Olympic National Park Guide

Taking up most of the Olympic Peninsula, Olympic National Park is an enormous national park in the Pacific northwest. It is majestic world of rugged coastlines, fabled temperate rainforests, subalpine forest covered in winter snows, and magical lowland forests.

You can hike amid aging giant trees, discover colorful anemones in tide pools, walk along driftwood-strewn beaches, hike to hidden waterfalls and splash in beautiful lakes.

The national park is divided into roughly four different areas – Hurricane Hill and Crescent Lake, Hoh Rainforest, the Pacific beaches, and the Quinault Rainforest and Lake Quinault.

Olympic National Park Travel Guide

Olympic National Park at a glance

State: Washington
Main attractions: Rainforests, beaches, tidepools, lakes, waterfalls, mountains
Best time to go: Summer
Hotels/ Airbnbs: Lodges and vacation rentals in the park and gateway towns including Port Angeles and Forks
Campgrounds: Inside the park and nearby
Dining: Gateway towns and lodges
Shuttle: No

10 FUN FACTS ABOUT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Olympic National Park Guide

Navigate this Olympic National Park guide by clicking on the articles below to read in-depth information about each aspect of Olympic National Park.

Travel Planning

Straight roads with cars surrounded by oceans, and on the other side are trees with text that says How to Get to Olympic National Park. — HOW TO GET TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Aerial view of Pine trees beside the coast in Olympic with the text that says "Closest Airport to Olympic National Park" at the top — CLOSEST AIRPORTS TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Mountains surrounded by trees and some clouds, with the text above that says BEST TIME TO VISIT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK. — BEST TIME TO VISIT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

7 MISTAKES TO AVOID IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

BEST THINGS TO DO IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Inspiration

A wooden bridge above the waterfalls surrounded by rocks, trees, and other plants with the text above that says BEST WATERFALLS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK — BEST WATERFALLS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Hurricane Ridge

Trees and grasses and besides are aerial views of mountains in Cirque Rim Trail Hurricane Ridge Olympic National Park with the texts that say Cirque Rim Trail Guide — CIRQUE RIM TRAIL GUIDE

Small road in the middle of trees, and behind are mountains surrounded by clouds with the text that says Hurricane Hill Trail — HURRICANE HILL TRAIL GUIDE

A building surrounded by trees and behind is a snow-capped mountain with the text that says High Ridge Trail to Sunrise Point, Hurricane Ridge: Complete Guide. — HIGH RIDGE TO SUNRISE POINT TRAIL GUIDE

Sol Duc

Two salmon jumping over the water with the text above that says "SALMON CASCADES" in Sol Duc Salmon Cascades, Olympic National Park — SALMON CASCADES

trees with sunbeams and heading that says "ancient groves trail" — ANCIENT GROVES TRAIL

Lake Crescent

Hoh Rain Forest

Mossy trees surrounded by trees and other plants with the text above HOH RIVER TRAIL — HOH RIVER TRAIL

small road in the middle of the trees covered with mosses and ferns with the texts that say HALL OF MOSSES. — HALL OF MOSSES TRAIL

The Beaches

Olympic National Park Beaches — BEST BEACHES IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Tree logs on the beach and behind are trees on the cliffs in Olympic National Park with the text above that says TREE OF LIFE — THE TREE OF LIFE, KALALOCH BEACH

A camping tent surrounded by driftwood in the seashore with the texts above, that say Third Beach Olympic National Park. — THIRD BEACH OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Rock formations on the beach with the texts above that say, Second Beach Olympic National Park. — SECOND BEACH OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Quinault Rain Forest

Lake and behind are mountains during sunset in Olympic National Park, with the text above that says LAKE QUINAULT LOOP DRVE — LAKE QUINAULT LOOP DRIVE

Moses trees surrounded by ferns with the text above that says 5 BSET LAKE QUINAULT HIKES — 5 BEST LAKE QUINAULT HIKES

Waterpond is surrounded by green plants and mossy trees, with the text above saying MAPLE GLADE RAINFOREST TRAIL & KESTNER HOMESTEAD TRAIL. — MAPLE GLADE RAINFOREST TRAIL & KESTNER HOMESTEAD TRAIL

Best Tours of Olympic National Park

Travel Planning Resources — PLANNING RESOURCES

Product Reviews — USEFUL GEAR AND WEAR REVIEWS

Gift Ideas — GIFT IDEAS FOR NATIONAL PARK LOVERS

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About the Author

James Ian has dedicated his life to travel and has traveled to 82 countries and all 7 continents. He’s visited all of the main national parks in the United States, as well as many national monuments and state parks.

As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including Time Business News, Savoteur, and Wired. He also has several published detailed itineraries in addition to many free online guides.

James has rafted through the Grand Canyon; rappelled down slot canyons near Zion and Arches; hiked among the hoodoos in Bryce and the enormous trees in Sequoia; admired the waterfalls in Yosemite and the colored hot springs in Yellowstone; seen moose in Grand Tetons and seals in the Channel Islands, and much more.