rkoreis
New member
It was about 15 years ago, my last HRNP visit on a CLEAR day. Been there since but the weather was closed in and views were not good. The bear was indeed there on the trail above the visitor center en route to ridge. LOTS of deer too, all over the place, even in parking lot. The Ranger was present on the trail that day, warning of bear issues and the one present. Randy
Never meant to suggest that you didn't see a bear. I'm just saying that the OP will most likely not see one. Or maybe my presence frightens them off. I've been to Yellowstone/Grand Teton twice and have yet to see a bear there. Packed in to Enchanted Valley in ONP, a place where the rangers are adamant about bear wire use, and didn't see a bear. But as you mention, the deer are omnipresent. It's kinda weird to get out of your tent in the middle of the night to relieve yourself and have a deer come up to within a few feet, waiting for you to finish.
One of the best things about Olympic is that it is not so overrun with tourists like some other parks.
Oh, yeah, if the OP is camping, there is a nice county campground with showers out at Dungeness Spit. Not far to the west of Port Angeles. http://www.clallam.net/Parks/Dungeness.html#CampInfo