Washington · United States
Olympic 101 Lake Crescent
US 101Port Angeles to Fairholme
US 101 hugging a deep glacial lake’s wooded shore.
This section of US 101 runs west from Port Angeles into Olympic National Park, tracing the south shore of Lake Crescent, a glacial lake about 12 miles long and over 600 feet deep. The two-lane road curves close to the blue-green water beneath forested ridges before reaching Fairholm at the west end. Mind the tight lakeside curves, wet forest road in frequent rain, and traffic stopping at trailheads.
Scenery
LakesForestMountain
Best seasons
SpringSummerAutumn
In these collections
Where it runs26.6 mi · point to point
Port AngelesStart · Washington
FairholmeEnd · Washington
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Corners40bends
Tightness4of 10
Max gradient6%≈ 1-in-17
Climb401 mtotal ascent
Summit243.9 mhighest point of the line · 800 ft
Corners
busiest around mile 22Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%61.7 – 243.9 mFrom the road
Points of interest1 stop
- Marymere FallsViewpoint20 mi in
Hazards
- Tight curves along the lakeshore
- Wet road in frequent rain
- Traffic stopping at trailheads
Sources
“Lake Crescent Highway is one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
Driving the Olympic 101 Lake Crescent: quick answers
How long does it take to drive the Olympic 101 Lake Crescent?
Olympic 101 Lake Crescent runs 26.6 miles (43 km) and takes about 51 min to drive without stops.
How difficult is the Olympic 101 Lake Crescent to drive?
We rate it easy: 40 corners, a maximum gradient of 6%, and a tightness of 4 out of 10.
When is the best time to drive the Olympic 101 Lake Crescent?
Spring and Summer and Autumn are best.
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Olympic 101 Lake Crescent
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