Olympic National Park

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Olympic National Park is one of the most ecologically diverse places on Earth, containing three completely distinct ecosystems within a single park boundary: a temperate rainforest of staggering lushness, a rugged alpine wilderness crowned by the Olympic Mountains, and 70 miles of wild Pacific coastline that ranks among the most remote and scenic stretches of shoreline in the lower 48 states. Established in 1938 and covering 922,000 acres on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. No roads cross the park's interior — the Olympic Mountains form an impenetrable core that has kept the peninsula relatively isolated for millennia, resulting in several species found nowhere else on Earth, including the Olympic marmot and Olympic torrent salamander. The Hoh Rain Forest on the park's western slope receives 12 to 14 feet of rainfall per year, producing a forest draped in so many hanging mosses and club mosses that light filters through in shades of green. Roosevelt elk, the largest unmanaged elk herd in the Pacific Northwest, were named for President Theodore Roosevelt specifically to recognize this park's role in protecting them. Whether you spend your days watching waves crash against sea stacks, hiking through cathedral old-growth, or scrambling across glaciated ridges, Olympic offers a sense of completeness that is almost unmatched in the national park system.

The Hoh Rain Forest's Hall of Mosses Trail is one of the most otherworldly walks in America — a short 0.8-mile loop beneath massive bigleaf maples draped in curtains of club moss, with nurse logs carpeted in ferns creating a landscape that feels primordial. The Hoh River Trail extends 17.4 miles from the visitor center to the Blue Glacier on Mount Olympus, passing through increasingly wild old-growth forest. Along the coast, the stretch between Rialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall — a wave-carved natural arch — is a spectacular 3-mile round trip at low tide. The 8-mile backpack to Third Beach offers sea stack scenery and camping on the sand. In the alpine zone, Hurricane Ridge (5,242 feet) is reachable by car and opens up a network of trails through flower-covered meadows with views of the glacier-capped Olympic Mountains; the Hurricane Hill Trail (3.2 miles round trip) is a must. More ambitious hikers tackle the High Divide–Bailey Range Loop, a demanding multi-day route through the park's wild interior. Sea kayaking in the Ozette triangle on the coast and climbing Mount Olympus (7,980 feet) round out the adventure options.

Roosevelt elk are the park's signature species, with a herd of roughly 5,000 animals. They're commonly spotted in the Hoh Valley and along the Quinault River corridor, often grazing in open meadows at dusk. Black bears are widespread across the park. Sea otters have returned to the outer coast after near-extinction, and harbor seals and Steller sea lions haul out on offshore rocks. Tidepool visitors find purple sea urchins, giant green anemones, ochre sea stars, and hermit crabs in the rich intertidal zones. In the alpine, Olympic marmots — found nowhere else on Earth — whistle warnings from their talus colonies above treeline.

Olympic is open year-round, but many roads and trails are most accessible May through October. The $35 vehicle entrance fee is valid for seven days. Rain gear is non-negotiable — even in July, rain is possible in the Hoh any day. Backcountry permits are required for overnight trips ($8 per person per night plus a $6 reservation fee through Recreation.gov). Kalaloch Lodge and the Lake Quinault Lodge are the most popular in-park lodging options; reserve well in advance. The Hoh Visitor Center is open year-round; other facilities have seasonal hours.

Olympic sits on the Olympic Peninsula, about 3 hours northwest of Seattle. From Seattle, take the Washington State Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, then US-101 north and around the peninsula — or drive south through Tacoma and up through Aberdeen. There is no single entrance to Olympic; multiple access points ring the park from different directions. Port Angeles, on the northern edge, is the main gateway community and home to the main Olympic National Park Visitor Center.

Do not try to see all three ecosystems in a single day — the park's roads circle the peninsula and driving between the Hoh Rain Forest, Hurricane Ridge, and the coast takes far longer than maps suggest. Check tides before walking coastal routes; some passages are only safe at low tide. The Hoh Rain Forest trailhead parking fills by mid-morning on summer weekends — arrive by 8 a.m. or take a shuttle from Forks. Bring rain layers even in summer; the rainforest is wet by definition. Tide tables are available free at all visitor centers.