Olympic National Park Itinerary: 10 Best Things To Do in Olympic National Park
Covering over 1 million acres, Olympic National Park has the most diverse landscape out of the three national parks in Washington. It has mountains, rainforests, and beaches, offering something for everyone. Olympic National Park is a must-have on every Washington itinerary!
This guide will review everything you need to know to create the best Olympic National Park itinerary, including where to stay, things to know before you go, the best Olympic National Park hikes, and the best things to do in Olympic National Park.
Fun fact: Olympic National Park is the most visited national park in Washington, with over 3 million people visiting each year!
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Travel Tips for Creating an Olympic National Park Itinerary
Spend at least 2-3 days in Olympic National Park. If you are looking to backpack in the Enchanted Valley, I recommend adding a day or two to your itinerary.
Start your days early. Olympic National Park is the most visited national park in Washington, with over 3 million visitors per year. It can be very crowded, and sometimes traffic will be stopped if the parking lots are overflowing, so I recommend starting your day early. Most of the best things to do in Olympic National Park are about an hour from each other, so I recommend including the driving time in your itinerary, so you can accurately plan your trip!
Purchase your park pass in advance. If you are visiting other national parks along with Olympic National Park, you can purchase the America the Beautiful Annual Pass. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass will allow you into any national park and federal recreation land for a year!
Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some of these spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.
Closest Airport to Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is on the Olympic Peninsula on the west coast of Washington along the ocean. The closest airport to Olympic National Park is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. From the airport, it is about a 3-hour drive to Port Angeles. There are a few routes that require a ferry ride, but those can become very backed up, so I recommend driving the entire way instead.
The ferry lines had long wait times when we visited, so we drove around. It was a beautiful drive and worth it to not have to deal with the ferry lines.
I highly recommend renting a car for your trip to Olympic National Park. The national park does not offer a shuttle service, and a lot of the must-see sights are spread out, so having a car is essential.
Places to Stay on Your Olympic National Park Itinerary
If you are spending the night near Olympic National Park, Port Angeles and Forks are the best places to stay. They have plenty of lodging options, restaurants, and gas stations, and they are near many must-see attractions.
Port Angeles is in the northern section, while Forks is in the west near the ocean. There are also many other cute towns near Olympic National Park with accommodations! We stayed in both Port Angeles and Forks and loved our time in them.
If you have or can rent camping gear or a campervan, I highly recommend it because there are campgrounds close to Olympic National Park. If you are interested in renting a campervan, I highly recommend renting from Escape Campervans!
Port Angeles Hotels:
Port Angeles Campgrounds:
Forks Hotels:
Forks Campgrounds:
What to Pack for an Olympic National Park Itinerary
Hiking Boots: If you want comfort and support on your trip, hiking boots are the go to.
Hiking Socks: Having moisture-wicking and comfortable hiking socks are just as important for exploring.
Hiking Backpack: You need something to carry all your food, clothes, and anything else you need while adventuring, so having a supportive hiking backpack is crucial.
Hydration Reservoir/Water Bottles: While hiking or just exploring, it is important to have enough water! I always pack a hydration reservoir.
Jackets: The weather is unpredictable, so I always pack a rain jacket and insulated jacket.
Ten Essentials: The Ten Essentials are crucial for hiking!
Microspikes: If you plan on winter hiking, you will need to bring microspikes.
Snowshoes: Also if you hike in the winter, you may need snowshoes.
Olympic National Park Itinerary: 11 Best Things To Do in Olympic National Park
Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge was one of our favorite spots we visited on our Olympic National Park itinerary! It is easy to drive to and provides incredible views of Olympic National Park’s mountain ranges. To get to the top of Hurricane Ridge, there is a 17-mile road that leads to the visitor center. The beautiful views can be seen from the parking lot, or you can hike the 3.2-mile Hurricane Hill Trail.
