
- Television
- Mini Fridge
- Heated Bathroom Floors
- Private Balcony or Patio
- Adjoining Rooms Available
Lake Quinault Lodge Restaurant - Roosevelt Dining Room
In 1937, President Roosevelt enjoyed lunch at the Lake Quinault dining room while touring the area. Nine months after his visit to the Olympic Peninsula he signed into law the creation of Olympic National Park.
The Roosevelt Dining Room has epic views of Lake Quinault. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
We enjoyed our meal at the Lake Quinault Lodge but it may not be the place we would be to return to. Our food tasted good but the price of it was a lot more than the flavor.
The prices felt a little high for the food that we received. I will tell you to definitely try the chocolate chip cookie skillet dessert.
Oh my goodness this was amazing!
I could have easily just ordered dessert and been happy with it.
Breakfast -7:30 am - 11:00 am
Lunch - 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Dinner -5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Things to know when planning a trip to Lake Quinault Lodge - Olympic National Park
Where is Lake Quinault Lodge?
Lake Quinault Lodge is located in Olympic National Park. The lodge is three hours from Seattle and three and a half hours from Portland.
How do I get to Lake Quinault Lodge?
From I-5 North or South, take exit 104 at Olympia (Aberdeen-Ocean Beaches) and head straight west to Aberdeen-Hoquiam.
From Hoquiam, go north on US 101 for 40 miles to milepost 125. Turn right on South Shore Road and go 2 miles to Lake Quinault Lodge.
Reservations - Make sure you make reservations on this site or by calling 1-888.896.3818
There are a few websites that show up if you google the lodge that charge an extra commission and are not through the actual concessionaire.
I almost booked through the wrong website and then realized that they were charging a commission for booking your room and also could not actually guarantee a room because they are not the actual lodge.
When we were checking in a few guests had booked through an online site that was not the lodges reservations and the lodge was unable to find their reservation.
Thankfully the lodge was not sold out and they were able to get them a room. I would definitely not try this in the summer when it is crazy busy.
Season - The Lake Quinault Lodge is open year-round.
Cancellation - $25 Cancellation Fee. Cancellation within 24 hours of arrival results in forfeiture of deposit.
Check-in time - 4:00 pm at the front desk of the main lodge
Check out time - 11:00 am
Pets - $25 non-refundable fee per pet per stay is due at check-in. Your pet must be leashed at all times. There is a 2 pet limit with no size restrictions. Pets are permitted in Boat House rooms only. Though they are not allowed in the Boat House Beverly Suite.
Smoking - All rooms and tours are non-smoking.
Wi-Fi - There is no WI-FI available in the guest rooms. There is Wi-Fi available in the hotel lobby.
Be prepared for the Wi-Fi to not be super strong. We did hear that Wi-Fi can be the strongest in the game room near the pool.
We had it work for a bit and then couldn't connect but we were good with it since the view of the lake was so amazing.
Be aware that your cell service may be limited during your stay. Make sure and let people know where you are staying and for how long.
There is pretty good cell service available in Forks, Washington.
Lake Quinault Lodge Phone Number - 360-288-2900
Lake Quinault Lodge Address - 345 South Shore Road, Quinault, WA 98575
Other great Olympic National Park lodging includes the Lake Crescent Lodge, Kalaloch Lodge, and the Log Cabin Resort.
Lake Quinault Lodge History
Lake Quinault Lodge is located in Quinault, Washington. The lodge sits on the banks of Lake Quinault and just miles outside of the Quinault Indian Nation Reservation, which owns the lake.
The lodge sits on the far northwestern side of Washington, less than 50 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It is also on the southern edge of Olympic National Park.
Lake Quinault is part of the only temperate rainforest habitat in the northern hemisphere. Today it offers 12 miles of gorgeous shoreline.
Outlying trails offer hiking around wetlands, dense forests and creek waterfalls. Lake Quinault is a deep lake which was formed by glacial dams and is fed by runoff from the Olympic Mountains. At the east end of the lake the Quinault River empties into it.
The native people here thrived for centuries due to the moderate climate and the abundance of resources from the land and ocean.
The native Quinault people needed to be skilled on the water in their coastal region. They crafted cedar canoes to navigate the waterways, as this was a better form of transportation to avoid the dense forests of the land.
