Olympic National Park & Forest

Photo from Cindy C.

Olympic National Park is located in the Pacific Northwest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, the best example of intact and protected temperate rain forest. This park was rated the best national park in America for many reasons. There are lots of incredible adventures and things to do.

It is renowned for the variety of its distinctive ecosystems, which include an old growth forest with a much drier climate to the east and a temperate rainforest on the west side that receives 150 inches of rain annually. The region is also known for its rugged pacific coastline, enormous glacier-covered peaks, and temperate rainforest on the west side. The Olympic Mountains are the source of eleven significant river systems, which provide some of the best habitat for fish species in the nation. The Park is home to many native and endemic plant and animal species, and it has the longest unspoiled stretch of shoreline in the contiguous United States at 62 miles.

In order to preserve Olympic National Park's beauty, please treat it with care and use your best leave no trace practices while you are there. The best time to visit Olympic National Park is during Summer. For peak wildflower viewing, its best to visit in August.

Are you prepared for the top Olympic National Park activities? Let's begin straight away!

Entrance Pass

Their standard pass is around $15-$30. 

Annual Entrance- $55 (good for one year already)

1. Wildflower Peeping

During Summer, you will experience visual feast  of wildflowers bloom all around the park.

 Photo from Catherine C.

Some of the best places to view wildflowers at Olympic National Park are:

- Deer Park

- Hurricane Ridge

- Staircase

2. Tour Port Angeles

On Mt. Angeles Road in Port Angeles, there is an ONP Visitor Center. This doubles as the park's administrative center. Get free fliers and bulletins, browse lovely souvenirs, presents, and keepsakes, learn about any road restrictions that may be in effect right now (their website isn't always up to date), and ask the park rangers any questions you might have. At the visitor center, take a little stroll along a nature trail.

3. Ozette Lake

The Triangle Trail and Ozette Lake are accessible from the sixth entry point. Highway 112 and Hoko Ozette Road both lead to Ozette Lake. Ozette is a fantastic destination for outdoor activity, offering a wide range of activities like hiking, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife viewing (whales!).

4. Hoh Rain Forest

 Photo from Richard W.

The Hoh lies on the west side of Olympic National Park, about a two-hour drive from Port Angeles and under an hour from Forks. The Hoh Rain Forest is accessed by the Upper Hoh Road, off of Highway 101. Elk-spotting is one of the most wonderful things to do in Olympic National Park, so check it out.

5. Kalaloch Beach 

Ruby Beach area (Photo from Jonathan N.)

The Olympic National Park's southernmost beaches are those at Kalaloch. The same 15-mile-long crescent beach has seven lovely entry spots from Ruby Beach to South Beach at Kalaloch. This is good camping ground to those who love camping activities.

When told that whale watching is an option for things to do at Olympic National Park, the majority of people are startled. The finest places to start your search for whales are at the Whale Trail station on Kalaloch Beach, which can provide you all the directions you need.

6. Lake Crescent

 

Within the ONP, Lake Crescent is a very well-liked tourist site. There are numerous popular attractions in the neighborhood that are completely free to experience. Furthermore, not only from "lake level," but also from the tops of at least two surrounding mountains, the views are unmatched.

Additionally, there are two magnificent lodges where you can stay: Log Cabin Resort on the north bank and Lake Crescent Lodge on the south shore, both not far from Highway 101.

South shore activities     

- Short hike to Marymere Falls

- Hike the Barnes Creek Trail

- Summit Storm King Mountain

North shore activities  

- East Beach

- Spruce Railroad Trail

- Devil's Punchbowl

- Hike to the summit of Pyramid Peak

7. Queets Rain Forest

The Queets Rainforest, hidden away in a less-visited area of Olympic National Park, is a true adventurer's paradise. Because of its isolation, it has the feel of a wild, uninhabited place where towering, old trees thrive. Queets Rainforest offers an immersive experience in nature for those willing to go off the beaten road, with the sounds of the Queets River. Anyone looking for seclusion and pristine feeling when trekking Olympic National Park, you should visit this.

8. Rialto Beach, Split Rock & Hole In The Wall

 Photo from Brian F.

Washington State's Rialto Beach is a public beach that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It is made up of an ocean beach and coastal woodland and is located next to Mora Campground in the Olympic National Park close to the mouth of the Quillayute River. 

Photo from Katie A.

Among the busier beaches that make up the Olympic National Park's list of picturesque spots is Rialto Beach. From La Push beach, it will only take you 30 minutes to get here by car.

Here, there are two well-liked sights, including the enormous "Split Rock" and "Hole in the Wall."

9. Sol Duc Falls

You may reach the stunning Sol Duc Falls via the short yet pleasant climb known as the Sol Duc Falls Trail. The sound of the waterfall draws you ahead as you stroll through the forest. The actual falls are stunning to see, especially after a shower when the water volume rises.

10. Deer Park & Blue Mountain

  

Hurricane Hill Trail (Photo from Shayla B.)

This falls under the heading of undiscovered treasures in Olympic National Park. Normally, you wouldn't be able to climb a mountain with such little effort. The nicest locations in Olympic National Park can be found on Blue Mountain, a short trek from Deer Park. British Columbia can be seen across the Juan de Fuca Strait on a clear day.

You can find parking even on summer weekend days at the trailhead areas, and Deer Park has amazing views, incredible wildflowers, and wonderful night skies if you decide to camp. While you won't be alone here, there are far fewer visitors than most other areas of Olympic National Park, making it a great alternative to very busy Hurricane Ridge in the summer. 

Olympic National Park Lodging and Dining

The Olympic NP offers five lodges, and each of the five lodges also offer excellent dining experiences:

• Kalaloch Lodge - on the Pacific Coast
• Lake Crescent Lodge - on the south shore of Lake Crescent
• Log Cabin Resort - on the north shore of Lake Crescent
• Lake Quinault Lodge - on the south shore of Lake Quinault
• Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort - in the Sol Duc River Valley

 

Climbers love to ascend the glacier-covered Mt. Olympus, while paths for trekking and backpacking wind through the park's rainforests and along its Pacific coast.

Physical Address: Olympic National Park Visitor Center
3002 Mount Angeles Road
Port Angeles , WA 98362