Olympic National Park Park

Address: Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, WA (park administration)

Website: https://www.nps.gov/olym/

Hours: Park open 24 hours; visitor centers seasonal (check website)

Admission: $30 per private vehicle (7-day) - check NPS site for current fees

Olympic National Park on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula protects three major ecosystems: Pacific coastline, temperate rainforest, and alpine mountain areas including Mount Olympus. The park is noted for its ecological diversity and large tracts of relatively undisturbed habitat.

Visitors commonly explore the moss-draped Hoh Rain Forest, walk beach strands and sea stacks on the park’s Pacific shore, and drive to Hurricane Ridge for alpine trails and views. Lake Crescent and other freshwater areas provide hiking and boating in forested settings.

The park was designated to protect the Olympic Peninsula’s unique coastal, forest and mountain environments and was established as a national park in the 20th century to conserve those ecosystems and provide public access. Over time, additions and wilderness designations expanded protections for remote valleys and shoreline.

Olympic National Park occupies much of the Olympic Peninsula west of Puget Sound, with park entrances near Port Angeles, Forks and other gateway communities. The terrain ranges from sea level beaches to alpine peaks and glaciers.

• Weather variability: Weather can vary dramatically across the park - the coast and rainforests are wet year-round while the alpine zones can hold snow into summer.
• Accessibility: Hurricane Ridge is a short drive from Port Angeles and is the most accessible high-elevation viewpoint for panoramas of the Olympic Mountains.

What to See#

• Hoh Rain Forest: Temperate rainforest stands such as the Hoh Rain Forest with very high annual rainfall and old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
• Hurricane Ridge: An accessible alpine area on the northeast side of the park with visitor facilities, short walks and panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains.
• Coastal beaches: The park’s rugged Pacific coastline with sea stacks, tidepooling and driftwood-strewn beaches, including Rialto and Ruby Beach areas.
• Lake Crescent and freshwater areas: Glacially deepened Lake Crescent and surrounding old-growth forests offering hiking and lake recreation.

Olympic National Park is on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula; common access is via Port Angeles for the northern entrances. From Seattle take Washington State Ferries (Seattle-Bainbridge Island; ferry ~35 minutes) and then drive west using WA‑3 and US‑101 across the peninsula to Port Angeles/Hurricane Ridge. US‑101 is the main highway that circles and provides access to the park’s northern and western entrances; check ferry schedules as they affect total travel time.

• Pick one of Olympic's distinct regions per visit-Hurricane Ridge (mountains), Hoh (rainforest), or the coast-rather than trying to do all three in a day; travel times between them are significant.
• Plan coastal beach visits (Rialto, Ruby Beach) around low tide using posted tide tables so you can safely explore sea stacks and tidepools without getting cut off by incoming water.
• For Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Rainforest, arrive early in the morning to increase the chance of clear views and parking-midday and weekend hours attract tour buses and fill lots quickly.