The first white settler to come into the valley was a man named Alfred Noyes who arrived in 1888. He spent the winter of 1888-1889 trapping in the area. Joseph N. Locke arrived in 1889.
Numerous others followed and established “claims” and built cabins at the head of Lake Quinault.
The first hotel in the area was built in 1903 for visitors from nearby Grays Harbor and other towns to come dine and dance. The Olson family ran the two story wood frame lodge.
Years later they sold their property to the Seaman family and in 1924, the original structure burned.
In 1926, lumberman and mill owner Ralph Emerson of nearby Hoquiam, Washington bought out the Seamans and plans were made to build a larger lodge to accommodate a number of visitors to the area.
Architect Robert Reamer, who was famously associated with the design for Yellowston’s Old Faithful Inn, was involved in the lodge planning. Now famously known as “Parkitecture,” creating lodges using local materials blending in with its natural setting, was one of Reamer’s specialties.
Crews began work on the lodge on June 9, 1926 and a celebration with 500 in attendance inaugurated the hotel on August 18, 1926.
The lodge was built in just 53 days! Bonfires were lit at night during those 53 days so that crews could work day and night.
The goal was to complete the project before the seasonal rainy period began in the Pacific Northwest. Reamers’s design is associated with Colonial Revival traditions due to its symmetry, dormers and a copula.
The two story lodge resembles an X shape with the “great room” located in the center of the X. The front arms of the X face towards Lake Quinault for beautiful views.
The timber frame rests on a concrete foundation. Wood is a main feature inside the lodge as well with timber columns, wooden floors, and exposed timber beams. Reference to the indigenous people of the area, as was typical parts of this style architecture, is also shown in details outside.
A weathervane depicting a Native American shooting a bear with a bow and arrow sits on the belvedere. There is also a totem pole rain gauge attached to the main chimney. The only change to the lodge since 1926 has been a modification to the entryway and also work to remove ancient symbols seen around the reception area.
These ancient symbols were confused by some visitors with the swastika of Nazi Germany.
The lodge gained quick attention after its opening. One visitor was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who lunched at the lodge in October 1937.
It was this visit that apparently fueled Roosevelt’s action in establishing Olympic National Forest, although the lodge is not officially within the park’s boundaries.
Today’s dining area in the lodge is named the Roosevelt Dining Room. The adventures possible in the nearby National Forest of Olympia such as hiking, kayaking, and swimming might not be possible if not for Roosevelt’s visit to the Lake Quinault Lodge.
The area is also known as “Valley of the Rainforest Giants.” The biggest sitka spruce tree in the world is located here. The Big Spruce Tree is believed to be roughly 1,000 years old. It stands at 191 feet stall and over 17 feet in diameter.
In 2018, something mysterious happened in the woods near Lake Quinault Lodge.
During the early hours of January 27th, more than 100 enormous old growth trees fell near the northern edge of the lake.
The crash from these trees at about 1:30am was enough to register as a small earthquake. Meteorologists were completely baffled; a large wind event was suspected but it was proven that only a light breeze was recorded that night.
Various locals were quick to gossip theories of government equipment, tornadoes, a UFO, and even a troupe of Sasquatches.
Weeks later, climatologists believed that an offshore wind storm approached the lake from the south. Lake Quinault sits in between two large ridges.
Warm air, cool air, low pressure and reverse winds led to a mountain wave rover. Basically, dangerous rotating winds circulating under a wave crest. These transient winds seemed to only last for a few minutes but caused the damage of 100 trees.
A truly stunning and historically interesting area, the Quinault Valley was certainly a perfect area to build a lodge for visitors to appreciate the land for generations to come.
Additional Olympic National Park Resources
Check out all of the Olympic National Park Camping options. There are 14 campgrounds within the park
Olympic National Park Lodging - Check out our complete guide of all the places to stay within the park
Things to do in Olympic NP - Find out all of the top things to do in this great park.
Free National Park Days - Check out the 5 days a year the National Park Service waives entrance fees.
Most visited National Parks - Check out all of the top-visited parks in the United States
Moon Olympic Peninsula Guide Book
Olympic National Park trails map
Check out all of the Washington National Parks along with neighboring Oregon National Parks, Idaho National Parks, National Parks in Hawaii, and National Parks in Alaska
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