Thinking of visiting Olympic National Park? This park is on the Western coast of Washington, and has one of the only rainforests in the United States!
Because of this, the park is so lush and pretty well shaded, so we never got too hot or sunburnt. However, we totally didn’t realize how much driving was involved in visiting this park…
All of the major hikes and sights look close to each other on a map, but require driving through separate entrances to access, so we spent a lot of time in the car.
Because of this, I would recommend going for at least 3 days if you are able to so you can spend a day in the rainforest, a day at the beach, and a day in the mountains. This ultimate 3-day weekend itinerary will help you plan out your trip to maximize all of your time there.
And if you’re wondering what to pack, don’t miss my Ultimate Hiking Packing Guide to make sure you’re fully prepared.
If you’re thinking about combining this visit with a road trip along the west coast, check out my post: Complete Itinerary For A Stunning West Coast Road Trip.
This Olympic National Park blog post will tell you everything you need to know before visiting the park, what to pack, and the best hikes!
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1. Weather is unpredictable and often gloomy and overcast
Because you’re right by the water and in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find that it is often gloomy in Olympic National Park. Now, this is great for visiting the Hoh Rainforest and really adding to that ~spooky vibe~ but it’s not so great for hiking or visiting the beach.
If you’re looking for maximum sun, I would recommend booking your trip mid-July through mid-September. I visited in early July and it was overcast about half the time we were there, and the beaches were cloudy the entire time.
2. Check the Webcams before venturing out
The National Park website has webcams specifically for popular places in Olympic National Park including Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and a few of the beaches.
Definitely check these before heading out to make sure weather is okay where you’re headed!
3. Parking is readily available, except at Hoh Rainforest
We didn’t have any issues with parking, except for at Hoh Rainforest. We visited the park mid-week and found that most parking lots always had spots available, or you would maybe have to wait 5-10 minutes for someone to leave.
However, at Hoh Rainforest, the line often gets up to a 2+ hour wait, and I can’t even imagine what it looks like on weekends. I would recommend arriving to Hoh Rainforest before 8 am to ensure a parking spot without having to wait.
4. There is decent cell reception in Olympic National Park
I actually found there to be pretty good cell coverage throughout the park – especially near visitor centers and along the hikes.
However, I’d still recommend downloading Offline Google Maps for the entire area of Olympic National Park before your trip. You can also download a self-guided audio driving tour to learn more about the park – it’s like having a super affordable personal tour guide the whole time.
Also make sure to download any road reservations, park passes, etc before you enter the park.
5. Olympic National Park is ~3-4 hours from Seattle
This is something we didn’t realize when flying into Seattle; the park is actually quite far from the city. I’d recommend planning to land early to give yourself ample time to drive to your lodging before it gets dark.
6. Stay near the park
Like I’ve said, everything is pretty spread out within the park, so I recommend trying to stay as close as you can to what you want to see the most.
We stayed in Forks, a little town that was made famous by the Twilight vampire series if you’re familiar. This was really nice, because we were pretty much in the middle of everything and close to Rialto Beach and Second Beach.
I would alternatively recommend staying in Port Angeles; this is in the Northern part and is close to Hurricane Hill, Lake Crescent and Mount Storm King.
If you want to know our exact Airbnb, send me a message and I’ll send you the link!
Day 1: Hoh Rainforest & Hurricane Ridge
I’ve split up the itinerary to make sure you see the best of the 3 different parts of the park: the Hoh Rainforest, the mountains, and the beaches. You can definitely mix and match spots and hikes from each category, but this is a way to organize your itinerary most efficiently!
8:30 AM: Hall of Mosses
To maximize your day, and minimize the amount of time waiting in line to enter the Hoh Rainforest, I suggest arriving by 8 AM. This might sound insane, but we got here at 9:30 AM and still had to wait 45 minutes to enter.
They say the busiest times are between 10 AM – 3 PM, so alternatively you could also come here later in the afternoon and wait only an hour or so.
Start your day with the simple Hall of Mosses trail, which is a 1.1 mile loop trail through the center of the rainforest.
You’ll get these amazing views of the mosses, ferns and these huge trees! This is a relatively flat trail that we spent about an hour walking through and really taking in the scenery.
9:30 AM: Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls
Once you finish the Hall of Mosses trail, start the hike on Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls. The trailheads are right by each other, so it’s easy to go from one to the next.
This is a 5.5 mile out-and-back trail, also with minimal elevation, that will take you to the Mineral Creek Falls.
This took us about 2.5 hours, including spending some time by the creek falls. You can also get close to the Hoh River on this trail, and take a quick dip if you’re feeling up for it!
3:00 PM: Hurricane Hill
Once you’ve wrapped up in the Hoh Rainforest, this is the perfect time to begin the drive to Hurricane Ridge. It will take you about 3 hours, and in the meantime you can eat your packed lunch, or stop in Forks to grab a quick bite.
Make sure you check the webcam before heading out; this hike starts pretty high up in the mountains so even if it’s sunny in the rainforest and towns, it can be cloudy up in the mountains. This was unfortunately the case for us, but here is what the hike should look like on a clear day:
This is a 3.4 mile out-and-back, moderately challenging hike that should take you about 2 hours. Given your body will probably want to rest after all this hiking and walking around, I suggest driving back to your lodging afterwards and stopping for dinner along the way!
Then, make sure to get a good nights rest for tomorrow’s hike, which will be the most challenging of the whole trip.
