Grand Olympic Loop | 373 Miles Around Washington’s Olympic Peninsula

In June 2026, I set out on an 11-day solo bicycle tour around Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, starting and finishing in Gig Harbor. By the end of the journey, I had covered 373 miles and climbed 20,056 feet. This was my third bikepacking/bicycle touring adventure. In 2024, I rode roughly 200 miles of the Cross Washington Adventure Route (XWA). In 2025, I completed a 340-mile circuit through the North Cascades. This Olympic Loop was my longest and most challenging tour yet. Of those 11 days, 8 were actual riding days. I took a rest day at Lake Crescent, and two rest days at Lake Quinault. Those pauses proved just as important as the miles themselves, providing time to explore on foot, recover, and simply enjoy being in some of the most beautiful places on the Peninsula. One thing that makes these trips especially meaningful to me is the bicycle itself. I’m riding my late father’s Gary Fisher Supercaliber, built sometime around 1991 or 1992. Every tour feels like a continuation of a journey that we never got to take together. Before he got sick, we had started talking about a trip to Peru. We weren’t talking about cycling there—just visiting and exploring. But as my touring skills and fitness continue to grow, I find myself wondering… Preparation for this trip consisted of about two months of riding and training. Starting in April from a non-riding status, I began increasing the miles, and then gradually increased the load/weight throughout May. It was enough to get me around the Peninsula, but in hindsight another month of consistent preparation would have made the final days a bit more enjoyable. The heat, cumulative fatigue, and long miles eventually caught up with me, especially during the final stretch between Lake Quinault, Lake Sylvia, Shelton, and home. On the final day, after three days of riding in 90 degree temperatures, I decided to give myself a break and caught a free bus from Shelton to Belfair before riding the final 28 miles home. Had I ridden every mile of the planned route, the total would have been around 390 miles. A brief note about the video itself: Although I am an avid photographer & videographer, when I’m on these trips I prioritize my personal experience over documentation. I don’t stop every few miles to set up a camera and film myself riding past - and then backtrack to collect equipment. I don’t really have the discipline for that, and it takes me out of the experience. On rainy days, I often took very little footage at all because my priority was staying warm - and protecting my phone! As a result, this film doesn’t document every mile of the journey. Instead, it’s a collection of the moments that naturally presented themselves along the way. The route included: • Kitsap Peninsula • Hood Canal Bridge • Olympic Discovery Trail • Lake Crescent • Forks • Hoh Rainforest area • Pacific Coast beaches • Lake Quinault • Lake Sylvia State Park • Shelton and South Puget Sound What draws me back to these journeys each year isn’t simply the scenery or the challenge. These rides have become something closer to a rolling pilgrimage. Part adventure, part endurance challenge, part retreat. There is an abundance of solitude out there. Long hours of pedaling create space for reflection, meditation, gratitude, grief, problem-solving, and even healing. The bicycle becomes both transportation and teacher. Not every day is magical. Some days are cold and wet. Some are hot and exhausting. Breaking camp can feel like an overwhelming chore. Some days are simply about getting the foot on the pedal and continuing down the road. Yet those difficult days often become the ones that stay with us the longest. If you’re considering your first bikepacking or bicycle touring adventure, my advice is simple: you don’t need to be an elite cyclist. Start where you are, prepare as best you can, and allow yourself to discover what happens when you spend several days moving through the world at bicycle speed. Thanks for riding along. Itinerary: 1. Gig Harbor to Kitsap Memorial State Park — 47.3 miles; Elevation Gain 3,415 ft 2. Kitsap Park to Port Angeles -- 54.25 miles; Elevation Gain 3,038 ft 3. Port Angeles to Lake Crescent -- 40.8 miles; Elevation Gain 2,333 ft 4. Rest Day 5. Lake Crescent to Hoh Oxbow campground 47.77 miles; Elevation Gain 1,972 ft 6. Hoh Oxbow to Lake Quinault -- 53.1 miles; Elevation Gain 2,365 ft 7. Rest Day -- 1.3 miles from campground to cabin (Rainforest Resort) 8. Rest Day 9. Lake Quinault to Lake Sylvia State Park (Montesano) -- 52.5 miles; Elevation Gain 2,766 ft 10. Lake Sylvia to Shelton -- 48.25 miles; Elevation Gain 2,031 ft 11. (Shelton to Belfair by bus) Belfair to Gig Harbor -- 27.6 miles; Elevation Gain 2,136 ft