When lamenting my delay in beginning to paint seriously again, an artist friend told me–  you needed time to fill up.  Looking back on the experiences of the last five years, I realized how very right she was.  Florida has its own beauties and is inspirational in its own right, but it wasn’t until we began traveling the Northwest that something long buried was awakened in me.

My first job in the art and design world post-college was as a photo researcher for a stock image licensing company.  I worked in the editorial department, selecting images for publishers of books and magazines. I distinctly remember being especially enthralled by images from the Northwest, specifically Olympic National Park.  I was particularly taken with the images from the Hoh Rainforest— a rainforest?  In the US?  I knew I wanted to see it.

We’ve been lucky enough to live a close distance to the Olympics twice now, the first time being our very first travel gig.  We made our way to ONP as much as we could during those first thirteen weeks, we hiked and backpacked, taken in by the cool, lush, fern covered forests, turquoise Hoh River, and towering Olympic Mountains.

I had my first from-the-trail bear sighting in the Olympics.  The feeling there is of a primeval wilderness, something out of another time.  Driving into the park, you lose cell service and don’t miss it.  You are transported to a different century.

Not being a “major” national park, there is a peace and a sense of quiet in the Olympics that can be hard to find in the more popular parks like Yosemite and Yellowstone.  What you hear is only the rush of a waterfall, the rustle of the wind through the forest, your breath as your climb.

The Olympics continue to inspire and inform my work, the lushness and sense of quiet, its coolness and mystery.

favorite trail  |  Staircase Trail
There may be more dramatic and challenging hikes in ONP but this one holds a special place in my heart. We took to this hike on a sprinkly Fall morning and after a hectic summer in Seattle, the quiet and peace we found was exactly what was needed.  The trail leads past enormous felled cedars, fern covered forest floors, rocky riverbeds.

don’t forget your  |  Layers and rain gear
The weather in ONP can be variable and unpredictable, temperatures range depending on the area of the park and elevation.  The Hoh Rainforest gets an average of 144″ of rain per year, so definitely make sure you have your rain gear when venturing into the Hoh.

what i love most  |  What the water brings
The wet atmosphere of the Olympics provides the ideal conditions for a lush, incredibly green forest.  The ferns and mosses make my heart happy, especially when sunlight streams through amidst the misty rain.

Have you been to Olympic National Park?  What was your impression?  Favorite area?  I’m always on the lookout for tips because I never know when we’ll be back on the Olympic Peninsula!

To see more images of the places that have inspired the LATITUDE show and series, follow the #findinglatitude hashtag on Instagram!

All images by me.