Day 2: Mt. Storm King & Devil's Punchbowl
Please make sure you have a ton of water and snacks before setting out for the day. The Mt. Storm King hike is no joke and you will need to be properly fueled for this one!
8:00 AM: Devil's Punchbowl via Spruce Railroad Trail
To kick things off for day two, I would start with this easy, 2.4 mile out-and-back trail to Devil’s Punchbowl! You’ll get to see these stunning views of Lake Crescent and get your legs warmed up for the day.
This will take you about an hour, including any extra time you spend at Devil’s Punchbowl swimming or taking photos! The water is sooo cold but we did see a lot of people going for a dip.
9:30 AM: Mount Storm King
Then, you’ll drive around the lake quickly to get to the trailhead for Marymere Falls. This is the same starting point for Mount Storm King; you’ll walk on a relatively flat trail for 0.5 miles until you get to the Storm King Trailhead.
Now all in all, this is about a 4 mile out-and-back trail and will take you anywhere from 3-5 hours to complete. You will be rewarded with these stunning views at the very top:
HOWEVER!! This has to be one of the hardest (if not THE hardest) trails I have ever done. It is straight up hill for 2 miles, which took us about 2 hours.
And not to mention I think my quads are still sore…over a week later haha!
Also, the very last part of the hike is not maintained and is a series of 6 ropes along a steep rocky trail on the side of a cliff. Sorry to be dramatic, but for some reason once I got to this section just was not feeling comfortable enough attempting it and so I sat on the rocks and waited for my sister to get back down.
Definitely do not push yourself if you are feeling tired, scared, uncomfortable, etc at the end of the hike. It is not worth it and Search and Rescue operations are not uncommon on the Mount Storm King Trail.
Here’s a picture of my sister sliding back down haha this is how most people were getting back down:
While I was there I didn’t see anyone having issues going up or coming back down, but definitely good to be prepared.
2:30 PM: Marymere Falls
When you finally make it back down, you can continue along the Marymere Falls trail. This is 1.8 miles out-and-back and is an easy trail to see the waterfall.
It is flat for the most part, except at the end to actually view the waterfall so if your legs are totally dead, maybe skip it.
This will take you less than an hour, and then you’ll be back at your car!
4:00 PM: Sol Duc Falls
If you still have a bit of energy left, stop by Sol Duc Falls on your way back. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Mount Storm King and there are also ~hot springs~ here where you can finally relax and rest your feet!
Sol Duc Falls trail is a 1.8 mile out-and-back, easy trail that will take you only about an hour.
5:00 PM: Sol Duc Hot Springs
Then (finally) head to the hot springs to relax!! You can get a nice dinner and a soak in the hot springs at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.
They have a few different pools at different temperatures, and admission is pretty affordable. I’d recommend booking in advance because they can fill up, especially during busier seasons.
Day 3: Beaches
Ahh finally a relaxing day where you can sleep in a bit and chill more, and beach hop! Again, make sure you check the webcams before heading out for the day to make sure the weather is cooperating.
For the Olympic National Park beach itinerary, I’m going to leave time stamps off and you can just pick and choose, or explore them all at your leisure. They’re listed in order of Northernmost beach to Southernmost beach.
You really can’t go wrong!
Shi-Shi Beach
This one takes some effort to get to, but is so worth it! You’ll get views of the rugged coastline, really cool sea stacks, and the most insane sunset views.
Just be prepared for a longer hike and muddy trail. I would recommend bringing waterproof shoes!
Hole-in-the-Wall From Rialto Beach
This beach walk is super cool; it’s a 3.3 mile out-and-back walk along the coast that will take you about an hour.
It’s not technically a “trail” so you will follow the shore past massive driftwood and crashing waves until you reach the Hole in the Wall rock formation.
Go at low tide so you can explore the tide pools and walk all the way through!
Second Beach
This is the closest beach to Forks and one of the prettiest beaches there. There’s a short forest hike down and then boom, you’re on this wide open beach with crazy rock formations.
Ruby Beach
Easy access and gorgeous views – we actually tried to come here but it was cloudy. But still the combo of sea stacks, black sand, and driftwood everywhere is insane.
It’s one of the more popular spots, but totally worth a stop (especially for photos).
Kalaloch Beach
I would recommend stopping here to see the famous Tree of Life. Apparently it looks like it’s defying gravity!
It’s an easy one to swing by if you’re driving along the coast.
What To Pack For Olympic National Park
Here’s my list of things you might not usually think to pack that you will definitely need on your trip to Olympic National Park:
- Comfortable hiking boots: prepare for lots of walking.
- Cooler: use this to pack lunch, snacks and lots of extra water – remember to fill it with ice packs!
- Portable charger: especially if you’re using for phone for directions, it can lose battery quickly and you’ll need a way to keep your phone charged. This one is my favorite!
- Sunscreen: hopefully you’re packing this on all of your trips, but wanted to call it out specifically since you’ll be out all day in the sun.
- Paper maps: this is optional, but can come in super handy if you lose cell service.
- Layers: temperatures can start out cool in the morning, and progressively get warmer throughout the day. You’ll want to wear light layers that you can put on / take off as needed.
- Water bottle: again, something you should always have but definitely when you are out hiking all day. The most dangerous thing would be to be dehydrated.
Any questions? Drop them in the comments and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
If you’re planning a trip to Olympic National Park, feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions or for personalized travel tips!
mariss