Laws & Policies

Park Regulations

Regulations specific to Olympic National Park are contained in the Superintendent's Compendium.

Federal regulations covering all National Park Service lands are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Chapter 1

Public Assembly and the Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter

The following maps indicate designated areas within the park (NOTE: a Special Use Permit may be required for these activities):

• Barnes Point (Lake Crescent): Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Barnes Point (Lake Crescent): Public Assembly
• Elwha: Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Hoh Visitor Center: Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Hoh Visitor Center: Public Assembly
• Mora: Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Mora: Public Assembly
• Olympic NP Visitor Center (Port Angeles): Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Olympic NP Visitor Center (Port Angeles): Public Assembly
• Ozette: Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Ozette: Public Assembly
• Quinault: Sales or Distribution of Printed Matter
• Quinault: Public Assembly

 

Closures

Spruce Railroad Trail - Public Safety Closure
DETERMINATION TO CHANGE
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK REGULATIONS

Consistent with applicable legislation and Federal administrative policies, and based upon a determination that such action is necessary for the maintenance of public health and safety, protection of environmental or scenic values, protection of natural or cultural resources, aid to
scientific research, implementation of management responsibilities, equitable allocation and use of facilities, or the avoidance of conflict among visitor use activities, the Superintendent makes the following changes to Olympic National Park regulations:
1. Regulation change:
36 CFR §1.5 – VISITING HOURS, PUBLIC USE LIMITS, CLOSURES, AND AREA DESIGNATIONS FOR SPECIFIC USES
OR ACTIVITIES
(a)(1) The following visiting hours, public use limits, and closures are established: Closures:
• The entire 4-mile Spruce Railroad Trail at Lake Crescent is closed to public access.
• East Beach Road is closed to public access at the intersection with Joyce-Piedmont Road.
• Camp David Jr. Road is closed to public access beyond the North Shore Picnic Area at Lake Crescent.
2. Previous regulation(s) affected by this change:
36 CFR §1.5 – VISITING HOURS, PUBLIC USE LIMITS, CLOSURES, AND AREA DESIGNATIONS FOR SPECIFIC USES
OR ACTIVITIES
• The Spruce Railroad Trail, East Beach Road, and Camp David Jr. Road at Lake Crescent are normally open to public access.
3. Date of adoption: March 9, 2020
4. Reasons for change: This regulation change is to reduce public risk and ensure for a safe working environment in support of the final phase of a multi-year construction project to establish the entire 10-mile length of the trail as a universally accessible, multipurpose trail. The construction will involve heavy equipment and frequent truck traffic, occasional rockfall mitigation, retaining wall construction, and paving along portions of the Spruce Railroad Trail.
5. Effective date(s): Beginning March 9, 2020 and until further notice.
6. Authority for adoption: Code of Federal Regulations: 36 CFR §1.5
Signed by the Superintendent, Olympic National Park

FISHING REGULATIONS

DETERMINATION TO CHANGE
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK REGULATIONS
Reopening Fishing By Geographic Area

Regulation change: This regulation change updates the determination to change signed May 28, 2020 and establishes opening dates for additional waters within Olympic National Park.

Beginning at 12:01 AM on June 1, 2020, recreational fishing opened on Lake Crescent, Sol Duc River, Gray Wolf River, Dosewallips River, Duckabush River, North Fork Skokomish River, and mountain lakes in Olympic National Park as per
normal fishing seasons and regulations.

Other waters within Olympic National Park will open to fishing as per normal seasons, gear, and daily limits on the following dates:
June 10, Beginning at 12:01 AM:
-Kalaloch Creek;
-Cedar Creek;
-Mosquito Creek;
-Goodman Creek;

June 19, Beginning at 12:01 AM:
-Lower Quillayute and Dickey Rivers;
-Intertidal and marine waters;
-Bogachiel and South Fork Calawah Rivers;
-Queets and Salmon Rivers;
-Matheny Creek and Sams River;
-Quinault, East Fork and North Fork Rivers;
-Irely Lake;
-And, all tributaries to above listed areas.

The Elwha, Hoh, South Fork Hoh, and their tributaries remain closed to fishing until further notice. For further information,
please visit https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/fishing.htm

Previous regulation(s) affected by this change:
This regulation change updates the determination to change signed May 28, 2020 and establishes opening dates for remaining waters within Olympic National Park.

Olympic National Park temporarily closed recreational fishing parkwide on March 26, 2020. This closure was in response to the Stay Home, Stay Safe Proclamation 20-25 and Proclamation 20-05 issued by the Governor of the State of Washington to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Date of adoption: June 10, 2020

Reasons for change: The opening of fishing is occurring concurrent with the re-opening of geographic areas of the park.

Effective date(s): June 10, 2020

Authority for adoption: Code of Federal Regulations
Signed by the Superintendent, Olympic National Park



Emergency Closure of Lake Aldwell, Updated March 8, 2012
Map of Closed Area, March 8, 2012

Emergency Closure of Lake Aldwell Effective October 20, 2011

 

Firearms Information
As of February 22, 2010, a new federal law allows people who can legally possess firearms under applicable federal, state, and local laws, to legally possess firearms in this park.

It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearms laws before entering this park. As a starting point, please visit our state’s website: LINK

Federal law also prohibits firearms in certain facilities in this park; those places are marked with signs at all public entrances.

 

Drones and other "UAVs" Prohibited in the Park

Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Olympic National Park is prohibited except as approved in writing by the superintendent.

Determining Factors: The use of unmanned aircraft potentially presents unacceptable risks to visitors (collisions between unmanned aircraft and visitors, the uncontrolled fall of unmanned aircraft, contact with spinning propellers or rotors of unmanned aircraft.) These risks are greatest in the park’s non-Wilderness areas, where the greatest concentrations of visitors are found. The use of unmanned aircraft adversely impacts visitor experience by negatively affecting scenic and natural sound opportunities, and by potentially interfering with terrestrial and avian wildlife.

The use of motorized equipment is also prohibited in designated Wilderness; approximately 95% of park lands are designated Wilderness. A full prohibition of UAV use within Olympic National Park is necessary in order to prevent potential risks to visitors, impacts to visitor experience and impacts to wilderness character.

Additionally, the unregulated use of unmanned aircraft would potentially violate several other regulations in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, including 2.2 Frightening Wildlife, 2.12 Creating an Audio Disturbance, 2.17 – Delivering or Retrieving an Object by Airborne Means, 2.34 – Making Unreasonable Noise, 2.34 – Creating or Maintaining a Hazardous Conditions, and 5.13 – Creating or Maintaining a Nuisance.

 

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING between:

National Park Service

and

Hoh Indian Tribe
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe
Makah Indian Tribe
Quileute Indian Tribe
Quinault Indian Nation
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
Skokomish Indian Tribe

To establish a framework for cooperative government-to-government relationships

July 10, 2008