Taking up most of the Olympic Peninsula, Olympic National Park is an enormous national park in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a majestic world of rugged coastlines, fantastical temperate rainforests, subalpine meadows covered in summer wildflowers, 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.
Table of Contents
Olympic National Park at a Glance
⭐ State: Washington
⭐ Main attractions: Rainforests, beaches, tidepools, lakes, waterfalls, mountains
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Itineraries for Olympic National Park
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These are not your average blogger itineraries, which tend to be short summaries of things that they did on their one visit there. These itineraries are all about YOU and helping you have the best time.
They will take away the overwhelm that often accompanies planning a trip to Olympic National Park. They’re a combination detailed hour-by-hour itinerary (with options for different activity levels), guidebook, hiking guide, driving directions, travel tips, and more. You’ll need nothing else to plan your trip – it’s all done for you (but you still have choices).
One-day, two-day, three-day, and four-day detailed itineraries for Olympic National Park available for purchase:
EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT WITH OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK ITINERARIES
Olympic National Park Travel Guide
Planning a trip to Olympic National Park can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be. Use this Olympic National Park guide for all your trip planning. Click on the links below to go to detailed guides and answers to your questions.
How to Plan a Trip to Olympic National Park
Some helpful Olympic National Park trip planning information:
Because the park is so big, planning a trip can be tricky.
This guide will help you with what you should AVOID doing when you plan a trip to Olympic National Park.
Read More: 7 MISTAKES TO AVOID IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Everything you need to know about visiting the Hurricane Ridge area of the park.
Read More: VISITING HURRICANE RIDGE: COMPLETE GUIDE
Entrance Fee for Olympic National Park
There is an entrance fee for the park. Find the latest fees on the NPS website.
To avoid long lines and save money, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year, it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.
The one-year pass includes standard entrance at all sites managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. The pass covers the entrance fee for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle or up to 4 adults at sites that charge per person.
Get an America The Beautiful pass here
There are other types of passes available for seniors, veterans, etc.
Read More: NATIONAL PARKS PASSES
Olympic National Park Entrances
The park is spread out over a large part of Olympic Peninsula and has several sections (e.g. the beaches) that aren’t joined to the main part of the park. There are several distinct sections and you can’t travel inside the national park between them. You need to go back to Highway 101, which rings the peninsula, to get to each section.
Not all sections of the park have entrance stations. There are entrance stations here:
🎟️ Heart O’ the Hills Entrance Station gives access to Hurricane Ridge. The main Visitor Center is nearby (outside the national Park in Port Angeles).
🎟️ Hoh Rain Forest Entrance Station gives access to the Hoh Rainforest, where there is a Visitor Center.
There is no park entrance or visitor center at Lake Crescent (where there is a ranger station), Sol Duc, Quinault (where there is a small ranger station with information), or any of the beaches.
Best Tours of Olympic National Park
🎧 Get a self-guided audio tour of Olympic National Park
Things to Do in Olympic National Park
There are plenty of things to do in Olympic National Park.
Read More: BEST THINGS TO DO IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Olympic National Park has spectacular scenery.
Read More: BEST VIEWS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
There are several stunning waterfalls in Olympic National Park.
Read More: BEST WATERFALLS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
The Pacific beaches have hug driftwood, dramatic off shore sea stacks and some of the best tide pooling in the USA.
Read More: BEST BEACHES IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Tide pooling is one of my favorite things to do in Olympic National Park.
Read More: BEST TIDE POOLS OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Don’t miss this iconic scenic drive around Quinault Lake, along the river and through the rain forest.
Read More: LAKE QUINAULT LOOP DRIVE
Hikes in Olympic National Park
There are a LOT of amazing hikes in Olympic National Park.
A summary of my favorite hikes in Olympic National Park.
Read More: BEST HIKES IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Easy hikes for the whole family, those with limited mobility, or if you just want to take it easy.
Read More: BEST EASY HIKES IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Because there are so many hikes in Olympic National Park, I’ve broken them down by area in the park.
🥾 Hurricane Ridge 🥾
A summary of all the best hikes at Hurricane Ridge.
Read More: BEST HURRICANE RIDGE HIKES
An easy hike with stunning views.
Read More: CIRQUE RIM TRAIL GUIDE
Wildflowers and stunning mountain views.
Read More: HURRICANE HILL TRAIL GUIDE
See all the way to Canada in a clear day.
Read More: HIGH RIDGE TO SUNRISE POINT TRAIL GUIDE
🥾 Sol Duc Valley 🥾
A summary of all the best hikes in Sol Duc Valley.
Read More: BEST SOL DUC HIKES
Hike to the most iconic waterfall in Olympic National Park.
Read More: SOL DUC FALLS TRAIL
See salmon jumping up a waterfall.
