All of Our Favorite Things to Do in Olympic National Park

We like to break the park into five distinct regions, which makes it easier to digest.

Those five regions are: 

• Hurricane Ridge
• The Sol Duc Valley (& Lake Crescent)
• The Northern Pacific Coast (near Neah Bay)
• The Central Pacific Coast (La Push & Kalaloch)
• The Rainforests (Hoh & Quinault)

Here’s a map to help you visualize how those pieces all fit together. 

As you’ll see, the main highway through the park (Highway 101) starts in Port Angeles on the northern edge of the peninsula, heads west out to the coast, and then turns south and follows the coastline to the southern border of the park, passing through Forks along the way. 

The biggest implication to consider here is the fact that, because of the size and spread out nature of the park’s regions, drive times can be LONG. 

For example, the drive between Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rainforest – the two most popular parts of the park – takes two hours and 30 minutes, one way. 

To avoid spending your entire trip in the car, our strong recommendation is to split your time in the park in half, basing yourself in one part of the park for the first half of your trip, and then moving to another part of the park for the remainder. 

The two places we’d recommend basing yourself around are Port Angeles (& nearby) and the small town of Forks, and we’ll cover both in the guide below. 

The area around Port Angeles at the northeastern corner of the park gives you good access to Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge, while Forks is central for the entire Pacific coast and the Hoh Rainforest. 

If you can’t make that work, it’s not the end of the world, but you’re probably going to be spending a little more time in the car to get from place to place. 

What to Do in Olympic National Park: A Complete Guide

Now that we have a basic understanding of the park’s geography, let’s get into specific things to do that we love!

Here’s how we’re going to organize this: Because of the vastness of the park, it makes sense to group things by region of the park (which we just covered in the geography section above). 

We’re going to start at the northern edge of the park with Hurricane Ridge and work our way counterclockwise around the peninsula, moving over to the Sol Duc Valley, up and down along the Olympic Coast, and finally in the Hoh and Quinault Rainforests. 

Then, we’ll compile all of the trailheads, waterfalls, viewpoints, and more in a handy Google Map at the bottom that will help you visualize where everything is situated. 

For an idea of how all of this might fit together, we’d head over to our itinerary for Olympic National Park, which has all the logistics and information you need to help plan an amazing trip. 

Take in the Sweeping Vistas from Hurricane Hill (Hurricane Ridge)

When we did the short hike up to Hurricane Hill early one summer morning when we were living in our minivan, the conditions were nearly perfect. 

It was a sunny clear morning, we saw a cute little black bear on the way to the trailhead, and we saw exactly two other people on the trail. 

From the top of this hike, which is paved most of the way up but does some climbing, you can see nearly the entire northwest corner of Washington and across the Strait of Juan de Fuca over to Victoria, B.C. (that’s Canada, folks!) and Vancouver Island. 

To the east is Mount Baker, and to the south are the snowy peaks of the Olympic Range, including Mount Olympus. 

It’s one of our favorite easy hikes in Washington State, and it’s our favorite thing to do up at Hurricane Ridge. 

Tackle a Longer Hike Along Klahhane Ridge (Hurricane Ridge)

While Hurricane Hill is an excellent hike, particularly considering the relatively low effort, it can be extremely busy, and there are some really nice trails that get you further out into the wilderness and away from the crowds up at Hurricane Ridge. 

These are essentially two versions of a similar hike that both get you up onto Klahhane Ridge, which features some nice sweeping views, and then diverge from there. 

It’s worth noting that both of these trails are best done from along the road up to Hurricane Ridge. 

You could do them from the main parking lot at Hurricane Ridge, but it adds a significant amount of climbing and mileage to them. 

Lake Angeles Trail: The preferred version of the hike to Lake Angeles takes you from just outside of Heart O’ the Hills Campground up through the dense forest, and finally to a stunning alpine lake. 

It’s a tough hike, gaining almost 2,500 feet of elevation over 7.4 miles. 

You could also hike here from Hurricane Ridge, which is a much more scenic route where you hike along Klahhane Ridge with amazing views, but it’s a MUCH longer and harder hike (12+ miles, 4,500 feet of elevation – trail details here).

Klahhane Ridge: If the views I just mentioned sound like something you’re interested in, but you’re not up for the hike all the way to Lake Angeles, do the 5 mile hike along Klahhane Ridge instead. 

You’ll gain 1,700 feet along the way, mostly at the beginning in a series of switchbacks through the forest, but once you get up onto the ridge you’ll have sweeping views, including views of Mount Angeles. 

