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The city of Forks is the largest settlement near the western side of Olympic National Park. It makes a great base to visit the park. We spent two nights there and found it to be very centrally located.
Introduction to Forks
The land making up Forks was once inhabited by the Quileute tribe. By January 1878, when Luther and Esther Ford claimed a 160-acre homestead, there were already trappers living in the area. The settlement was originally known as Ford’s Prairie, but the name Forks was chosen due to the location near a fork of three rivers. The Quileute ceded their territory and moved to a reservation in 1889.
The timber industry dominated the local economy starting in the late 19th century until Grover Cleveland forbade claiming of timber in the Olympic Peninsula. The current town was laid out in 1912 where the Whittier homestead once stood. Forks grew in population and modernized in the 1920s and 30s, especially with the construction of the Olympic Loop Highway (U.S. 101) in 1931.
The town was officially incorporated on August 7, 1945. The timber industry boomed from the 1950s to 1970s, but changes in environmental policy caused a significant decline in the 1980s and 1990s. Timber is still a crucial part of the local economy, but not nearly as important as in the past.
Today, Forks is a great base for visiting the western side of Olympic National Park. It’s also popular with fans of Stephenie Meyer‘s Twilight series, attracting visitors from all over the world.
Forks Visitor Center
The visitor center is located at the Chamber of Commerce building on the south side of town, next to the Forks Timber Museum. There, you can find brochures about things to do in and out of town as well as Twilight memorabilia for sale. The enthusiastic volunteers are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Where to Stay in Forks
There are some decent options for accommodation in town.
Town Motel
We stayed at the Town Motel, which offered the most reasonable rates during our stay. The owner was friendly and the room was cozy, but it lacked cleanliness. The price was decent for a triple room (two queen beds).
Where to Eat in Forks
At the time of our visit, most restaurants closed early, around 7-8pm, so our choices were limited.
Taquería Santa Ana (Permanently Closed)
For our first dinner, we stopped into Taquería Santa Ana. The service was friendly and enthusiastic but the food was well below par. I had a taco plate while Marisol had enchiladas.
Forks Coffee Shop (Permanently Closed)
For an early morning breakfast before heading to the Makah Reservation, we ate at Forks Coffee Shop. Breakfast was huge and greasy, and service was a little surly.
Sully’s Drive-In
We had our second dinner at Sully’s Drive-In, which specializes in burgers. It seemed to be the hottest place in town to eat and it was full when we arrived. The burgers we had were decent, and the ice cream was good as well.
Forks Outfitters
A good store in town to gear up for hiking and camping is Forks Outfitters and the attached supermarket, Thriftway. They should have what you need.
Forks Timber Museum
The biggest attraction in Forks other than the Twilight-related sites is the Forks Timber Museum. This modest museum on the southern edge of town educates visitors on the history of the town and the local logging industry. Admission is US$5 and free for kids under 13 (as of January 2025). It’s open daily year-round
The museum starts out by describing pioneer life in the region. There are artifacts from the history of Forks as well as old photographs on display.
The section about logging is very interesting, especially since Forks was once known as the “logging capital of the world”. We learned a lot about the tools and machinery used by loggers as well as the dangers faced. Daily life for loggers is also covered. On the second floor, you can see an unfinished canoe carved by Native Americans that was discovered by loggers.
Entrance to the museum covers a visit to an original fire watchtower that once stood in the area. Items used by the watch person are inside, including bedding, radio equipment, and supplies.
Outside of the museum, there are a few things to see. First, there’s a short nature walk followed by a huge hollowed out log as well as a tree cabin. Next to the Forks visitor center, you’ll find a memorial to timber industry workers who lost their lives on the job.
Twilight and Forks
There’s no doubt that Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga is popular, selling more than 100 million copies worldwide in over 50 countries and being converted into films. Thanks to Twilight, Forks, the setting for the series, is known for vampires more than anything else. Enthusiasts have been flocking to the remote town to get a glimpse of the places featured in the books and movies and to learn more about their favorite characters.
A map for a self-guided Twilight tour is available at the visitor center on the south side of town, next to the Forks Timber Museum. The map has a few different places you can see in town. If you’re expecting to see the places shown in the movies, you’ll be disappointed because they’re based on their description in the books. The actual movie locations are elsewhere. If you decide to visit these places while in Forks, please be respectful because they are real houses and businesses.
Twilight Locations in Forks
Normally, I would skip this kind of attraction, but Marisol is a huge Twilight fan so we took some time to drive around town and check out the sights. All in all, it took us about 30 minutes to see everything. First, outside the visitor center, you can see two trucks belonging to the main character, Bella Swan. One of them is the truck as described in the book while the other is the one used in the movies.
From there, we visited four places on the map. Our first stop was at the Swan house, located at 775 “K” Street. This is supposedly where Bella lived.
Nearby, we drove past the Forks Community Hospital. Many scenes take place in the hospital and it’s where Carlisle Cullen works.
On the other side of town, we stopped by the Cullen house, where vampire Edward Cullen and his adoptive family lived. The building is now a bed and breakfast, the Miller Tree Inn.
A short drive away is Forks High School, where Bella and Edward go to school. We also paid a visit to Forks Outfitters, where Bella worked.
Forever Twilight in Forks Collection
If you want to see real costumes and props from the Twilight movies, head to the Rainforest Arts Center. The Forever Twilight in Forks Collection features items purchased at auction including motorcycles, clothing, and more. It’s open daily in summer from noon to 4pm, and in winter on Fridays from 2 to 4pm and Saturdays from noon to 4pm. Admission is free (as of February 2025) but donations are accepted.
Twilight Souvenirs
For shopping, there are a few souvenir shops offering t-shirts, movie posters, keychains, mugs, and the usual trinkets. The best quality memorabilia can be found at a shop across from the Rainforest Arts Center, Native to Twilight, which also sells Native American crafts and Olympic National Park souvenirs. Another shop near the high school offered guided Twilight tours at a steep price and seemed to have cheaply made items. Souvenirs are also available at the visitor center.
