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Accessibility
The Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles is fully accessible, as is the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. Other centers and ranger stations provide varying levels of accessibility.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available at nine of the park's 16 campgrounds. Several campgrounds also offer paved campsites and picnic tables with extensions to accommodate wheelchair-users. Several nature trails are paved and wheelchair accessible. Others are gravel, but fairly level and may be accessible with some assistance.
Among the park lodging facilities, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort has accessible hot spring pools and several accessible cabins. The main lodge building and one room are accessible at Lake Crescent Lodge. Kalaloch Lodge has one accessible cabin.
Backcountry
Quotas are in effect from Memorial Day through Labor Day for:
Lake Constance and Flapjack Lakes. The daily limits are 20 persons for Lake Constance and 30 persons for Flapjack Lakes. Camp permits can be acquired at the Dosewallips & Staircase Ranger Stations or reserved by telephone: 360-877-5569.
Ozette coastal area: a limited number of permits will be available for overnight camping from Yellow Banks to .5 miles north of the Ozette River. Reservations are required and may be made by calling: 360-452-0300.
Camping in the Seven Lakes Basin is limited to designated sites only. Permits must be obtained at Eagle (formerly Soleduck) Ranger Station on a first come basis: 360-327-3524.
Basic Recommendations
Plan your trip and the areas you would like to see and then go and relax and make a day of it. Go and see all that is in the area and enjoy it. You spend more quality time and learn and see more than you could ever imagine.
Beach Hiking
When hiking along the beach, round the headlands only on the out-going tide to avoid being trapped by the incoming tide. Use overland trails where they exist.
Bike Trails
Boulder Creek from the gate at the trailhead to the Boulder Creek camping area is open to the use of bicycles.
Spruce Railroad Trail along Lake Crescent is a designated bike trail.
Camping
There are 17 campgrounds in Olympic National Park. They are on a first-come first-served basis.
Summers are most popular, and more crowded, as weather is warmer and drier. Plan to arrive early to obtain space, especially on weekends. Entrance fees (good for seven days) are collected at Elwha, Heart O' the Hills/Hurricane Ridge, Hoh, Sol Duc, and Staircase entrance stations from May through September or later.
See the Camping Page for more information.
Entrance Fees and Other Fees / Permits
The fee program at Olympic has recently changed in accordance with the Congressionally authorized Recreation Fee Demonstration Program.
| Individual Entry (Bike, Foot) | $ 5.00 (Seven Day Pass) |
| Private Non-commercial Vehicle | $ 10.00 (Seven Day Pass) |
| Annual Pass | $ 20.00 (Good For One Year) |
| Gold Access Passport (Blind or permanently disabled individuals) | Free (Lifetime - good in all national parks) |
| Golden Age Passport (one time fee - for those 62+ years young) | $ 10.00 (Lifetime - good in all national parks) |
| Golden Eagle Passport (good one year from date of purchase) | $ 50.00 (good in all national parks) |
Golden Access Passport
The Golden Access Passport is a free pass available to all permanent U.S. residents who are eligible to receive federal benefits based on disability, whether or not you are actually receiving them or not. This pass entitles the bearer, and immediate family or accompanying passengers in a private vehicle, to free admission to all U.S. National Parks, Monuments, Forests, and Historic Sites, as well as half price camping. Apply in person at any National Park Service or U.S. Forest Service area.
There are nightly fees (ranging from $8.00 to $12.00) for most park campgrounds.
Use of the park's RV sewage dump stations costs $3.00 per use.
There is a $1.00 daily parking fee at Ozette.
Olympic National Park charges a fee for all overnight trips into the park's wilderness backcountry. Proceeds from the wilderness fee program will go directly to fund projects that benefit park wilderness and wilderness users.
The Wilderness Fee program has two components -- a Permit Registration Fee and an Individual Nightly Fee.
The Permit Registration Fee is $5.00 for a single permit good for up to 14 days and a maximum of 12 people.
The Individual Nightly Fee is $2.00 per person per night for any overnight stay in the park backcountry. Persons 16 years old and younger are exempt from this fee.
A Frequent Hiker Pass will be available for $30.00 per person per year. This is an annual, non-transferable pass, good for twelve months from the date of issue. It covers all wilderness use fees for the pass holder. Additional Frequent Hiker Passes for members of the same household will cost $15.00.
Maximum fee amounts have been set at $50.00 for groups of one to six for up to 14 nights and $100.00 for groups of seven to twelve for up to 14 nights. (Without the fee cap, a 6 - person group staying 14 nights would be charged $173.00.)
Fish
State fishing licenses are not required for stream and lake fishing, except that a Washington State special punchcard is necessary when fishing for steelhead and salmon. A license is required to fish in the ocean. See the Fishing Guide for more information.