Drive Out on Obstruction Point Road (Hurricane Ridge)

Obstruction Point Road is not for the faint of heart (or for RV’s). It’s a narrow, gravel road that often has a steep drop off on either side (sometimes both) that is only open during the summer time. 

If you’re looking for some of the park’s best views of the Olympic Mountains, some of the park’s clearest alpine lakes, and a cornucopia of wildflowers in the early summer, this is the place to be! 

And, let’s be honest, who is reading this guide and is NOT looking for those things?

I’ve seen multiple people call this “the scariest road in Washington” and I have to say, that statement feels like pure unadulterated hyperbole. 

I would say that, if you’re used to driving some of the sketchy forest roads in the Pacific Northwest, this road really isn’t particularly gnarly. 

The road is generally in good condition, so massive potholes and washouts aren’t really a concern here. 

It’s definitely narrow and features a few blind corners, but if you’re used to driving some of those forest roads in the state, you’ll probably be fine as long as you take it slow and give plenty of time and space near those low-visibility spots. 

Here’s a video of the drive (it’s sped up) so you can get a feel for what you’re getting into. 

Anyway, by the end of that seven mile drive out to the Obstruction Point Trailhead, you’ll be ready to get out and stretch your legs. 

There are a few hikes that leave from there – including Elk Mountain and Grand Lake – but it’s worth coming out here even if you’re not up for a long hike. 

Make sure to check road conditions here before your trip to confirm that it’s open before you head out there. 

There is one hike in particular (with multiple variants) that stands out to us, and that’s the hike to Grand Lake, which leaves from the trailhead at the end of the road. 

Ideally, you do the full Grand Lake loop that takes you to Grand Lake and back through Badger Valley, which clocks in at 8.5 miles and 2,700 feet of elevation gain.

There’s a shorter, more direct trail, but it only saves you about a mile of distance and a few hundred feet of climbing. 

Another good option that requires a lot less mileage is Elk Mountain (4.5 miles, 1,400 feet of elevation gain). Great views of the Olympics!

Meander along the Shores of Lake Crescent (Sol Duc Valley)

We consider Lake Crescent to be the signal that you’re entering the wilderness in Olympic National Park as you’re driving west from Port Angeles.

You’ll first pass by Lake Sutherland (which is a good place to stay because there are a bunch of cabins along the lakeshore), which we recently learned was connected to Lake Crescent until a huge landslide separated them about seven millennia ago.

You know, recent history.

In addition to being home to a worthwhile hike (and one that’s not so worthwhile – we’ll get there in a second), Lake Crescent is a great destination in its own right. 

It’s the second deepest lake in Washington (can you guess the first?) and you can rent various watercraft at the historic Lake Crescent Lodge on the lake’s south shore. 

The Lake Crescent Lodge is also worth a visit, possibly for a post-hike lakefront drink?

It’s a beautiful building that was built in the early 20th Century and has that rustic charm that only a national park lodge can have, but we probably wouldn’t stay there because it’s pretty expensive for what you get. 

The other thing to do if you have some extra time is to head out to the northern shore of the lake and hike or bike a portion of the Spruce Railroad Trail, which follows the old railroad route. 

It’s about ten miles total, one way, so you’re probably not hiking the entire thing. It is paved the entire way, which makes it a nice bike ride.  

We’re going to cover the hike to Marymere Falls, which is an easy stroll through the forest that we like and recommend, but we wanted to take a second to talk about the hike up to Mount Storm King, which leaves from the shore of Lake Crescent

We have mixed feelings about Mount Storm King. On the one hand, it’s certainly a nice view. 

On the other hand, it’s kind of all about the view (the rest of the hike is a fairly boring, steep ascent), and the effort to make it up there isn’t really worth it in our humble opinions.

We’d suggest saving your energy to tackle a hike up on Hurricane Ridge, if you have to choose. For your reference, it’s a 4 mile hike (roundtrip) with 2,050 feet of elevation gained. 

From the top of Mount Storm King, you have a nice view out over Lake Crescent to the north, but that’s about it. No panoramic vistas of the Olympic Mountains. No coastal views.

The lake is beautiful, sure, but we think you can do better in this beautiful, diverse park. 

The other thing to know is that there is a section right before the top that includes a rope-assisted scramble.

Not for the faint of heart, especially when it’s wet (which is a lot of the time in this part of the world). 

