The community is located on the Olympic Peninsula at the head of Quilcene Bay, an arm of the seawater-filled glacial valley of the Hood Canal. Each year many visitors enjoy the panoramic views of Mount Rainier, Puget Sound and Seattle from the summit of nearby Mount Walker, the only peak facing the Puget Sound that has a road to its summit. The Olympic National Forest lands in Quilcene hold Douglas fir, spring-blooming Pacific rhododendrons, Oregon grape, and salal. Leland Lake is located north of Quilcene.