With three major ecosystems and almost a million acres to choose from, Olympic National Park is filled with possibilities. One of the key challenges that visitors face is how to tackle all of these choices.
Wilderness Coast
Olympic National Park includes 73 miles of wild coastline. These beaches offer a glimpse into an environment that local tribes have called home for generations. Short trails or overnight backpacking trips offer ways to explore the rugged coast and its teeming tidepools.
Ancient ForestsTowering trees and rushing water greet visitors to Olympic's old growth forests. Lake Crescent, Heart O' the Hills, Sol Duc and Elwha offer old growth forests on the northern peninsula. Staircase is a popular eastern destination. The west side Quinault, Queets, Hoh and Bogachiel valleys are superb examples of temperate rain forests.
Snowy MountainsHead to Hurricane Ridge for vistas of the rugged Olympic Mountains. A winding 17-mile paved road climbs from Port Angeles to the nearly mile-high Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. On a clear day the park's mountainous interior and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and islands to the north are visible. The steep, dirt Deer Park Road (east of Port Angeles) also leads to the mountains and a small campground. This winding road is not suitable for trailers and RVs.
Most visitors to Olympic arrive in Seattle then drive to the park either via Tacoma or by taking one of the frequent Washington State car ferries across Puget Sound. Ferries also connect Port Angeles to Victoria, British Columbia. There are daily flights into Port Angeles and private bus lines provide shuttle service to Seattle. There is limited or no public transportation into many areas of the park. Olympic is a wilderness park. No roads cross the rugged interior.
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