Check Out Marymere Falls (Sol Duc Valley)

Marymere Falls is a nice and easy hike – 2 miles and 500 feet of elevation gain – from the Lake Crescent Lodge, and is family-friendly.

We saw tons of families with kids making their way up to the falls. 

You’ll cross under Highway 101 and enter a dense, ferny forest, passing the turnoff to Mount Storm King (which we’ll cover next) before you reach Barnes Creek, cross a wooden bridge, and head up to Marymere Falls.

The falls itself plunges 90 feet off of a ledge high above the viewing platform, and is surrounded by all sorts of bright green mosses as it falls into a small pool below.

We’d say that it’s well worth the low effort to get there. 

Hike Through the Forest to Sol Duc Falls (Sol Duc Valley)

We love this short hike – 1.5 miles roundtrip and minimal elevation gain – and the waterfall that’s at the end of it.

We’ve never actually done this hike as a standalone hike, only as part of the High Divide / Seven Lakes Basin trail (more on that excellent hike in a second). 

Sol Duc Falls is unique because you view it from the middle of a wooden bridge over the Sol Duc River, with the falls dumping into a canyon below you and flowing downhill behind you.  

It’s a bit of a journey to get out to the trailhead from Highway 101, but the falls are nice, the stroll through the dense forest gives you a taste of the miles and miles of untouched forest that covers the Olympic Peninsula, and it’s about as easy as a hike as you could ask for.  

See Cape Flattery, the NW Corner of the U.S.A. (Northern Pacific Coast)

The northern Pacific Coast is up north of Forks, and is much less visited and more rugged than the stretch between Rialto and Kalaloch. 

Which means it’s also a much more tranquil experience, with fewer fights over parking spots and crowded trails. 

The northwest corner of the contiguous United States – Cape Flattery – is an easy 1.5 mile hike (roundtrip) along a wooden boardwalk, and from the viewing platforms at the end you’ll have a fantastic view over the Pacific Ocean. 

It’s a bit of a trek all the way out there (here’s the parking lot on Google Maps, which is about an hour and a half from Forks), and there are better coastal hikes to do in the park. 

But if you want to make it to the edge of the country, you can do it here.  

You’ll basically be half way to the trailhead here if you’re heading out to Shi Shi, so it’s a good add-on if you’re already planning on being out there.

This part of the world is the home of the Makah Tribe, and to park at the trailheads for some of these beach hikes, you need to get a recreation permit from the tribe, which you can learn more about here. 

It costs $20 for a year, you need to buy it in person, and you display it in your vehicle at the trailheads for Cape Flattery, Shi Shi Beach, and the Ozette Triangle (among others). 

Explore Neah Bay (Northern Pacific Coast)

The Northern Pacific Coast is everything we love about the coast of Washington, but only a fraction of park visitors ever make it this far north because it adds an hour of driving (in each direction) to reach. 

Because of the distance to get out here – it’s about an hour from Forks or Port Angeles – it sees fewer visitors than the areas further south on the coast, like the Hoh Rainforest and Rialto and Ruby Beach, and is one of the few places in the park that you’re going to find relative solitude. 

If you’ve taken our advice and you’re splitting your time between Port Angeles and Forks, we like to do the Northern Pacific Coast as a stop on the day that you’re transitioning between the two. 

If you’re looking to grab lunch in Neah Bay, there are only a handful of places to eat in Neah Bay, but the place we’d go is BIGGINZ for fish and chips. When in Rome, right? FYI – it’s cash only. 

It’s also worth stopping by Take Home Fish Company across the street for freshly caught smoked salmon that is quite literally smoked in front of you. 

It’s also worth heading to the Makah Cultural & Research Center, which has exhibits that cover the history and culture of the Makah, including a replica longhouse and a bunch of artifacts from the archaeological site at Ozette Lake (just a bit south of Neah Bay). 

On the way back towards Neah Bay from Cape Flattery or Shi Shi Beach, it’s worth stopping by Hobuck Beach (here on Google Maps), which is a nice, wide, sandy beach with a resort on the southern end. 

If you’re up for taking the scenic route, the drive along the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway (Highway 112) from Port Angeles to Neah Bay is beautiful, with multiple stops that are worth getting out of the car to see and stretch your legs a bit (Crescent Bay and Twin Beach are two good stops).

An important note here: Many of the sights in this area are on the land of the Makah Tribe, and you need a specific recreation pass from the tribe to access them.

