Olympic National Park Itinerary: What to See in 1, 2, or 3 Days

By Victoria Boissonade · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Olympic

Olympic National Park is one of the few American parks that brings together three radically different ecosystems within a single boundary: the snowcapped peaks of the Olympic Mountains, the temperate rain forests of the Hoh Valley, and the wild beaches of the Pacific coast. All within a 60-mile radius.

The short answer: plan on at least 3 days to see all three sides of the park. The logical route follows Highway 101 clockwise from Port Angeles: north for the mountains and lake, west for the forests, and the coast for the Pacific. Each day focuses on one area, and the drives stay under 90 miles.

How Much Time Do You Need to Visit Olympic National Park?

One day is enough for the north side: Hurricane Ridge in the morning and Lake Crescent in the afternoon. You'll leave with great mountain and lake views, but you won't have reached either the rain forest or the coast.

Three days let you cover the three main areas in a logical geographic order. It's the standard plan for a first visit.

Five days open up the less crowded areas: the isolated beach at Cape Alava via the Ozette Loop, the Quinault Rainforest in the south, and the first serious miles of the Hoh River Trail toward Mount Olympus.

The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Some roads close in the off-season. Hurricane Ridge Road is accessible only when snow conditions allow, generally from mid-June through October.

Access, Entrances, and Getting Around the Park

Port Angeles is the hub of the route, with the main visitor center, everyday services, and access to every area. Highway 101 circles the peninsula without crossing it. No road connects the north side to the south through the park's interior, and dead-end roads lead into each area separately. Plan on having your own car. There is no shuttle between areas.

Admission is $30 per vehicle, or $15 per person on foot or by bike, and is valid for 7 days. The park's own annual pass costs $55. For travel options from Seattle, entrance stations, and ferry crossings, see the practical guide to reaching Olympic. For entrance fees and annual passes, see the National Parks Fees & Passes page.

Olympic National Park's Main Areas

The North: Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent

Hurricane Ridge is the park's signature viewpoint. You reach it via Hurricane Ridge Road, a 17-mile mountain road from Port Angeles that climbs to about 5,250 feet. On a clear day, the views over the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are striking. In July and August, wildflowers cover the alpine meadows, and black-tailed deer often wander a few feet from the trails. Plan on 3 to 4 hours there, including the drive.

Lake Crescent lies 25 miles west of Port Angeles along Highway 101. This 620-foot-deep glacial lake has an almost unreal clarity, shifting from turquoise to emerald depending on the light. The easy 1.9-mile round-trip walk to Marymere Falls takes about 1.5 hours from the Storm King Ranger Station parking area.

The West: Sol Duc and the Hoh Rain Forest

Sol Duc is reached by a 14-mile road from Highway 101. The 1-mile round-trip hike to Sol Duc Falls from the end-of-road parking area is one of the park's shortest and most rewarding. The waterfall drops into a narrow, moss-covered canyon. Nearby, Sol Duc Hot Springs offers thermal pools to non-lodging visitors for a separate fee from the park pass, from mid-May through late October.

The Hoh Rain Forest is the park's most surreal ecosystem. With 10 to 13 feet of annual rainfall, bigleaf maples disappear beneath mats of moss several inches thick. The Hall of Mosses is a must, with a flat 0.8-mile loop. The Hoh Visitor Center is 19 miles from the turnoff on Highway 101. Plan on at least a 45-minute drive from Sol Duc. Hikes starting from the Hoh cover every level, from beginner walks to approaches toward Mount Olympus.

The Pacific Coast: Ruby Beach, Kalaloch, and the Wild Beaches

Olympic's coast is one of the few wild coastlines in the United States that you can reach by car. Between Kalaloch in the south and Rialto Beach in the north, a string of beaches runs along Highway 101. Ruby Beach is often the first stop. Its sea stacks and driftwood logs make for easy photos. Second Beach, near La Push, requires a short 0.7-mile walk through the forest to reach the ocean. The contrast is dramatic and welcome.

The coast is open year-round. Winter storms are spectacular. In summer, sunsets over the Pacific from these beaches are worth the trip on their own.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: The North, Between Mountains and Lake

8 a.m. Leave Port Angeles. Fill up on gas and buy your pass at the visitor center before heading up Hurricane Ridge Road. An early start helps you avoid crowded summit parking in the middle of the day.

9:30 a.m. Hurricane Ridge. The Cirque Rim Trail, a 1.1-mile loop, is enough to take in the views of the peaks and the Strait. Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours there.

12:30 p.m. Head back toward Port Angeles. Grab a quick lunch in town. You'll find several cafés and grocery stores along the main street.

2:30 p.m. Drive to Lake Crescent, 25 miles and 35 minutes. Walk to Marymere Falls, a 1.5-hour round trip. In the late afternoon, the low light brings out the lake's clarity. It's one of those moments that stays with you.

