West of Port Angeles the highway climbs into forest and the character of the ride changes. This stretch hugs the northern edge of the Olympic Mountains, and the road alternates between tall evergreens, small creek crossings and sudden glimpses of Lake Crescent, a deep and strikingly clear glacial lake whose water is a cold blue-green. The lake is only a short distance on, and it is among the best parts of the whole loop.
The riding here is a real pleasure. The road is two-lane, mostly well surfaced, and it follows the contours of the hills with long, rolling bends and a few tighter ones that need attention. Trees close over the road in places, and in the morning the light filters through the branches in a way that makes the tarmac patchy with shadow, which can hide a damp spot or a bit of loose gravel.
The Olympic Peninsula holds one of the largest remaining areas of temperate rainforest in the Northern Hemisphere on its western slopes, and the park contains glaciers, wild beaches and herds of Roosevelt elk. Here on the north side the forest is drier than the famous Hoh, but the scale of the trees is still impressive: old Douglas firs and western hemlocks thick enough that two people could not link arms around them.
Nature sets the schedule. The weather can change in minutes, and a morning of sunshine can become an afternoon of drizzle, so waterproofs belong in the pannier. Summer and early autumn are the best seasons, and the lake is calm at dawn. Pull over only at the signed turnouts, since the road has little shoulder and blind bends, and be respectful of the cyclists and campers who share it.