You can get one at the Makah Cultural & Research Center Museum (here on Google Maps), which is on the way from Port Angeles, or at the other places mentioned in the page we linked above. 

Hike Along Shi Shi Beach to Point of Arches (Northern Pacific Coast)

If you’re planning a trip out to Olympic National Park and you’re looking to hit the park’s best beaches, you really shouldn’t skip Shi Shi Beach.

It’ll take an hour and a half to get there from Forks or Lake Crescent, but we think the juice is really worth the squeeze here. 

Plus, the fact that it’s that far out of the way means that there’s a fraction of the number of visitors as compared to places like Rialto, Ruby, and Kalaloch. 

However, the other thing to know here is that it’s a two mile hike (one way) to get from the trailhead to the beach, with a little bit of up and down along the way. 

Then, once you’re at the northern end of the beach, it’s another 2.5 miles to the southern tip of the beach and Point of Arches (so 4.5 miles total, one way), which is the most beautiful part of the beach with towering sea stacks just offshore and tidepools at low tide. 

It’s not a difficult hike in terms of elevation, but it is a long one.

You’ll want to tackle this one at low tide if you can, and this is the tide chart we use. 

Still, it’s worth the long journey by car and on foot. Bring a picnic lunch to eat perched on a piece of driftwood, listening to the sounds of the crashing surf of the Pacific and the squawking seagulls circling above you (likely plotting how to best steal your sandwich). 

Also keep an eye out for bald eagles here. 

Walk Along Rialto Beach to Hole in the Wall (Central Pacific Coast)

This is another must-do activity in Olympic National Park in our opinion. 

We did it at sunset on our first ever visit to Olympic National Park, and it was one of the highlights of our entire year. 

This 3 mile out-and-back hike to Hole in the Wall, which is exactly what it sounds like, is an excellent late afternoon / early evening activity when the sun washes over the beach in a soft golden glow. 

That is, if you get a clear evening, which isn’t so common in this part of the world, which is famous for the amount of rain it gets. 

It’s not a tough hike in terms of elevation – it’s actually flat the entire way there and back – but you will be walking in sand, which means high top boots are going to be helpful to keep sand out of your shoes. 

And hiking in sand is always approximately 1.5 times harder than any other surface, in our experience. 

Keep an eye out for bald eagles in the trees up above the beach – we’ve seen many eagles perched up there waiting for their next meal. 

This one is also best at low tide when you can access Hole-in-the-Wall, and you can check tides for Rialto Beach here. 

Decide Which La Push Beach is Your Favorite (Central Pacific Coast)

La Push is on the coast west of the former timber town of Forks, now best known as the setting for the Twilight movies, and is home to three great beaches. They are, creatively, named First, Second, and Third Beach. 

This area is home to the Quileute Tribe. They manage this stretch of the coast, and you need to respect the posted rules and regulations (for example, you cannot remove shells, driftwood, or any other natural element from the beaches).

Learn more about the history of this land and the Quileute Tribe here. 

One of the more controversial aspects of Olympic National Park is the argument over which of the La Push Beaches is the “best”, which is, of course, entirely subjective. 

Each of the three beaches requires a short hike to reach (except First Beach, which is at the parking area). Here are the details: 

First Beach: The small coastal village of La Push is your entryway to First Beach. Stroll along a mile-long sandy beach that has views onto sea stack islets and large waves. There is plenty of driftwood to look through and potentially find a souvenir. 

Second Beach: This beach is an unsung jewel of wild beaches. There’s two miles of a sprawling sandy beach here, as well as a lagoon, sea stack islets, tide pools, driftwood, and tons of sea life.

There aren’t that many people here, which makes it a very peaceful place. It’s a short hike from the parking lot – nothing too crazy at all for families with kids. 

Third Beach: Third Beach is significantly less visited because of the 2.8 mile hike (round trip) that you’ll need to do to access the beach (the hike we linked is further to a nice viewpoint).

The trail takes you through towering trees until it reaches a creek that flows into the Pacific Ocean. The sunsets at this, and the other beaches, are postcard-perfect!

Admire the Sea Stacks and Driftwood at Ruby Beach (Central Pacific Coast)

Ruby Beach is one of our favorite beaches in Olympic National Park, though judging by the crowds, a lot of people seem to agree with us. 

It has two of the trademark aspects of beaches on the Pacific Coast in Washington State: driftwood and sea stacks. 

The parking lot gets packed here, and this is a good spot to do early in the morning or late in the afternoon in an effort to avoid those crowds. 

