Olympic National Park Itinerary: How to plan the perfect trip

Olympic National Park is famous for its incredible diversity, from the moss-covered trees of the Hoh Rainforest to the rugged coastal beauty of Rialto Beach and Ruby Beach. Visitors can explore breathtaking mountain views at Hurricane Ridge or admire beautiful waterfalls all within one park. 

It has been a National Park since 1938 and is the 10th most visited National Park in the United States. Nestled in the heart of Washington State, Olympic National Park is a nature lover’s paradise.  

This itinerary will help you hit all the must-see spots, find some epic hikes, and make the most of your adventure. Let’s dive into the beauty of Olympic National Park! 

 

Practical information for visiting Olympic National Park 

Best times to visit Olympic National Park 

Because of the 3 distinct ecosystems (subalpine and wildflower meadows, temperate forest, and the Pacific Coast), there is something to do during every season. During winter, there are some road closures, so you have to take this into account when planning your trip. Another thing to take into consideration is the crowds. The summer is the busiest time, and it will start to get less busy in the fall. And of course, you can’t ignore the weather. The word “rainforest” says a lot: there can be quite a lot of rain in this area. 

Are you planning on doing some hikes? Then the best time to visit is spring, summer, and early fall. During this time, the temperature is pleasant, and you can expect fewer rainy days compared to late fall and winter. There can be snow from September on the higher peaks of Olympic National Park. We visited the park in mid-September, and we had nice weather and little rain (so we were very lucky). Some of the more popular trails were still crowded, so if you want to go during the busy summer months, prepare to go early! 

If you’re not a fan of long hikes and want to explore the park, the best time is spring to fall. In spring, everything comes back to life after winter, and most snow in the mountains has melted.  

We thought fall was the perfect time for us to visit the park. The moody weather created some mystic conditions, but we also enjoyed the sun during a few of our hikes. And if it was raining, we just explored the rainforest. 

How to get to Olympic National Park 

There are different parts and entrances in Olympic National Park. 

• Kalaloch area 
• Quinault Rainforest 
• Hoh Rainforest 
• Lake crescent 
• Hurricane ridge 
• Staircase 

Olympic National Park is located about a 2-3 hours’ drive from Seattle and 4-4,5 hours from Portland. Both cities have an airport with great connections to domestic and international flights. You can find the best deals on Skyscanner.  

If you’re in Seattle or Portland, renting a car is essential for reaching Olympic National Park, as public transportation options are limited. You can find more information about public transport here. We booked our rental through AutoEurope and found that a small car was perfect for our trip. A great perk in Washington State is that your partner can drive the rental car at no extra cost! 

Because Olympic National Park is close to several bigger cities and towns (Forks, Port Angeles, Sequim), it is easy to fill up your car there. There are no gas stations in the park itself. If you are driving an electric car, you can charge it at Sol Duc Hot Spring Resorts, Port Angeles, Kalaloch Lodge, and Lake Quinault Lodge. There are also EV charging stations in the cities surrounding Olympic National Park. 

Between May 24th and September 2nd, a timed entry reservation is needed for the Paradise and Sunrise sections between 7 am and 3 pm. You can find all the information here.  

Park passes and entrance fees 

To enter Olympic National Park, you’ll need to purchase a pass. The entrance fee is $30 per vehicle, $25 for motorcycles, and $15 per person if entering on foot or by bicycle. 

If you’re planning to visit multiple national parks, consider getting the “America the Beautiful” annual pass for $80, which grants access to all U.S. national parks and wildlife refuges. You can find more details on fees and passes here. 

There are also fee-free days when you can visit national parks without paying an entrance fee. These include Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the first day of National Park Week, Juneteenth, the Great American Outdoors Act anniversary, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day. 

Lodging options in and around Olympic National Park 

There are several lodges and cabins throughout Olympic National Park.  

• Kalaloch lodge (Trip.com – Expedia) is open year-round and provides campsites, cabins, and lodge rooms 

• Lake Crescent lodge (Booking – Trivago) is only open from spring until December and provides cottages, cabins, and lodge rooms 

• Log Cabin Resort (Lake Crescent) is only open from May until September and provides cabins, chalets, and lodge rooms 

• Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort (Booking – Agoda) is open from March until November and provides cabins and suites

But you can also stay on the outside of the park in one of the neighboring towns like Port Angeles, Forks, or Sequim. We stayed at different places depending on the part of Olympic National Park we were visiting.  

There are also numerous campgrounds in Olympic National Park; some require reservations, others are on a first-come, first-served basis. You can find all the information here.

Where to eat in/near Olympic National Park 

There are restaurants in Forks, Port Angeles, and Sequim. For breakfast/brunch, you can go to Oak Table Cafe in Sequim. If you want a good pizza, you have to go to Tedescos.

In Port Angeles, we had some good burgers at Traylor’s Restaurant, and in Forks, we had a decent dinner at The In Place and good Mexican food at Taqueria San Juditas. Like in the other National Parks in the area, the restaurants close pretty early, so you might want to plan for that if you are planning on eating out in the evenings. 

