OLYMPIC
NATIONAL PARK
Welcome to Olympic National Park!
Spanning almost one million acres, Olympic National Park is extremely unique. You will have the opportunity to see so many diverse ecosystems including mountains, valleys, beaches and rain forests. There is activities for everyone including fishing, hiking, camping and boating! We highly recommend spending some time discovering this park.
CAMPING
Ah, the great outdoors
Olympic is a remote national park that has unique lodging options. Reservable options in and around the park are limited in the summer. These options require reservations far in advance!
During our stay, we drove straight from Seattle to Fairholme campground (3 hours) and marked our site. We arrived at 10 am on Sunday (end of July) and easily got a campsite. Some suggestions we have regarding camping in the park:
Move campgrounds! Olympic is diverse in ecosystems. You have mountains, beaches and rain forests. This park covers 922,700 acres of land, so move your site as you move through each landscape!
In regards to Fairholme specifically, it was a decent campground, but if you don’t have interest in using lake, I would suggest staying elsewhere. This camp is perfect for access to water. There is a small store open until 7pm for wood, snacks, etc. There are sites at the very edge of the lake! It is $20 cash or check and you reserve using the board located near the first restroom. Check out the National Park website for all lodging and camping options.
TRAVELING IN THE PARK
Pack your patience
Let’s start with the facts. You get the best of all worlds in Olympic: mountains, beaches and rain forests! So what is the best way to see it all? Start by packing your patience and plan ahead! Similar to most National Parks, as areas in the park fill up, traffic will ensue and parking will be limited. The Hurricane Ridge visitor center is extremely popular, so don’t be surprised if you are waiting to get in!
As mentioned above, this park is massive. Due to the size of the park, it takes a significant amount of time to travel to the various areas within the park. Further, you will quickly realize there is one road that spans the entire perimeter. Be sure you plan your stops accordingly so you can avoid backtracking. If you enter the park from Seattle, and plan to camp in Faireholme, do not bypass Hurricane Ridge along the way. This can cost you two additional hours in the car!
Klahhane Ridge
Adventure awaits
The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is a great starting point for your adventure in Olympic National Park The road to the visitor center is amazing in itself so enjoy the experience!
Once at the top, you have access to a few trailheads. From the parking lot we took Cirque Rim Trail (very short) to Klahhane Ridge Trail. Klahhane ridge goes on for miles. You can go as far as you wish and turn back. After about two miles. you will find some of the most amazing views. We highly recommend exploring this area and spending some time embracing the 360 views! Also, don’t be surprised if you see deer!
RIALTO BEACH
Chase the sunset
After heading back to our campsite, we decided to spend our evening watching the sunset at Rialto Beach. This beach is so unique and beautiful. From the rocky beach, salty air and endless drift wood, you will definitely find tranquility here.
If you are only spending one night, it’s definitely worth the trip (yes, more backtracking if you are staying in Faireholme). Otherwise we strongly suggest spending a night camping in the Mora campground. Carve some time out to take the coastal hike to “hole in the wall!”
QUINAULT RAINFOREST
Mountains, beaches, and rainforests
Olympic National Park is extremely diverse. In addition to the mountains and beaches, it is also home to rainforests. There is the Quinault and Hoh rain forests. If your time is limited, we suggest taking some time to explore Quinault as it is right off the mainroad to Portland taking the west side of the park. You can take a short hike and get a taste for the landscape. Hoh is also beautiful rainforest, and should definitely be explored if you are planning to spend a few days in the park!
What we took away:
Due to the size and diversity of this National Park, you could spend weeks exploring it! If you are only planning to spend a couple of days here, we recommend doing your research and planning stops and routes ahead of time. The accessibility in this park is dependent on one main road, so it is easy to spend unnecessary time backtracking. There are so many lodging options, don’t be afraid to move around and discover the many unique areas of the park. This park is full of natural beauty, and it is so worth the trip!