Part of the reason is the fact that it’s a very short walk from the parking lot, which means that the barrier to entry is nearly nonexistent. 

We’re definitely not saying don’t go, we’re saying be aware that you’re not going to have a whole lot of solitude when you do. 

See the Tree of Life on Kalaloch Beach (Central Pacific Coast)

Just south of Ruby Beach is the historic Kalaloch Lodge, another of the park’s rustic lodges from the 20th Century, and the many sandy beaches surrounding it. 

There’s a nice campground here, and it’s also where you’ll find the Tree of Life, a tree whose roots have been exposed after years and years of erosion. 

There are four wide, sandy beaches to explore here. You can find more information on the area here. 

You can stay at the Kalaloch Lodge in one of their lodge rooms (hotel-style), or one of the oceanfront cabins. 

For the price, the facilities are a little rundown (as they tend to be in national park lodges, which are almost always at full capacity), but the location and ambiance can’t be beat.

Book well in advance – it’s completely full during the summer. 

You can combine this area with Lake Quinault for a nice day on the southern Olympic coast, and it makes for a good stop on your way in or out of the park. 

Explore the Hoh Rainforest (Rainforests)

The amount of rain that this part of the world gets every year means that it’s a lush, green, wonderfully wet example of the coastal temperate rainforest. 

This unique ecological feature is a staple of the Pacific Northwest coast, and the Hoh Rainforest in particular is one of the best examples in the world. 

Which is probably why the Hoh Rainforest is, perhaps, the most popular area in the entire park. 

The parking lot is tiny relative to the amount of people who want to see it.

That means that, on summer mornings, they limit access to the parking area and stop people at the ranger station once the lot is full. 

From then on, it’s one in, one out. We ended up stuck in a line of cars for over an hour because we took our sweet time, so take our advice and get out to the Hoh Rainforest by 9:00 am or so to avoid it. 

Plus, the rainforest is much more peaceful when it’s not crawling with humans. 

Now, it’s not a rainforest in the tropical sense, like you might find in the Amazon. That’s hardly “temperate.”

Instead, as you enter the rainforest, you’ll find a diverse ecosystem full of every shade of green that exists in the world, from bright green ferns covering the forest floor, to deep green mosses and evergreen trees. 

Plus a cornucopia of wildlife, namely the elusive Roosevelt Elk who sometimes make an appearance here. 

Once you navigate the parking situation, there are a couple of short trails to tackle that serve as a great introduction to the rainforest – The Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail.

Both are worth doing, and are accessible for hikers of all ages and experience levels. 

The issue we have with the Hoh Rainforest is that those two short hikes we mentioned earlier are absolutely jam packed with people, which is not really how the rainforest is meant to be experienced, we think. 

The good news is that there’s a nice, relatively easy hike that will take you out further than about 99% of people are willing to go, following the path of the Hoh River. 

The Hoh River Trail actually goes all the way out to Five Mile Island at the base of Mount Olympus, following the river the entire way.

But for a shorter day hike option, hike out about two and a half miles to Mineral Creek Falls, where you’ll find a path that takes you out to the riverbank. 

We did this hike with some friends a few ago, and the only other people we saw on the trail were backpackers heading into or out from the backcountry. It’s a huge contrast from the wild crowds you’ll find on the shorter trails nearby. 

And the Quinault Rainforest (Rainforests)

Further south, past Kalaloch on the southern Pacific Coast, you’ll find another lake and another fern-laden rainforest waiting for you. 

Just like with the Hoh Rain Forest, the Quinault Rainforest gets packed.

I’d actually recommend heading here later in the day when the crowds start to thin. 

The Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop is a quick milelong trail that takes you through an incredibly mossy forest with a dizzying array of fungi and animals.

Lake Quinault is a massive glacier-fed lake that is surrounded by mossy old-growth rainforest.

It is around this lake that you will find some of the most massive Sitka Spruce trees in the entire world! It’s no wonder it’s called the Valley of the Giants.

There is a 31 mile road that circles the entire lake that is a great place to do some wildlife spotting.

Head out for a drive around sunset and you might see some elk, black-tail deer, bald eagles, bobcats, and the occasional black bear. 

Spend a Night or Three in the Backcountry (Multiple)

Over the past few years, we’ve had the privilege of tackling two amazing backpacking trails in Olympic National Park, and loved them both. 

Keep in mind that you’ll need a bear canister for any overnight camping – including on the beach – in Olympic National Park. 

