The park’s main regions correspond to points on the compass: North (Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and Sol Duc), West (Kalaloch and Mora-area beaches, Hoh and Quinault rain forests), and Southeast (Staircase). Other ranger stations are located in Storm King, the Quinault Rain Forest, and the Staircase region of the park. 101 on the west side of Olympic National Park in Forks and has information on the coastal region of the park. The Kalaloch Ranger Station is located on U.S. 101, 31 miles south of Forks, and has a bookstore, information desk, exhibits, guided tours, and self-guided nature walks, plus the trailhead for the popular Hoh River Trail. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is open mainly in summer, on weekends for part of the winter, and is closed January and February. It serves as a base for guided nature walks and also as the trailhead for several hiking trails. The Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, about 17 miles south of Port Angeles, is staffed daily in summer and on a more limited basis in winter. The adjacent Wilderness Information Center has resources for camping and hiking, maps, permits, and bear canisters. The visitor center is staffed by rangers year-round, has a bookstore and exhibits, and shows a film about the park called Mosaic of Diversity. It’s the most accessible location for park information for travelers visiting various regions of the park via U.S. The main visitor center for Olympic National Park isn’t actually inside the park: It’s located in Port Angeles at 3002 Mount Angeles Road. Know your way around Olympic National Park Winter weather is milder at lower elevations, and rain and wind often lash the coast during the winter, offering inspiration for those willing to brave the elements.ĭramatic changes in elevation within the park-from sea level at the coast to the summit of 7,980-foot Mount Olympus -can reflect big differences in weather conditions from one region to another, so come prepared for warm, cold, and wet conditions no matter what season you visit. Hurricane Ridge offers snow play from late December to late March. While rain is common most of the year in Olympic National Park (they call Hoh a rain forest for a reason), precipitation is lowest in July, August, and September.įall foliage starts to turn in September and draws many visitors, as do early-season wildflower blooms in June. July and August are the most popular months, when the weather is reliably warm and often fairly dry. Summer high temperatures generally hover in the 65-to-75-degree range. Some roads close seasonally, however, as do several campgrounds and other park facilities. Olympic National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. When’s the best time to visit Olympic National Park? 101, take I-5 south from Seattle, Tacoma, or SeaTac airport to Olympia, Washington. There is no loop road or “main road” within the park boundaries, and no direct way to drive from one region of the park to another, which requires a return to U.S. Route 101 encircles Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula, with access roads leading into various parts of the park. In British Columbia, Canada, Victoria International Airport is about 2.5 hours from Port Angeles but requires a ferry ride and crossing the U.S.-Canada border. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) near Seattle, Washington, is approximately a 2.5- to 3-hour drive to Port Angeles, where the park headquarters is located, and 4.5 to 5 hours to the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the park’s most popular destinations. In addition to convenient air links and roads, there are several bus routes and ferries that will get you onto the Olympic Peninsula and within range of the park. Olympic National Park is one of the more accessible national parks of the U.S. How to get to and around Olympic National Park
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