Food and Supplies
Food and supplies are widely available in towns and cities around the park. In addition, concession-operated grocery and camper supply stores are located at the Fairholm General Store, Log Cabin Resort, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and Kalaloch Lodge.
Hiking
There are nearly 600 miles of trails traverse the park, ranging from short, easy loop trails to rigorous and primitive trails along high passes or rugged ocean beaches.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Horseback Riding
A list of stables and outfitters can be obtained at visitor centers or by writing the superintendent. Check for restrictions or closures to stock in certain sections of the wilderness.
Lodging
Lodging is available at:
Kalaloch Lodge
Lake Crescent Lodge
Log Cabin Resort
Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
See the Lodging Page for more information.
The National Park Service operates 17 campgrounds. See the Camping Page for more information.
Permits
Wilderness use permits are required for all overnight stays in the backcountry. During the period from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, some wilderness areas require reservations. Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance by calling the park's Wilderness Information Center (WIC): 360-565-3100.
At other times of year and for areas which do not require reservations, wilderness use permits are available at all ranger stations and the WIC. The WIC is located just behind the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.
Wilderness use fees will apply to all overnight trips into the Olympic National Park backcountry and will consist of both a permit registration fee and a per person nightly fee. Special rates apply for frequent users and for youth 16 and under.
See the Entrance Fee and other Fees / Permit Section above for more information.
Pet Information
Pets are permitted on a leash (up to a 6 feet in length) in park campgrounds and parking areas. Pets are prohibited in all park buildings, in the backcountry, and generally all park trails.
Programs and Activities
A variety of ranger-guided programs and activities are offered throughout the summer at a number of sites around the park.
Ranger-guided snowshoe walks are offered on weekends, weather permitting, from December through March at Hurricane Ridge.
See the Activity Page for more information.
Visitor Centers
Olympic Park Visitor Center - 360-565-3130
Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center - 360-374-6925
Hoodsport Ranger Station - 360-877-5254
See the Calendar Page for more information.
Weather
Olympic has a moderate marine climate with pleasant summers and mild, wet winters. Summers are generally fair and warm, with high temperatures usually between 65 and 75° F. Summer is the driest season, with heavier precipitation during the rest of the year. Winters are mild, with temperatures at lower elevations in the 30's and 40's. At higher elevations, snowfall is generally heavy, with accumulations of up to 10 feet common. Closer to sea level, much of the precipitation comes as rain, with some infrequent snow fall.
At any time of year, visitors should come prepared for a variety of conditions. Rain gear and layered clothing are a must.
The climate is predominantly a marine type with cool summers, mild but rather cloudy winters, moist air, and a small daily range in temperatures. The weather is extremely unpredictable. Rainfall is quite varied. Sequim, on the northeast side of the peninsula receives an average of about seventeen inches of precipitation a year. While forty airline miles to the west, in the rain forest valleys, precipitation can average 140 to 167 inches per year. Seventy-six percent of the yearly precipitation falls during the six months between 01 Oct and 31 Mar. There is no definite time for the beginning and ending of the dry or rainy seasons. The transition is gradual and variable.
Winter season can have afternoon temperatures in the 40's and night time readings are usually in the upper 20's or lower 30's. In lower elevations and near the water, snow seldom reaches a depth in excess of six to ten inches or remains on the ground more than a few days. However, snowfall and depth on the ground increases dramatically along the slopes and tops of the mountains.
Spring is mostly wet, mild and often windy. Higher elevations are cooler with possible snow flurries. Temperatures usually range from 35° F to 60° F.
Summer is generally fair and warm. Afternoon temperatures in the warmest summer months average from 65° F to 70° F, occasionally reaching 80° F. A temperature of 85° F is considered unusually warm. Night time temperatures can drop as low as 45° F. Frequently, during the latter half of the summer and early fall, fog banks and low clouds form over the ocean and move inland at night. Tops of the clouds are generally below 3000 feet; thus higher elevations are sometimes clear while the lower valleys are filled with fog. Fog sometimes disappears before mid-day. On most summer afternoons near the water, a moderate to cool breeze can be expected. A few thunderstorms usually occur each summer, especially in the higher elevations. Normally very little rain falls during the summer months but it has also been known to rain for several days during this period.
Fall is usually cool and wet with occasional winds. Early snow storms are possible in the mountains. Temperatures usually range from 35° F to 65° F.
See the Weather Page for current conditions, forecasts and other weather data.
Winter Sports
Ski and snowshoe rentals, ski tow, and ski instruction are all offered at Hurricane Ridge.
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This site is in no way associated with the United States Government, the Department of the Interior or the National Park Service
