Visiting

Before delving into the wilderness, please note that there are guidelines designed for safety, to protect the plants & animals and to preserve the park's natural habitat.

Visitors are asked to be respectful of the fragile ecosystems within the park. Vegetation can be easily damaged, so it is important that hikers and campers stay on existing trails and use designated campsites. Please keep a clean camp. If food is not stored properly, it is likely that bears, raccoons and chipmunks will help themselves. For many reasons, visitors should never feed or approach wild animals.

While in the park, be careful to leave no traces of your visit. All garbage must be packed and carried out of the park. To bathe and wash dishes, carry water 200 feet from the stream or lake, and use a small amount of biodegradable soap.

Pets are not allowed on park trails or beaches. The only exception is that leashed pets are allowed from Rialto Beach to Ellen Creek and on the Kalaloch beaches.

Those who wish to experience the Olympic glaciers should be experienced in mountaineering, glacier travel and must be prepared for long hikes. Mountaineering knowledge and basic use of an ice axe, crampons and rope-climbing skills are needed if you plan to visit any of Olympic's glaciers. Do not attempt glacier travel alone. When accompanied by an experienced leader, glacier travel can be exhilarating and safe.

When visiting Olympic National Park, a great place to get started is the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles. They offer basic orientation information, exhibits and an introductory slide show.

Scenic driving through Olympic National Park can take you to the Pacific Coast, Hurricane Ridge and the rain forest valleys of the Sol Duc River, the Hoh River and Quinault River. If you have the time, it's well worth it to venture out and explore several of the short nature trails at Hurricane Ridge, Elwha, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc, the Hoh Rain Forest and the Quinault River (some trails are wheelchair-accessible).

With more than 3 million visits per year, Hurricane Ridge is the most popular area in the park. The visitor center at Hurricane Ridge is open seven days a week (April through October). In the winter, Hurricane Ridge Road and the visitor center are open, weather permitting, on weekends and holidays.

Since most of Olympic National Park's interior is accessible only by trail, the best way to experience the diversity of the park is to take a hike. Day hikes allow you to experience the park's lush rain forests, sandy beaches and rugged, subalpine mountains.

Several day hikes are available in each of the following areas of the park:

• Heart O' the Hills
• Hurricane Ridge
• Elwha
• Lake Crescent
• Sol Duc
• Lake Ozette to the Pacific Coast
• Mora - Lapush
• Hoh Rain Forest
• Kalaloch
• Queets
• Quinault
• Staircase
• Dosewallips

Detailed information is available on day hikes and trail conditions at the Olympic National Park website.