 

Best things to do in Olympic National Park 

In 2023, Olympic National Park welcomed 2.9 million people. This means it can be very busy, especially during the summer months. Some tips to escape the crowds:  

• Arrive early for hikes: the earlier you are, the more likely you are to have a parking spot, but also a higher chance of enjoying hiking with just the sounds of nature. And you have a higher chance of seeing wildlife 

• Be flexible: if some parts are too crowded, try to do something different.  

• Have a plan: try to visit a specific part of the park per day. That way, you are not just driving around 

As mentioned before, there are different parts of the park with each a different ecosystem and different things to do.  

Visit the beautiful beaches 

The Kalaloch area is one of the most visited areas of Olympic National Park. The most famous place on the southwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula is Ruby Beach. Read more about what you can do at Ruby Beach here.

Further north along the coast is Rialto Beach, which is accessible by Mora Road, off of La Push Road. From the beach, you have beautiful views of offshore islands (“seastacks”). North of Rialto Beach, within the Olympic Wilderness, there is Hole-in-the-Wall, a sea-carved arch. 

 

South of La Push, you can find Second Beach. From the main parking lot, there is a 0.8-mile hike to the beach. You can walk the entire length of the beach for some expansive beach views. The cliffs near Teahwhit Head are beautiful. You could also explore the tide pools or enjoy the wildlife. 

A short drive away from Second Beach, you will also find First and Third Beaches. First Beach is on Quileute tribal land and is not part of Olympic National Park.  

If you are visiting one of the beaches, always check the tides so you don’t get surprised when high tide rolls in. If you want to do some tide-pooling, allow yourself about an hour before low tide so you have plenty of time to explore. 

Discover the rainforests 

In the west of Olympic National Park, there are temperate rainforests. The forests of coniferous and deciduous trees are covered in mosses and ferns.  

The Hoh Rainforest is named after the Hoh River flowing from Mount Olympus towards the Pacific Coast. It is one of the most beautiful remaining examples of temperate rainforest in the US and one of the most popular parts of Olympic National Park. It is located in the West of the park, about an hour’s drive from Forks and two hours from Port Angeles. Numerous trails start next to the Visitor Center. 

 

Quinault Rainforest is located in the southwest part of Olympic National Park, about one hour from Forks. It is also the home to some of the largest trees in the world. There are 6 champion trees (the largest of their species), with the largest Sitka Spruce Tree being one of them. This tree is located a short 0.3 miles one-way from South Shore Road. 

 

Enjoy the peace at the lake 

Lake Crescent is located about 18 miles west of Port Angeles. It’s the perfect place to go hiking or enjoy the water by kayaking, sailing, or just relaxing on the beaches or shores.  

Lake Quinault is in the glacial-carved Quinault Valley at the southern edge of Olympic National Park. On the southern side of the lake, there is the Lake Quinault Lodge and the Rain Forest Resort Village 

 

See beautiful waterfalls 

A short hike (1.6 miles round-trip) from a parking lot leads you to Sol Duc Falls, a unique multi-channeled cascade. In the same area, you can also visit Salmon Cascades Overlook. In late October/early November, you can see coho salmon leap over the falls on their way to spawn upstream.  

 

Marymere Falls is located near Lake Crescent. You can access the falls by a 0.9-mile dirt trail starting from Storm King Ranger Station through the forest. It’s also partly the same trail as the Storm King Trail (see further below).  

 

Do stunning hikes 

Olympic National Park has hikes for everyone: casual and easy hikes in the rainforests or the lakes, or more challenging hikes in the Hurricane Ridge area. 

Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail 

Distance: 1.4k (0.87 miles) round-trip (loop)
Elevation gain: 37m (121ft)
Difficulty: easy
Trail map: https://alltrails.pxf.io/AP5zGR 

An easy hike through the Quinault Rainforest. There are informative signs along the trail which is easy to follow. Because this part of the park is less popular, this trail is a lot less crowded.  

 

Spruce Nature Trail and Hall of Mosses loop 

Distance: 1.6k (1 mile) round-trip (loop)
Elevation gain: 25m (82ft)
Difficulty: easy
Trail map: https://alltrails.pxf.io/EEAnWX  

Very easy hike in a very popular part of Olympic National Park. Come early to avoid the crowds.

 

Ancient Groves Trail 

Distance: 0.8k (0.5 miles) round-trip (loop)
Elevation gain: 18m (59ft)
Difficulty: easy
Trail map: https://alltrails.pxf.io/xLoxoO 

A very short and easy hike that is less crowded than the Hall of Mosses. There is a small parking area.  

 

Hurricane Hill Trail 

Distance: 5.5k (3.4 miles) round trip (out&back)
Elevation gain: 252m (827ft)
Difficulty: moderate
Trail map: https://alltrails.pxf.io/raWvWB  

The trail is paved up to the viewpoint where you can even see Vancouver Island. There are some steeper sections, but nothing too difficult. Because this is a popular hike, the parking lot can fill up quickly, so come early.  

