Wilderness Camping Permits

Wilderness Camping Permits are required for all overnight stays in Olympic National Park wilderness (backcountry).

Be sure to check to see if reservations are needed. Permits are limited in some areas.

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Wilderness Camping Permits may be obtained at:

Main Wilderness Information Center (WIC) in Port Angeles. The WIC is located within the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Phone: [phone]

Quinault Wilderness Information Center located at the South Shore Lake Quinault Forest Service Ranger Station. Phone: [phone]

Olympic National Park/Olympic National Forest Recreation Information Station in Forks. Phone: [phone]

Staircase Ranger Station near Hoodsport. Phone: [phone].

Call the WIC at [phone] to check on station hours and seasons or for more information about getting your permit.

If you are not passing by a park wilderness office on your way to the trailhead or you plan to arrive early or late, call the WIC to arrange your permit ahead of time.

Wilderness Camping Permits are used to track the numbers of visitors in different areas in order to prevent overcrowding and damage. Wilderness permits are also used to locate overdue or lost parties; as well as in case of a family emergency. If you have not filled out a permit, searchers may not know where to start looking for you.

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Wilderness Use Fee

The fee for Wilderness Camping Permits is $5 to register per group (for groups up to 12 people), plus $2 per person per night. There is no nightly charge for youth 15 years of age and under.

Annual passes are available for frequent wilderness visitors for $30; $15 for each additional household member. Interagency Senior/Access are 50% discount.

Wilderness use fees help support visitor management projects like trail maintenance, backcountry bridge replacement, pit toilets, revegetation projects and Wilderness Information Centers. Eighty percent of the fees collected are returned directly to Olympic for wilderness management projects. The other twenty percent goes to parks that do not charge fees.

Maximum rates: $50.00 for trips up of to 14 nights with a party of up to 6 people $100.00 for trips of up to 14 nights with groups of 7-12 people.

How to pay:

The WIC in Port Angeles accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, checks and cash. At staffed ranger stations where wilderness permits are available, wilderness use fees may be paid by credit card, cash or check. Some ranger stations and a few trailheads have self-registration permit boxes. Contact the WIC for locations. e-mail us Upon completion of your outing, mail your payment in the envelope. Do not leave payment in trailhead permit boxes.

U.S. Forest Service Northwest Forest Passes
US Forest Service Northwest Forest Passes are required when parking at some Olympic National Forest (USFS) trailheads. Some areas of Olympic National Park are accessed by trails originating in USFS areas. Both Park Service and Forest Service registration and fee procedures may apply.

Northwest Forest Passes are required at the following U.S. Forest Service trailheads that access Olympic National Park: Upper Dungeness, Duckabush and Lena Lake.

Northwest Forest Passes are available at all Olympic National Forest offices and a number of commercial outlets. The fee is $5 per vehicle per day. An annual NW Forest Pass is available for $30, good for a calendar year. Call [phone] for more information. Northwest Forest Passes are available at the WIC in Port Angeles. The U.S. Forest Service also accepts the Interagency Annual "America The Beautiful" Pass, the Interagency Access Pass, and Interagency Senior Pass.