HOW TO SPEND 2 DAYS IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK
Nearly 1 million acres, Olympic National Park has so much to explore in Washington State! There are three main ecosystems within the park, snow-capped mountains, moody coastline, and a rainforest. If you’re planning your trip, you might be overwhelmed by places you want to visit since it is such a large park. Don’t worry, we are sharing our 4 favorite spots in the park that we covered in two days.
A few things to know before you visit:
- Entrance Fee: $30 per vehicle and that is good for 7 days
- Hours: The park is open daily, 24 hours a day
- Visitor Center: This park has a few visitor centers, an information center, and ranger station. To find specific information on hours and openings per center, check here.
- Weather: This area of the state gets a lot of rain, especially over winter. Be prepared by packing a waterproof rain coat, waterproof hiking boots or hiking shoes, and lots of layers.
If you only have two days to explore the park, like we did, we recommend these 4 spots:
Mount Storm King
The views of Lake Crescent from the top of Mount Storm King are well worth the challenging hike. This 4.1 mile hike has a 2,106 ft elevation. The trail starts off easy but quickly turns into an uphill hike, zig-zagging up the mountain. Towards the top, you will face 5 ropes that you need to climb to reach the summit. Once you’re at the top, you will find the famous spot to take a photo, posing on top of the rock. Also note- birds are extremely used to humans at the top and if you extend your hand, they may just land on it!
Parking: Storm King Ranger Station
Marymere Falls
Walking through fir, cedar, hemlock, and alder trees, you will cross 2 wooden bridges to find a 90 foot waterfall in the middle of the forest. This is a great short hike, 1.7 miles round trip, to add on after hiking Mount Storm King or to break up your drive around the Olympic Peninsula. If you choose to add this on after/before Mount Storm King, the beginning of the trail is the same, but there is a fork that leads to Marymere Falls. The hike goes through old growth forests that make you feel so small. This is an easy trail to hike and follow, but also very popular.
Parking: Storm King Ranger Station
Rialto Beach- Hole in the Wall
A moody Pacific Northwest beach mixed with seastacks and tidepools, makes Rialto Beach so unique! Rialto Beach is perfect to capture seastacks, drift logs, rocks, and the incredible “Hole in the Wall.” Be careful and be sure to read the tide charts before going on this 3 mile round trip hike. You do NOT want to get stuck out on the beach during high tide. Find one of the charts here. When visiting during low tide, you also have the best chance of seeing the tidepools.
Parking: Rialto Beach Parking Lot
Fallen Trees
Tidepools
Seastacks
Drift logs
Hoh Rainforest
Walking among one of the largest temperate rainforests in the US, the Hoh rainforest has some old growth, lush greenery, and moody weather. The Hoh Rainforest receives as much as 14 feet of rain a year! There is a campground in the park that you can reserve a campsite at, as well as lots of Airbnbs within a close proximity. When visiting, there are two trails you’ll want to hike to see the forest from within. The first trail, which is shorter, is Hall of Mosses Trail, a 0.8 mile loop that takes you through the old growth forest. The second trail is the Spruce Nature Trail, a 1.2 mile loop where you can see both new and old growth and walk alongside the river and creek.
Parking: By the Hoh Rainforest Visitor Center- 18113 Upper Hoh Rd, Forks, WA 98331