• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

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  • Changes to Visitor Services Due to Sequestration

    Due to mandatory, across the board budget cuts, some visitor services at Olympic National Park have changed. See the Plan Your Visit section for more information.

  • Hurricane Ridge Road Closure for guard-rail work

    Tueday, June 18 (6:00 AM - 11:00 AM)

  • Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

    The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.

  • Elwha River Closures

    Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River between Upper Lake Mills Trail and Altair Campground.

Day Hikes and Walks

man, woman and two young boys looking at the forest floor
Even a short walk can lead you to new discoveries.
 

Day hikes of varying length and difficulty are found throughout the park. Some are universally accessible while others are more challenging.

More information on day hiking in Olympic (pdf)

 

Before You Go ...

  • Even on short hikes, be prepared for changeable weather. Carry food, water, raingear and extra layers of clothing.
  • Do not drink water directly from streams. We recommend boiling water or using a water filter or other treatment that kills or filters giardia and cryptosporidium. Iodine tablets do not kill cryptosporidium.
  • Stay on trails to avoid injury to yourself and the park's vegetation.
  • Pack out all trash, including food waste.
  • Pets are not allowed on park trails or beaches -- except for the following areas where leashed (up to six feet in length) pets are permitted:
    • Rialto Beach one-half mile north to Ellen Creek
    • All Kalaloch beaches (from Ruby Beach south to South Beach)
    • Peabody Creek Trail
  • Accessible Trails Accessible Trails

    Olympic's wheelchair accessible trails and facilities Read More

Did You Know?

closeup of cow elk face

Olympic National Park protects the largest unmanaged herd of Roosevelt elk in the world. Olympic was almost named "Elk National Park" and was established in part to protect these stately animals.