Olympic National Park Wikipedia

Olympic National Park is known for its epic mountain treks and glacial journeys, and you’ll have plenty of time to do either that you choose. However, for a mellow, yet equally rewarding trek, add the Ozette Loop Hike to your itinerary. The first section heads down towards the beach, the second section up along the coast, and then the third cuts back inland.

Whatever strikes your fancy — camping, hiking, fishing, biking, sight seeing, animal viewing, and more — you’ll find it here. An unusual feature of ONP is the opportunity for backpacking along the beach. The length of the coastline in the park is sufficient for multi-day trips, with the entire day spent walking along the beach. Several promontories must be struggled over, using a combination of muddy steep trails and fixed ropes.

This beautiful waterfall is tucked away in an old growth forest. It’s a mostly flat, easy walk to get here (just under 2 miles round trip). The last portion of trail climbs some steps to get you to the viewpoint of the waterfall.

What to Do in Olympic

The towering trees, fields of ferns, nurse trees, and abundance of mosses create the epitome of serenity in nature. The national park is not part of the Cascade Range which gives way to neighboring Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park. It is common to visit two if not all three of these parks during a visit to Washington.

The Hoh rainforest is cool and damp, quiet, and it smells wonderful. The temperate rainforest is found on the wetter, western section of Olympic National Park. These old growth forests are home to trees that are over 700 years old. Just imagine the history that has unfolded during the lifetime of some of these trees. To stand in their presence is both humbling and mind boggling.

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This hike is 6.2 miles round trip with 3,300 feet of elevation gain. Your reward is panoramic views over the Olympic Peninsula and out to Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. To visit Ruby Beach, park in the large parking area and then it is a downhill walk to the beach. You can either explore this stretch of coastline or hike north to the Hoh River (6 miles round trip). There are several roads in the park, but none penetrate far into the interior. The park features a network of hiking trails, although the size and remoteness mean that it will usually take more than a weekend to get to the high country in the interior.

Head to the shoreline and enjoy the picturesque water, a glacial blue that is hard to find. One of the top hikes in Olympic National Park also starts here. The 19 mile Seven Lakes Basin Loop shows off the best of the Sol Duc Valley, including the falls and Deer Lake. At the highest point, pin up casino promo code hikers will enjoy sweeping views of Sol Duc Valley and Mount Olympus.

• Spectacular and remote, the park rewards those that venture into the mountains, while also providing beautiful and accessible trails for the rest of us.
• The most popular trail in the valley is the 1.6 mile return hike to Sol Duc Falls.
• The 2.4 mile trek takes you up a rocky crevice with expansive views of Lake Crescent below.
• This is a great place to stay for exploring the Pacific coastline and the western side of the park.
• To visit Ruby Beach, park in the large parking area and then it is a downhill walk to the beach.
• Providing visitors with hot springs, rivers, and waterfalls, the Sol Duc Valley is one of the most picturesque parts of Olympic National Park.

These beaches are named First, Second, and Third Beaches, with First Beach being the northernmost beach. Shi Shi Beach is great as a long day hike or as an overnight camping experience. The beach is located in Olympic National Park but access to the beach is on the Makah Reservation.

The Hurricane Ridge Winter Access Coalition is a community effort to restore seven-day-a-week access via the Hurricane Ridge Road (the only park road accessing alpine terrain in winter). The visitor center has an information desk to gather up-to-date information on trail closings, weather, and campgrounds. This is also the place to pick up backcountry camping permits and bear canisters for the epic hike you’ve planned. Aside from ticking the boxes, there are nature exhibits to explore, including insights into the environment and native wildlife. Better yet, check out the theater and enjoy a free movie on Olympic National Park.

This was a hike that was high on our to-do list, but drizzly weather and low-lying clouds created unfavorable conditions. We have learned from past experiences that if clouds cover the mountain peaks, you might as well as stay in bed and pull the covers over your head, because you’ll have the same view. The Staircase region is located in the southeastern corner of Olympic National Park. This is where you will find more old growth forests and some of the best hikes in the park.

