Activities

With Olympic's nearly one million acres and three distinct ecosystems, plan on spending at least one very full day to get a feeling for the park's diversity. With this amount of time, visitors often drive to Hurricane Ridge for a taste of the park's high country and mountain vistas. From there, a three-hour drive to the west will bring you to the Hoh Rain Forest, where over 12 feet of rain per year creates a stunning world of huge trees and profuse greenery. Views of the Pacific Coast and Olympic's wilderness beaches can be seen by an additional 30-40 minute drive to Rialto or Ruby Beach. Plan your day trip using our Frontcountry Planner, or an overnight backpacking trip by visiting the Wilderness Information Center.

Visitors interested in hiking or exploring some of the park's lesser-used areas should allow for several days in the park.