Olympic National Park

Washington State, USA

General info about the park

Olympic National Park is the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest and the perfect embodiment of the diverse ecosystems that make up this breathtaking region.

Situated on the Olympic peninsula, just a few hours west of Seattle, this incredible national park spans over 900,000 acres, has 73 miles of coastline, 60 named glaciers, and over 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. There are over a dozen developed campgrounds managed by the National Park Service for visitors to choose from along with over 600 miles of hiking trails over mountains, through forest, around lakes, and along rivers. One of the most popular of the US National Parks, Olympic usually sees 2.5 - 3 million visitors per year.

Hurricane Ridge

This is usually the first stop for people doing the popular counter-clockwise loop around the Olympic peninsula. As you meander the up the 17 mile scenic road that takes you to the famous Hurricane Ridge, you will be awe struck by the endless rolling hills and mountains blanketed by a variety of cone bearing trees. Off in the distance, you will be able to see glacier covered mountains including the "Blue Glacier", a 2.6 mile long glacier on Mount Olympus which stands at 7,980 ft.

On top of Hurricane Ridge there are some great short hikes that allow you to take in the surrounding natural beauty.

Sol Duc Valley

This incredibly beautiful valley with its namesake Sol Duc River sees coho salmon migrations in the spring and fall. Here you can experience old growth forest and hike along the rushing river with photo opportunities around every twist and turn.

Sol Duc is also home to the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort with an accompanying 82 site campground along the Sol Duc River. Truly the perfect environment to relax and enjoy this setting.

There are a number of day hikes and multi-day hikes within the valley that can appease any type of any adventurer.

Hoh Rainforest

The most popular attraction within Olympic National Park, this temperate rainforest get its name from the Hoh River that runs through the lush forest. With it's variety short trails to get a glimpse of the moss covered trees including fir, cedar, hemlock, spruce, and maple, this family friendly section of the park is accessible to all ages and ability levels. The main trails are the Hall of Mosses (.8 miles), the Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles), and the Hoh River Trail which goes 18.5 miles to a viewpoint of Mt Olympus passing waterfalls along the way.

The Hoh Rainforest is about a 3.5+/- hour drive from Seattle. There is a campground here open year round with 72 sites.

Rialto Beach

This stunning coastal area features jagged rock formations that add a unique element to this untamed Pacific Northwest beach. Here, the forest meets the coast in an unbelievable setting where beach camping is permitted with a permit.

You can do an easy 1 mile beach hike to the "Hole in the Wall".

Rialto Beach is on the western, coastal side of the Olympic Peninsula which puts it about 4 hours driving from Seattle.

Mora campground with 94 sites is 3 miles away from Rialto Beach and does accept reservations during the summer.

Lake Quinault

This wilderness area partly within Olympic National Park and partly within Olympic National Forest is in the southwest region of the park about 3 hours from Seattle making this the perfect place to begin or end your loop of the peninsula (depending if you are going clockwise or counter clockwise).

With magical temperate rainforest day hikes and great options for water sports on the lake such as swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding, this lake town offers the active lifestyle that most visitors to Olympic are looking for.

There are two campgrounds and a number of lodges in the vicinity of the lake including Lake Quinault Lodge built in 1926.

Visitor's centers and park roads

There are three visitor centers serving Olympic National Park: one in Port Angeles, one in Hurricane Ridge (as of 2023 NPS reports severe damage and this visitor center is closed), and one in the Hoh Rainforest. The visitor center in Port Angeles is open year-round and offers the extensive services & exhibits. The visitor center at Hoh Rainforest is closed January and February. Here you can find basic services including maps, general info about the park, ranger led programs, and some exhibits. Several wilderness trails begin at this visitor center.

US Highway 101 makes a loop around the Olympic Peninsula. The entire loop is 329 miles. To visit all of the sections of the park it is recommended to spend at least 3-4 days, but ideally one week will allow you to thoroughly enjoy this national park.

Camping & lodging

Olympic National Park has 15 NPS managed campgrounds dispersed throughout the park. Note that Fairholme, Kalaloch, Mora, Hoh Rainforest, and Staircase are the 5x campgrounds that work on a reservation system in the summer months. You should book campgrounds reservations if possible especially if visiting in the peak months. Check for campsite reservations here: recreation.gov. Please note that availability is released six months in advance and often fully booked within days.

There are four lodges within the park including the Kalaloch Lodge, Lake Crescent Lodge, Log Cabin Resort (also in Lake Crescent), and the Sol Duc Hot Springs Hotel & RV Resort. Lastly- the Lake Quinault Lodge in Olympic National Forest.