We have this one, and highly recommend it. Other friends have one of the clear, screw top ones, and prefer using ours. 

If you’re planning to do any overnight backpacking, make sure to stop at the ranger station in Port Angeles to get your backcountry permits, bear canisters (for rent if you need them), and information about the park. 

If you’re 16 years old or older, it will cost you $8 per night (plus a nonrefundable service fee). 

Any overnight stay in the wilderness will carry this fee, so make sure you get your wilderness permit ahead of time. You can also print them at home ahead of time. 

More information on backpacking in the park here. 

The High Divide / Seven Lakes Basin (Sol Duc Valley)

The High Divide Trail is one of the few backpacking trails that we’ve done where we got to the end and said “yeah, we’d do that again.” 

For example, after hiking the Enchantments a few years ago, we were pretty sure we wouldn’t do it again in our lifetime (to be clear, it was incredible but hard to get a permit and a difficult hike!). 

Now, that doesn’t mean this hike is an easy one – it’s a 19 mile loop with 4,000 feet of elevation gain, including a stretch along a narrow rocky ridge (the High Divide) – but the time spent in the Seven Lakes Basin is worth the price of admission. 

It’s not called the Seven Lakes Basin for nothing – along the way, you’ll pass numerous different alpine lakes that are various shades of blue. 

Our favorites were Heart Lake – which is on the east end of the High Divide – and Lunch Lake, which is up on the High Divide (and is a campsite that you should definitely try to spend a night at, if you can swing it). 

We have an entire separate guide dedicated to hiking the High Divide Trail (COMING SOON) that you should read if you’re remotely interested in this incredible backcountry adventure. 

At the very least, you’ll need backcountry camping reservations and a backcountry permit (which you can get here), along with a bear canister. 

The Enchanted Valley (Rainforests)

Another fantastic backpacking trail in Olympic National Park! The Enchanted Valley is a glacier-carved valley deep (ish) in the Olympic National Park backcountry. 

The valley itself is gorgeous, and it’s worth spending a night or two soaking up the solitude out there.

The hike is also great, following the East Fork of the Quinault River through the rainforest. 

But the most famous part of the trail is the now-abandoned Enchanted Valley Chalet, which is a former park building that has since been closed, and now serves as a backdrop for pictures of people who make the journey out to the valley. 

We did this trail the summer after the High Divide, and it’s hard to say which one we enjoyed more.

This one is slightly easier, at 27 miles roundtrip (in and out, no loop here) and only a gradual 3,200 feet of elevation gain along the way. 

You need a wilderness permit and a bear canister, just like any other backpacking trail in the park. 

We did three days / two nights here, but would recommend an extra night if you can swing it because hiking the entire 13 miles in one go was a little much.

Better to spend a night on the trail there and back to break up the long days. 

Definitely make sure to spend a night in the valley itself, which is where you’ll find the picturesque chalet that’s in all the pictures (it’s not actually being used at the moment). 

We loved this hike, though the valley isn’t so secluded these days (there are routinely 100 people camping in the valley on summer weekends). 

We have an entire separate guide dedicated to backpacking the Enchanted Valley Trail that you should read if you’re interested in this backcountry adventure. 

Camp on the Beach (Pacific Coast)

One of the unique things about Olympic National Park is that you can spend a night camping on the beach relatively easily.

Unlike places like the Lost Coast Trail in Northern California, you can camp on the beach with limited hiking to reach the beach. 

In some cases, you can just park at the parking lot for the beach, and you’re basically there (though that’s the least fun option, we think). 

One thing to keep in mind here is that it rains A LOT in Olympic National Park. Even in the middle of summer.

We had permits to camp on the beach last August, but decided to bail when we showed up and it was pouring sideways, which wouldn’t have been much fun at all. 

For some good beach camping that is significantly less crowded, hike south past Third Beach and continue along the South Coast Route, which runs south all the way to the mouth of the Hoh River (just north of Ruby Beach). 

There are countless campsites along the coast, and permits are generally easier to get because you have to go further than, say, Rialto. 

Wilderness permits are required to camp on the beach, and you need to have a bear canister.

Some of the most popular places to camp are Rialto Beach (at the end of the beach towards Hole-in-the-Wall, where camping is allowed), Shi Shi Beach, and out near Lake Ozette. 

The Best Things to Do in Olympic National Park, Mapped

As promised, here are all of our favorite things to do in the park, mapped.

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