Evening Stay in Port Angeles or at Lake Crescent Lodge, which is open from mid-May through early January. Reservations are required in the busy season.

Day 2: Forests, Waterfalls, and Old-Growth Trees

8 a.m. Head to Sol Duc Road, 12 miles west of Lake Crescent on Highway 101. Arrive at the end-of-road parking area around 9 a.m. Start with Sol Duc Falls. The 1-mile round-trip trail takes about 45 relaxed minutes.

10:30 a.m. Hot springs option. The Sol Duc Hot Springs pools are a few feet from the trailhead. An hour is enough to recharge before getting back on the road.

Noon Return to Highway 101 and head south. Have a picnic at the rest area before the Hoh Road turnoff.

1:30 p.m. Hoh Visitor Center, 19 miles from Highway 101 and a 30-minute drive. Start with the Hall of Mosses, a 45-minute loop. Then continue 1.2 to 1.9 miles along the Hoh River Trail. Beyond the first visitors who stop early, the forest of Sitka spruce and towering Douglas firs grows quiet. More activities in this area are listed in the Olympic must-see guide.

5 p.m. Drive to Forks, 28 miles, or directly to Kalaloch, 56 miles south of Forks on Highway 101.

Evening Stay in Forks, where you'll find affordable hotels and big-box stores, or at Kalaloch Lodge, perched on the bluff above the Pacific.

Day 3: The Pacific Coast

8 a.m. If you're staying in Kalaloch, head down to Kalaloch Beach at sunrise. The beach is long, flat, and empty at that hour. Then take Highway 101 north.

9:30 a.m. Ruby Beach, 7.5 miles north of Kalaloch. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour on the beach. The sea stacks are most photogenic at low tide, so check the tide tables before you leave. NOAA websites have them.

11:30 a.m. Lunch in Forks. The town is known as a setting for the Twilight saga, and the tourist traffic shows it. The restaurants are decent and prices reasonable.

1 p.m. Second Beach from La Push. The Quileute Reservation borders the park here. The 0.7-mile walk through the forest opens onto a beach framed by cliffs and sea stacks. Plan on 2 hours there.

4 p.m. Head back to Port Angeles, a 2.5-hour drive, for an evening ferry, or spend another night on the coast.

Options for Different Trip Lengths

One-day express: Hurricane Ridge in the morning, leaving Port Angeles at 8 a.m., then Lake Crescent in the afternoon. Return to Seattle that evening via the ferry from Kingston. The forest and coast will have to wait for another trip.

Classic three days: The itinerary above. It's the most coherent plan for a first complete visit.

Five-day deep dive: Add a day for Ozette in the park's northwest corner. A 5-mile boardwalk trail through the forest reaches Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous United States. Add another day for the Quinault Rainforest in the south, a less crowded rain forest than the Hoh, with a night at Lake Quinault Lodge.

Regional road trip: Olympic fits naturally into a larger Washington State loop: Seattle, the San Juan Islands, Port Angeles, the park, then back via I-5 through Olympia. This route can be part of a broader Washington road trip.

Itinerary Map

The National Park Service publishes an official Unigrid map, available at entrance stations and free to download from nps.gov. It shows the park's three areas, access roads from Highway 101, and the main trailheads. Download it before you leave. Cell service is almost nonexistent in most parts of the park. The Olympic park map reproduces the Unigrid PDF with this itinerary's stops marked.

Where to Stay Along the Itinerary

Accommodations naturally break down by area: Port Angeles and its surroundings for the north side, Forks as a base between the coast and forest, Kalaloch Lodge for a night on the bluff above the Pacific, and Lake Quinault Lodge for the south. Rates, opening dates, and camping alternatives are covered in the Olympic lodging guide. In the busy season, July and August, lodges inside the park should be booked 3 to 4 months ahead, sometimes more.

Extend Your Trip: What to See Around Olympic

North: Victoria, British Columbia, is a 1.5-hour ferry ride from Port Angeles with Black Ball Ferry. The Butchart Gardens and Victorian architecture make it a natural add-on if you have an extra day.

East: The San Juan Islands, reached by ferry from Anacortes, 2.5 hours from Port Angeles, make a natural extension for spotting orcas and exploring the rugged shore of Puget Sound.

South: Mount Rainier National Park is a 3-hour drive from Port Angeles via Olympia. The two Washington State parks make an obvious pair for a weeklong road trip and are ideal for putting together a weeklong Washington road trip.

The Ideal Itinerary for Your Time

With 1 day, focus on the north side. Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent form a 50-mile loop from Port Angeles without too much time behind the wheel.

With 3 days, the day-by-day itinerary above covers all three ecosystems in a logical geographic order: mountains, forest, and coast. It's the right pace for a first visit.

With 5 days, add Ozette and Quinault. You'll also have time for a serious hike from the Hoh, where the forest grows truly quiet and other visitors thin out.

Frequently Asked Questions