Hurricane Ridge is a perfect location to watch sunrise or sunset in Olympic National Park. I highly recommend arriving at Hurricane Ridge early, especially for sunrise or sunset. There is a national park entrance station at the beginning of the road, and they sometimes will stop traffic to Hurricane Ridge if the parking lot at the top is overflowing.
To avoid having a long wait time to enter, I recommend arriving at least 2 hours before sunrise or sunset, or if you are visiting midday, I recommend avoiding arriving between 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM.
Rialto Beach
Rialto Beach is one of many incredible beaches in Olympic National Park and has everything from huge pieces of driftwood to beautiful sea stacks in the ocean. Rialto Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Olympic National Park because it is home to the Hole in the Wall.
There is a 4-mile round trip trail along the shores of Rialto Beach leading to beautiful sea stacks, including the infamous Hole in the Wall. The Hole in the Wall is considered one of the best things to do in Olympic National Park and is a classic photo location where you can stand in a rock hole or take a photo looking through the hole to other sea stacks.
If you decide to hike along Rialto Beach to the Hole in the Wall, it is necessary to check the tides. The trail is along the beach with the ocean to one side and large pieces of driftwood on the other, so once the tide comes in, it can be nearly impossible to hike back. The tide schedule is posted on the sign before the trail, so I highly recommend checking that before beginning your hike.
When we visited Rialto Beach, we intended to hike to the Hole in the Wall for sunset, but the high tides that week did not line up. We hiked back before the sun was setting and the tide was already up to the driftwood. The Hole in the Wall also is not accessible during high tide, but we saw many people still trying to get to it, which is very dangerous and should be avoided.
Rialto Beach is also the perfect location to backcountry camp! There are many safe locations to set up camp for the night within the driftwood where you can watch the sunrise and sunset over Rialto Beach. If you decide to backcountry camp, you can obtain permits here, and I recommend arriving before 5:00 PM to secure a campsite.
Pro tip: One of the best things about the beaches in Olympic National Park is they are beautiful to visit during every type of weather. The sun glistens on the water when it’s a clear day, and clouds dance along the shores, creating a moody scene when it’s overcast.
First Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach
Similar to Rialto Beach, First Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach are beautiful beaches with huge sea stacks in the ocean. First Beach is the most accessible beach out of the three because the sandy shoreline begins right past the parking lot. Second Beach can be accessed by an easy 2-mile roundtrip trail, where you can hang out, take photos, or backcountry camp.
If you want to backcountry camp on Second Beach, you can obtain permits here. Third Beach can be accessed by an easy, 3-mile roundtrip trail. If you only have time to visit one of these three beaches, I highly recommend choosing Second Beach because it has one of the most beautiful and best Olympic National Park hikes!
The best time to visit First Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach is during low tide or sunset. When it is low tide, you can walk right up to the sea stacks! During sunset, you can pick the right spot so the sun will kiss each of the sea stacks as it sets. It was beautiful when we visited!
Ruby Beach
Ruby Beach is another beautiful beach in Olympic National Park that will not disappoint. Ruby Beach stands out from the rest because occasionally, red sand will gather around the sea stacks on the beach, providing a unique and beautiful sight. Ruby Beach also has up to 6 miles of hiking along the shores. I highly recommend making time for Ruby Beach even if it’s just to pull over and enjoy the views!
Hoh Rainforest
Did you know the United States had rainforests?! Yeah, me neither. Olympic National Park is home to four rainforests with the most popular being Hoh Rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest used to be a part of a massive rainforest that spanned from Alaska to California. Hoh Rainforest receives an average of 140 inches of rain per year, which creates a beautiful moss-covered forest.
Hoh Rainforest is considered one of the most beautiful and best things to do in Olympic National Park. There are three main trails in the Hoh Rainforest. The shortest and most popular trail is the Hall of Mosses. We loved hiking on this trail early in the morning!
The easy 0.8-mile trail loops you through old-growth forests and moss-draped trees. The Hall of Mosses is one of the best Olympic National Park hikes for those looking for an easy hike. The Spruce Nature Trail is an easy 1.2-mile trail that loops through new-growth and old-growth forests along the Hoh River.
