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Washington, United States

Olympic NP

Plan two to three days: the park spreads across mountains, rainforest and coast with no road through the middle. This guide pulls together 1 activity, 6 outdoor spots and 1 place to eat from our curated routes.

Plan Olympic NP with friendsBrowse 9 places
Olympic NP, Washington, United States
Places
9

1 Do · 6 Outdoors · 1 Eat · 1 Drink

Curated routes
1

Pacific Northwest

Best season
Jun – Sep

from our route notes

Warmest month
August

15°C / 59°F avg high

Coolest month
December

-1°C / 31°F avg high

Wettest month
November

about 292 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Olympic NP

9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

Do

Hands-on ways to spend time in Olympic NP in Lake Crescent.

  • Marymere Falls Trail in Olympic NPPhoto: ron haydon · Google
    Do

    Marymere Falls Trail

    Easy 1.8-mile round trip through old-growth forest to a 90-foot waterfall.

    Tip Add the steep Mount Storm King spur for big lake views.

    • Lake Crescent
    • Free
    • 75 min

Outdoors

Trails, views and open space in and around Olympic NP. 5 of them are free.

  • Hurricane Ridge in Olympic NPPhoto: Josh H · Google
    Outdoors

    Hurricane Ridge

    Paved road to subalpine meadows with views across the Olympic range and Strait of Juan de Fuca.

    Tip Check road status first; winter access is limited.

    • $
    • 3 hr
    • Jul–Sep
  • Lake Crescent in Olympic NPPhoto: Zandcee · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Outdoors

    Lake Crescent

    Glacier-carved lake with clear blue water, kayak rentals and lakeshore trails off US-101.

    • Free
    • 2 hr
    • Summer morning
  • Sol Duc Falls in Olympic NPPhoto: Barbara Zancoast · Google
    Outdoors

    Sol Duc Falls

    Short forest walk to a waterfall splitting into channels in a narrow gorge.

    Tip Pair with a soak at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.

    • Sol Duc Valley
    • Free
    • 1.5 hr
  • Hall of Mosses Trail in Olympic NPPhoto: Prajna Shenoy · Google
    Outdoors

    Hall of Mosses Trail

    0.8-mile loop through the Hoh Rain Forest's moss-draped bigleaf maples and spruce.

    Tip Arrive before 9am; the entrance line backs up in summer.

    • Hoh Rain Forest
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Early morning
  • Rialto Beach in Olympic NPPhoto: Mick Dees (nomad.mick) · Google
    Outdoors

    Rialto Beach

    Driftwood-strewn wild beach; walk 1.5 miles north to the Hole-in-the-Wall sea arch.

    Tip Time it for low tide to reach the arch and tide pools.

    • Free
    • 2.5 hr
    • Low tide
  • Ruby Beach in Olympic NPPhoto: Barbara Zancoast · Google
    Outdoors

    Ruby Beach

    Sea stacks, driftwood and red-tinged pebbles on the park's southern coast.

    Tip Sunset is best; trail from the lot is short but steep.

    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Sunset

Eat

1 place to eat in Lake Crescent, picked for groups who care about the food.

  • Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic NPPhoto: Zandcee · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Eat

    Lake Crescent Lodge

    Historic 1915 lodge whose dining room serves Northwest dishes with lake views.

    Tip Seasonal; dinner reservations recommended.

    • Lake Crescent
    • $$$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Dinner

Drink

1 bar or café in Port Angeles for coffee, a round or a nightcap.

  • Next Door Gastropub in Olympic NPPhoto: Next Door Gastropub · Google
    Drink

    Next Door Gastropub

    Port Angeles gastropub with Northwest taps and burgers, a good base-camp dinner.

    • Port Angeles
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Evening

How to fit Olympic NP into a trip

Olympic NP is stop 2 of 3 on our Pacific Northwest route. Follow it as-is or lift Olympic NP into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Olympic NP month by month

Average daily highs run from -1°C / 31°F in December to 15°C / 59°F in August. November is the wettest month, with about 292 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Olympic NP weather and the best time to visit →

Near Olympic NP

8 other destinations from our guides within about 200 km (124 mi), measured in a straight line.

Olympic NP questions, answered

How many days do you need in Olympic NP?

Our route notes suggest 2–3 days in Olympic NP. On our Pacific Northwest route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 6-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 15 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Olympic NP best known for?

Plan two to three days: the park spreads across mountains, rainforest and coast with no road through the middle. Standouts on our list: Hurricane Ridge (Paved road to subalpine meadows with views across the Olympic range and Strait of Juan de Fuca); Lake Crescent (Glacier-carved lake with clear blue water, kayak rentals and lakeshore trails off US-101); Sol Duc Falls (Short forest walk to a waterfall splitting into channels in a narrow gorge).

When is the best time to visit Olympic NP?

Our Pacific Northwest route is best Jun – Sep. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in August (15°C / 59°F), the coolest in December (-1°C / 31°F) and the most rain in November (about 292 mm).

What are the best things to do in Olympic NP?

Start with Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls Trail, Sol Duc Falls and Hall of Mosses Trail. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 1 activity, 6 outdoor spots, 1 place to eat and 1 bar or café.

What is near Olympic NP?

The closest destinations in our guides are Victoria (about 72 km / 45 mi), Bainbridge Island (about 83 km / 52 mi) and San Juan Island (about 92 km / 57 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Olympic NP with your crew

Open the Pacific Northwest route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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