14 Jul 2016 08.02.34 PM
Olympic National Park, located in the northwestern corner of the United States, is an unforgettable park, filled with stunning green rainforests, rocky beaches and clear, tumbling waterfalls. This is a park where you’ll want to spend as much time as possible! However, even a quick trip through Olympic National Park gives you a chance to explore its beauty and wonder. We’ve put together an itinerary to help you hit some of Olympic National Park’s most treasured areas should you have only one, two or three days to spend at the park!
ONE DAY
If you have only one day to view the majesty of Olympic National Park, these three locations are a must! Start out at Hurricane Ridge where you can check out the Visitor Center. Then, make the 3 hour drive to the lush Hoh Rainforest. From there, Rialto Beach is just another hour and a half away.
Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge is a stretch of mountains that runs along the northern side of the Olympic Peninsula along the Juan de Fuca strait. Visit Mount Olympus, Hurricane Ridge’s tallest mountain, which stands almost 8,000 feet tall! The clear, refreshing air and superb views will leave you mystified and soothed. The rugged mountain range is complete with soft subalpine meadows below, dotted with colorful wildflowers. Hurricane Ridge is also known for it’s numerous hiking trails such as Meadow Loop Trails and Heart of the Forest Trail.
Hoh Rainforest
The Hoh Rainforest is a coniferous rainforest that stands along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. A sanctuary of lush, dewy greenery, this rainforest can receive up to 14 feet of rain per year. Moss, thick ferns, and layers of coniferous and deciduous greenery cover the treetops. The Hoh Rainforest provides an majestic experience to escape into a magical world of fresh plant life and deep, striking hues.
Rialto Beach
A beautiful rocky beach, this spot is a great place to view the beauty of the Pacific. Rialto Beach is different from any you’ve seen before. It’s filled with giant drift logs and gorgeous views of offshore islands called sea stacks. Bring chairs so you can relax and listen to the roar of the ocean. The area is known for its towering trees, and lush undergrowth. It’s recommended that visitors bring shoes with good traction if you want to explore. Walking across the rocks and beautiful, bleached logs can be slippery.
Split Rock
Rialto Beach is a great place to view Split Rock, two large, towering rocks dotted with trees that stand just at the shoreline. They are connected only along the bottom, with a gaping space between them through which the sun and waves can be viewed.
Hole-in-the-Wall
Continue the adventure on Hole-in-the-Wall Trail, a moderate 4 mile hike along the coastline. You can view plenty of wildlife in addition to marine life like deer and bald eagles. It’s best to take this hike at low tide.
TWO DAYS
If you have a little more time to spend in Olympic National Park, we suggest you add these impressive natural landmarks to your itinerary!
Lake Crescent
18 miles west of Port Angeles, Lake Crescent is tucked away in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. The water here is perfectly pristine, the lake carved out by icy glaciers. Thousands of years ago, Lake Crescent was cut off from the nearby Lake Sutherland by an enormous landslide. As a result, the marine life that populate these two lakes vary. Two different species of Trout, the Crescenti and Beardslee Trout, were once the same species that evolved into two due to their genetic isolation.
Sol Duc Falls
Sol Duc Falls, accessible from the 101 West, past Lake Crescent, has been called one of the country’s most photogenic waterfalls, and it is truly stunning to behold! This waterfall splits into as many as four separate channels plunging 37 feet off the side of a cliff and into a narrow canyon where there is another 11 foot flume-style drop down to the gorge below. A stream of fresh white water sprays in a sundrenched mist, pouring through the crevices between looming boulders. Hike through the area and explore the Sol Duc Hot Springs, cross the Sol Duc River Bridge and check out Lover's Lane Trail.
Kalaloch & Ruby Beach
Kalaloch Coast is a sanctuary for marine life and birds alike. Located along the southwestern coast of the Olympic Peninsula, you can find colonies of birds nesting among the rocky coast. This coast is protected by five different organizations that help preserve the marine wildlife that thrive in Olympic. On these beaches, visitors can explore tide pools filled with seas stars, wolf eels, pricklebacks, barnacles, clams, seas snails, rock crabs, brittle stars and more! Just make sure you are gentle and don’t leave any trash behind. Wildlife
Kalaloch Coast is a magnificent place to view some of the 29 different species of marine mammals that live or swim through the waters here. From March - May, visitors can track the 30-ton gray whales as they migrate up the coast to Bering Strait. You can also spot sea lions, harbor porpoise, sea otters and orcas from various vantage points in Olympic National Park.
THREE DAYS
Quinault Rainforest
Located at the southwestern corner of the park, Quinault Rainforest is a 3-hour drive from Port Angeles and 1 hour from Forks. Filled with stunning alpine meadows, sparkling lakes and high, jutting peaks, Quinault Rainforest rests in the valley formed by Quinault River and Lake Quinault. Here, you can see large, old trees such as the Western Red Cedar, Sitka Spruce, Alaska Cedar and Mountain Hemlock as well as 5 out of the 10 largest Douglas-firs. Quinault Rainforest contains tall, towering trees dripping with moss and white streams that run across smooth, round rocks. Quinault Rain Forest Loop Drive is a great way to see the rainforest. The 31 mile loop can be steep and curvy, winding through the lush, green wonderland amidst elk, deer and birds. You can stop often to catch sight of gorgeous waterfalls, take a hike or stop for photos.
Olympic National Park is a place where you will want to spend as much time as you can! With so much to see and so many places to explore, the longer you have to spend the better. However, even just visiting for a couple days is well worth your while!