 

Sunrise Ridge Trail to Klahhane Ridge 

Distance: 11.1k (6.9 miles) round-trip (out&back)
Elevation gain: 623m (2044ft)
Difficulty: difficult
Trail map: https://alltrails.pxf.io/55zeDo  

This hike starts at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. In the beginning, the trail can be crowded, but as you make your way towards Klahhane Ridge, there are fewer people. After 2.5 miles, you will go on the Switchback Trail, and from there it’s another mile of switchbacks to Klahhane Ridge. At the top, you have a beautiful view over the area, and you can even see Canada. 

 

Here are some other trails that were on our list, but we didn’t do:

• Mount Storm King (6.6k/4.1miles – 642m/2106ft elevation gain): difficult hike
• Hoh River Trail (8.9k/5.5miles – 65m/213ft elevation gain): easy hike
• Devil’s punchbowl (3.9k/2.4miles – 38m/125ft elevation gain): easy hike

How to plan the perfect itinerary 

We visited one part of the park at a time and also switched hotels, so we didn’t have to drive so much. We stayed at Forks and Requim. You can decide if you will be driving clockwise or counterclockwise to visit Olympic National Park. We came from Astoria, so we first visited the west side before driving north and east on our way to Seattle. 

It will all depend on how long you are staying and where your interests lie. If you like hiking, I would focus more on the region around Hurricane Hill. If you just want to see the highlights, I would visit one of the rainforests and one of the beaches.  

Insider tips for a great visit

Safety and Leave No Trace principles  

Olympic National Park is one of the most diverse natural landscapes in the U.S., from rugged coastlines and lush rainforests to alpine peaks and glacier-fed lakes. This beauty comes with ever-changing weather conditions, especially as you move between different regions of the park. Always check the forecast before setting out on a hike or scenic drive so you can be fully prepared. 

Whether you’re having lunch at a scenic viewpoint or snacking on the trail, always pack out everything you bring. Let’s help preserve this stunning environment—take only memories, leave only footprints.

Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind during your visit: 

• Drive with care: Wildlife crossings, winding mountain roads, and coastal fog can make driving tricky. Take it slow, especially in misty or low-visibility conditions. 
• Dress in layers: Olympic’s climate zones vary dramatically. Bring moisture-wicking layers, waterproof gear, and sturdy footwear. Be ready for sun, rain, or chilly mountain air—even in summer. 
• Stay on designated trails: This helps protect fragile ecosystems (especially in rainforests and alpine meadows) and ensures your safety. 
• Expect limited cell service: Many areas, particularly in the backcountry or along the coast, don’t have reception. Download trail maps and offline navigation tools in advance, and pack a power bank. 
• Solo travelers: Always share your itinerary with a friend or family member before heading out.

Being well-prepared will help you enjoy all that Olympic National Park has to offer—safely and responsibly. 

Must-have gear for your Olympic hikes  

Good hiking shoes are essential when hitting the trails, and depending on the terrain, hiking poles can offer extra support and stability. It’s also important to always carry the 10 essentials, especially if you’re going on a longer hike or exploring less-traveled trails. These items can make a big difference in comfort and safety: 

1. Navigation: Map, compass, and GPS 
2. Sun protection: Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a hat 
3. Insulation: A jacket, hat, gloves, rain shell, and thermal layers 
4. Illumination: Headlamp, flashlight, or lantern (plus extra batteries) 
5. First-aid kit 
6. Fire: Matches, lighter, or fire starters 
7. Repair kit: Multi-tool and duct tape 
8. Nutrition: Lightweight, no-cook food like trail mix or granola bars 
9. Hydration: Water and a way to purify it 
10. Emergency shelter: Such as a tent, tarp, or space blanket 

Even if you don’t expect to need them, having these basics with you can help you be prepared for unexpected situations on the trail. 

Wildlife safety measures  

Thanks to its incredibly diverse landscapes, ranging from coastal beaches and temperate rainforests to alpine ridges, Olympic National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife. During your visit, you’re likely to spot black-tailed deer, chipmunks, squirrels, and a variety of birds like Steller’s jays and ravens. The park is also home to black bears and mountain lions, though sightings are rare. If you do come across one, always keep a safe distance of at least 50 yards (45 meters) and never approach or feed wild animals. On one of our hikes, we were lucky enough to spot a group of curious marmots sunbathing near the trail—one of the many magical wildlife encounters the park has to offer. 

Why you should visit Olympic National Park 

Olympic National Park truly has it all — from dramatic coastlines and lush rainforests to rugged mountain peaks. Whether you’re hiking through Hoh Rain Forest, watching the sunset at Ruby Beach, or taking in the views from Hurricane Ridge, this itinerary gives you a perfect taste of the park’s wild beauty.

👉 Planning to explore more of the Pacific Northwest?

• Check out our Mount Rainier National Park guide for more epic hikes and viewpoints.

• Visiting the coast? Don’t miss our tips on The Goonies film locations and one day at Ruby Beach.

• Or head to Oregon and explore Mount Hood for one day.

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