Olympic National Park Travel Guide

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Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park, Washington (Purestock/Getty)
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Olympic National Park Travel Tips

  • The park is located in the northwestern corner of Washington state and contains almost 900,000 acres of wilderness. The terrain includes ocean shores, Pacific temperate rainforest, alpine glaciers, and 600 miles of trail providing access to the park.
  • Hike through wildflower-dotted meadows, through dense rainforest, and along wilderness beaches.
  • The National Park Service operates 16 campgrounds with a total of 910 sites. All are first come, first served, and some are open year-round. Backcountry camping permits are available at all ranger stations for wilderness or beach camping.
  • Anglers fishing for trout within park boundaries do not need a license to catch and release. You'll need a Washington State fishing license to fish outside of park boundaries and a state punch card to fish for salmon or steelhead.
  • Many of the trails within the glorious Olympic National Park are suitable for horseback riding, but Wilderness Camping Permits are required for all overnight trips, and some areas require reservations.

Olympic National Park Travel Guide

The east side of Olympic National Park is the least visited side of the park. There are no wild beaches, no roads up into alpine meadows, and no rainforests. There are also no crowds of tourists. However, there are many miles of rugged hiking trails that lead intrepid hikers to some of the best mountaintop viewpoints on the peninsula. There are also rushing rivers, state parks, and the wide salt waters of Hood Canal, which isn't a canal at all, but rather a natural body of water off Puget Sound. Long, narrow, and hook-shaped, Hood Canal has miles of pristine waterfront and has long been a popular spot for summer homes. Fishing and clamming are among the most popular activities along Hood Canal. Read More

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1 Questions | 0 Answers
  • we'd like to take our kids, ages 7 and 9, to the olympic peninsula next summer. We'd love to see the rainforest, particularly, but are unsure what area to stay in. Port Townsend sounds nice and like it has a lot to offer a family, but is it too far away from the park highlights?
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Hotels

Lake Crescent Lodge

Best Resorts & Lodges
416 Lake Crescent Rd.
Port Angeles, WA 98363 Map

Distance: 40.9 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated
from: $119

Quinault Beach Resort and Casino

78 State Route 115
Ocean Shores, WA 98569 Map

Distance: 33.1 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 3 class stars

Expert Rated & Recommended

Kalaloch Lodge

157151 Highway 101
Forks, WA 98331 Map

Distance: 42.8 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: 2 class stars
Expert Rated & Recommended
5.0
4.0
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Attractions

Colonel Bob Trail

expert favorite attraction
Small trailhead on South Shore Rd.
Quinalt , Washington

Distance: 0.1 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Colonel Bob Trail gains over 4,200 feet in 7.2 miles to the summit of Colonel Bob. Mukley Trail... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Lake Quinault

expert favorite attraction
Southwest end of Olympic National Park
Amanda Park, Washington

Distance: 0.6 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Majestic glacier-carved and glacier-fed Lake Quinault is framed by the mossy old-growth trees of... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
5_0

Quinault Loop Drive

Trailhead on right, South Shore Rd.
Quinalt , Washington

Distance: 2.2 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Quinault Loop Drive is a 31-mile loop around Lake Quinault, up the Quinault River into Olympic... Read More
Expert Rated & Recommended
3_0
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Airports

Major Airports near Olympic National Park

Distance (mi.)
Seattle/Tacoma International Airport 72.2 map
Vancouver International Airport 122.5 map
Portland International Airport 143.1 map

Other Smaller Airports near Olympic National Park

Distance (mi.)
Port Angeles Fairchild International Airport 48.7 map
Victoria Inner Harbor Airport 68.0 map
Seattle Boeing Fld International Airport 72.2 map

Flight Deals to Olympic National Park

Originating From
San Francisco (SFO) to Seattle (SEA) $126
Oakland (OAK) to Seattle (SEA) $126
Los Angeles (LAX) to Seattle (SEA) $126
Long Beach (LGB) to Seattle (SEA) $146
Denver (DEN) to Seattle (SEA) $156

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