Read More: SALMON CASCADES
Walk through a grove of trees that are hundreds of years old.
Read More: ANCIENT GROVES TRAIL
🥾 Lake Crescent 🥾
A summary of all the best hikes near Lake Crescent.
Read More: 5 BEST HIKES NEAR LAKE CRESCENT
One of the most famous waterfalls in the park, surrounded by beautiful lowland forests.
Read More: MARYMERE FALLS TRAIL
🥾 Hoh Rain Forest 🥾
A summary of all the best hikes in the Hoh Rainforest.
Read More: BEST HOH RAINFOREST HIKES
The most famous hike in the Hoh Rainforest.
Read More: HALL OF MOSSES TRAIL
My favorite Hoh hike with multiple points to turn around.
Read More: HOH RIVER TRAIL
🥾 The Pacific Beaches 🥾
A beautiful beach, a natural arch and good tide pooling.
Read More: RIALTO BEACH – HOLE IN THE WALL
The best tide pools in Olympic National Park (IMO).
Read More: KALALOCH BEACH 4 GUIDE
A nice forest hike and beautiful coastal scenery.
Read More: THIRD BEACH GUIDE
Dramatic sea stacks and enormous driftwood.
Read More: SECOND BEACH GUIDE
A Sitka spruce tree on Kalaloch beach clinging to life.
Read More: THE TREE OF LIFE, KALALOCH BEACH
🥾 Quinault Rain Forest 🥾
A summary of all the best hikes in the Quinault area.
Read More: BEST LAKE QUINAULT HIKES
Beautiful rainforest and an historical homestead.
Read More: MAPLE GLADE RAINFOREST TRAIL & KESTNER HOMESTEAD TRAIL
Where to Stay In and Near Olympic National Park
There are several lodges and campgrounds in the national park.
Lodges inside Olympic National Park
🛏️ Kalaloch Lodge is near the Kalaloch beaches. There are campsites, cabins, and lodge rooms. It’s generally open year-round.
🛏️ Lake Crescent Lodge is on the southern shores of Lake Crescent. There are cottages, cabins, and lodge rooms. It’s generally open late April to the end of the year.
🛏️ Log Cabin Resort is on the northern shores of Lake Crescent. There are chalets, cabins, and lodge rooms. It’s generally open mid-May to late September.
🛏️ Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is in the Sol Duc Valley. There are cabins, and suites. It’s generally open late March to early November.
⛺ There are 14 Campgrounds inside Olympic National Park
There are plenty of accommodation options nearby. The two main gateway towns are Port Angeles and Forks.
➡️ Find a hotel in Port Angeles on Expedia.
➡️ Find a vacation rental in or near Port Angeles on VRBO.
➡️ Find a hotel in Forks on Expedia.
➡️ Find a vacation rental in or near Forks on VRBO.
How to Get To Olympic National Park
The most common ways to get to Olympic National Park are to drive or fly into one of the nearby airports and pick up a rental car there.
Read More: HOW TO GET TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
✈️ If you’re looking for a flight, find a good deal on Skyscanner
The Airports for Olympic National Park
The airports near Olympic National Park with the pros and cons of using each of them.
Read More: THE AIRPORTS NEAR OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
This is the closest (and the most convenient) airport to Olympic National Park.
Read More: CLOSEST AIRPORT TO OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
✈️ If you’re looking for flights, use Skyscanner to scan the Internet for the cheapest deals.
How to Get Around Olympic National Park
There aren’t any shuttles in the park. You’ll need your own vehicle – and don’t underestimate the driving distances between the different sections of the park.
🚗 If you need a rental car, find one on RentalsCars.com
When to Visit Olympic National Park
The park is open all year, but the Hurricane Ridge area has special winter opening hours/ days. Most facilities and amenities close over winter, which is cold and wet.
A quick summary of the best time to visit the national park for different interests and priorities.
Read More: BEST TIME TO VISIT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Take a look at what the park’s like in each season and month to help you decide when to visit Olympic National Park.
Read More: VISITING OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
How Long to Spend in Olympic National Park
How many days you should go to Olympic National Park for depends on when you have time off, how much time you have, your budget, and your interests. I recommend at least four days to see all the main areas of the park, do some hikes and experience other don’t-miss activities.
Let’s take a look at how much time to spend in Olympic National Park and what you can realistically expect to see and do while you’re there.
Read More: HOW MANY DAYS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Travel Insurance for Olympic National Park
In addition to working out the logistics of your trip using this travel guide, Olympic National Park planning should also include travel insurance. Protect yourself against trip cancellation, loss or theft of your property, or any medical emergencies.
A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
Packing for Olympic National Park
With so many different climates and unpredictable weather, packing for Olympic National Park can be challenging.
Check you have everything you need and download a packing checklist.
Read More: PACKING LIST FOR OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.