Olympic
Glacier-capped peaks, temperate rain forest and wild Pacific beaches in one park.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- $30 per car
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 922,650 acres
Olympic Weather Now
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Olympic protects three very different worlds: the glaciated Olympic Mountains, the temperate rain forests of the western valleys, and more than 70 miles of wild Pacific coastline. Because the peninsula was isolated by ice and water, it has plants and animals found nowhere else, such as the Olympic marmot. Mount Olympus, at 7,980 feet, catches storms off the ocean and feeds glaciers that still carve the range. Most of the park is designated wilderness, and no road crosses it.
A typical visit is a loop on Highway 101, dipping into the park from the north, west and south. You can stand in alpine meadows in the morning and on a foggy beach by evening. The Hoh valley gets around 12 feet of rain a year, yet the northeast side of the peninsula sits in a rain shadow and is far drier. The Elwha River dam removals here were among the largest in the world, and salmon have returned upstream.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- July through September brings the driest weather, open high-country roads and wildflowers at Hurricane Ridge.
- How long to stay
- Plan three to four days to cover the mountains, rain forest and coast.
- Getting there
- Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is the main airport, about 2.5 to 3 hours to Port Angeles via ferry or the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Portland International (PDX) is about 3.5 to 4 hours to the Quinault area.
- Wildlife
- Look for Roosevelt elk in the Hoh and Quinault valleys, black-tailed deer and Olympic marmots at Hurricane Ridge, and sea otters, seals and tide pool life along the coast.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
- Hotels in Port Angeles (opens in a new tab)Washington
- Hotels in Forks (opens in a new tab)Washington
- Hotels in Sequim (opens in a new tab)Washington
- Lodges inside the park (opens in a new tab)Official NPS list
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Olympic
- Waterproof rain jacketRain is likely in every part of the park for much of the year.
- Waterproof hiking bootsTrails in the rain forest and on the coast are often muddy and wet.
- Tide chart booklet or appCoastal hikes depend on low tide to round headlands safely.
- Layered fleeceTemperatures swing widely between the beach and Hurricane Ridge on the same day.
- Dry bagKeeps your phone and camera dry in steady drizzle and sea spray.
A first day, start to finish
- Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles
- Hurricane Ridge and the Hurricane Hill trail
- Lake Crescent and Marymere Falls
- Sol Duc Falls
- Sunset at Ruby Beach or Rialto Beach
Don't miss
- Hurricane RidgeA 17-mile paved road climbs from Port Angeles to about 5,240 feet, with meadows and views of Mount Olympus and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
- Hoh Rain ForestThe 0.8-mile Hall of Mosses loop winds through Sitka spruce and bigleaf maples draped in moss in one of the wettest spots in the lower 48.
- Lake Crescent and Marymere FallsA deep, glacier-carved lake right off Highway 101, with an easy 1.8-mile round trip walk to a 90-foot waterfall.
- Ruby BeachA short path leads to a driftwood-strewn beach with sea stacks, the most photographed stop on the Kalaloch coast.
- Sol Duc FallsA 1.6-mile round trip forest walk ends at a bridge over a three-channel waterfall dropping into a narrow canyon.
Know before you go
Do
- Pack rain gear in every season, especially for the Hoh and the coast.
- Check a tide chart before hiking any beach, since some headlands are only passable at low tide.
- Call the road and weather line at 360-565-3131 before driving to Hurricane Ridge.
Don't
- Try to see the whole park in one day; the main areas are hours apart by road.
- Climb on or under drift logs at the beach, as waves can roll them without warning.
- Bring cash to the entrance stations; the park is cashless.
The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, but some roads, campgrounds and facilities close or cut hours from October through May. Hurricane Ridge Road and the visitor centers close on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and other roads stay open weather permitting. The Elwha (Olympic Hot Springs) Road has been closed to vehicles by a washout since 2021.
Arrive at the Hoh Rain Forest before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. in summer to skip the long entrance line.Trekker's tip