Hop from Port Angeles to Forks to Quinault or Aberdeen to Olympia, visiting the sights along the way. The views are similar to what you get at the Hoh Rainforest, with enormous trees covered in moss and lichen, but with far fewer people, this was a much more enjoyable experience. From the parking lot, it is an easy 2.25 mile round trip walk to the waterfall. It’s narrow, it has steep drop-offs at a few spots, and has some tight turns as it travels through the mountains. Olympic National Park officially became a national park on June 29, 1938. This park is also designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.

Mélanges are large individual rocks that are large enough that they are accounted for in map drawings. On fee-free days, the National Park Service (NPS) at Olympic opens the gates and welcomes all visitors at no cost. Hiker, foodie, photographer, and triathlete, Julie loves traveling the world in search of new experiences and then sharing them on this site.

• With the regular morning fog lifting off the coast, come here for memorable beach walks ending at the iconic tree.
• This paved trail turns to dirt just before a spectacular viewpoint.
• Springtime is one of the best times of the year to see wildlife, where animals like bear and elk become active in the river valleys.
• The coastal region of Olympic stretches a distance of 60 miles (97 km), however, it is only a few miles deep.
• Larger mammals include black-tailed deer, elk, and mountain goats on the land side with dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea otters, whales on and along the coastal part of the park.

For a real adventure, hike to the peak of Mount Angeles, where you will have 360° views of Olympic National Park, Puget Sound, and Mount Rainier. Wind, flooding, snow, and construction can affect park roads and facilities. To learn more about all of these passes, go to nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes. Cape Flattery is the northernmost point of the continental United States.

Whether you’re arriving from Seattle or traveling from further afield, check in here before heading into the park. Beginning in Port Angeles, the loop passes the majority of attractions and things to do in Olympic National Park. After taking you by a connection to the amazing Hurricane Ridge, the drive descends towards the Sol Duc Valley. From there, enjoy impeccable scenery on your way to Forks, with easy access to the coastline. Olympic National Forest has over 270 miles of trails, with 20 campgrounds to choose from. Of the forest’s many treks, eight of them are wheelchair accessible, including the half-mile Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail and the Brown Creek Nature Trail around a beaver pond.

The views get even better as you walk farther along the trail. This list of things to do in Olympic National Park is organized by geographical area. Visiting Olympic National Park is different than visiting a park like Zion, Arches, or Yosemite, when most of the top things to do are located along one road that cuts through the park. The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project is the second-largest ecosystem restoration project in the history of the National Park Service after the Everglades. It consisted of removing the 210-foot (64 m) Glines Canyon Dam and draining its reservoir, Lake Mills and removing the 108-foot (33 m) Elwha Dam and its reservoir Lake Aldwell from the Elwha River.

Famous for the Tree of Life, Kalaloch Beach requires a brief 15-minute coastal walk before reaching its expansive shores. After eating lunch at Granny’s – the burger and milkshakes always hit the spot – hike the Storm King trail. The 2.4 mile trek takes you up a rocky crevice with expansive views of Lake Crescent below.

Originally protected in 1909 as Mount Olympus National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt, the area became a national park in 1938. At a minimum, you need three full days in Olympic National Park, if you want to visit Hurricane Ridge, the Pacific Coastline, and the temperate rainforests. However, more time is better, as it allows you to hike more trails and it gives you some contingency time should it rain or snow, which is entirely possible. Surrounding the national park, Olympic National Forest is enveloped by mountains on one side and saltwater on the other. Covering five major landscape settings, from rainforests and beaches, to craggy mountains, the national forest has much to offer away from its more renowned sibling.

This is a bit off-the-beaten-path, but it’s worth the quick visit, if you like the idea of seeing something different than a hiking trail or waterfall. Hiking to the top of Mount Storm King is one of the best things to do in Olympic National Park. The walk to Marymere Falls, discussed next, also starts at Lake Crescent.