If you are looking for a longer trail or to backcountry camp, the Hoh River Trail is perfect. The 18.5-mile trail brings you past Mineral Creek Falls, Cedar Grove, Five Mile Island, and Blue Glacier. If the Hoh River Trail is hiked the full length, the trail ends at Blue Glacier looking up to Mt. Olympus, which is an incredible view and makes the long trail worth it. If you are looking to backcountry camp, you can obtain permits at the Hoh Visitor Center or WIC in Port Angeles.
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the most popular destinations in Olympic National Park, so I highly recommend arriving at the visitor’s center early. They sometimes will stop traffic from entering if the parking lot is overflowing.
Pro tip: If you want the best lighting in the Hoh Rainforest, visit during sunrise or sunset. It will also have fewer crowds.
Quinault Rainforest
The Quinault Rainforest is the lesser-known rainforest in Olympic National Park but does not lack beauty. The most popular way to experience the rainforest is on the Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop. If Hoh Rainforest is too busy, Quinault Rainforest is a great alternative to add to your Olympic National Park itinerary.
The easy 0.5-mile trail loops through beautiful moss-draped trees. The Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop connects to many other trails through the Quinault Rainforest that bring you along creeks and past waterfalls.
If you are looking to backpack, the Enchanted Valley is perfect. The 26-mile roundtrip East Fork Quinault River Trail hikes through arguably the most beautiful views in Olympic National Park. If you are looking to backcountry camp, you can obtain permits at the Hoh Visitor Center or WIC in Port Angeles.
Marymere Falls
Marymere Falls is the most beautiful waterfall you can add to your Olympic National Park itinerary, in my opinion. The beautiful 90-foot waterfall is accessed from an easy 1.8-mile roundtrip trail. The hike to Marymere Falls gains 200 feet of elevation, most of which is gained on the trail to the upper viewpoint. In my opinion, the lower viewpoint provides a better view, so I recommend hiking to the upper viewpoint first and then ending on the lower viewpoint.
The hike to Marymere Falls is one of the best things to do in Olympic National Park, so I recommend arriving at the trailhead before 9:00 AM to avoid crowds. It is also one of the best Olympic National Park hikes for those looking for a short and easy hike with a beautiful view!
Mount Storm King
Mount Storm King is one of the most popular hikes because it is considered to be one of the best Olympic National Park hikes. The difficult 4.4-mile roundtrip trail gains over 2,200 feet of elevation and leads to a beautiful lookout over Lake Crescent.
The trail to Mount Storm King is an incredibly steep hike that gains about 1,000 feet of elevation per mile. It is a relentless incline on switchbacks the entire hike until the rope section. The ropes are not just there to use if you want, they are completely necessary to use at all times and requires a full-body effort. The rope section of the trail has loose sandstone and a very long drop-off on one side.
The ascent to Mount Storm King was scary but not as bad as the descent. I was holding onto the ropes for dear life because I knew one wrong step would send me tumbling down the cliff. And no, I’m not exaggerating. The rope section is a scary section of the hike. I wish more people talked about this section to its full extent because so many people got to that section of the hike and turned around.
If you decide to hike Mount Storm King, here are a few things to consider:
I highly recommend beginning the hike before 9:00 AM. Arriving early will help avoid traffic that is created on the ropes section since only one person can be on a rope at a time.
Proper footwear with a good grip is required for the hike to Mount Storm King. The sandstone is very unstable, so I would only recommend hiking Mount Storm King with hiking shoes/boots. They will provide the best stability and grip during this hike.
Do not hike this when it is raining or has recently rained.
If you are afraid of heights, I recommend skipping this hike.
Is Olympic National Park on your bucket list? This guide provides you with everything you need to know to create the perfect Olympic National Park itinerary. Make sure to add all of the best things to do in Olympic National Park mentioned in this post to your bucket list!
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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