- State: WA
- NPCA Region: Northwest
- Est. Date: 1909
Issues
Exploring Olympic’s dynamic landscape is like visiting three parks in one. The high mountains offer snow, glaciers, wilderness and — if you time it right — acres of wildflowers. The lush, verdant Hoh Rainforest is unlike anything else in the Lower 48, and home to Roosevelt elk, black bears and other charismatic wildlife. And the park’s stunning coast offers some of the country's wildest and most spectacular beaches, dotted with tide pools and sea stacks. Visitors can now see where park staff recently removed two large dams, letting the Elwha River flow freely again for the first time in more than 100 years.
A Natural Rush
With its lush climate and its 12 feet of rainfall each year, Olympic is one of the best national parks for seeing waterfalls, from the tall and elegant Marymere Falls to the powerful, rushing Sol Duc Falls (shown here).
My Park Story
Greetings from Olympic National Park
I'd bend over backwards to visit Olympic again! Sam and I first visited this park in October 2012, our first real vacation together. We loved the many eco-systems represented at Olympic (shout-out to Hoh Rainforest!). Animal highlights included a herd of elk and a mama bear with two cubs! Thank…
More about Olympic
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Blog Post 11 of America’s Best National Park Beaches Need some sun and surf in your travel plans? NPCA staff highlight top beach vacation spots at national parks around the country.
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Blog Post The 17 Parks Where Entrance Fees Could Skyrocket — and What You Can Do A new Trump administration proposal could put popular national park vacations out of financial reach for some families. You can speak out against this plan.
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Press Release Forest Service Green Lights ‘Growler’ Jet Flights Over Olympic National Park In a move that endangers natural quiet in Olympic National Park, the U.S. Forest Service approved a permit for the U.S. Navy to use roads just outside the park in support of electronic warfare training for “Growler” fighter jets.
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Blog Post Staff Picks: 11 Spectacular Roads for Riding Your Bike From leisurely rides to challenging climbs, national parks offer riding opportunities for cyclists of all abilities. Check out top recommendations and advice from NPCA enthusiasts on where to go and what to see.
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The preserved beauty of these places bring me joy, strength and peace. — Denise
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Press Release Groups Defend National Parks From BP Cherry Point Refinery Pollution NPCA is challenging oil giant BP’s expansion permit in Whatcom County, WA, for failure to protect air quality of Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park
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Blog Post The 10 Most-Visited Parks — and Less-Visited Side Trips It's no surprise millions of people flock to America's most celebrated national parks. But did you know about these 10 lesser-known sites nearby? Here are side trips where you can escape the crowds and enjoy a few underrated wonders of the park system, too.
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Blog Post Need an Escape? 10 Cozy Places to Stay in National Parks Craving solitude or looking to plan a romantic retreat? A private room in the heart of one of the country's most spectacular landscapes could be the answer. Check our staff picks for cozy lodgings in breathtaking national parks.
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Blog Post The Next 11 Parks You Want to Visit Last summer, we asked supporters which national park sites were at the top of your bucket lists. Thousands of you responded. Here are the 11 parks you most want to explore — and why these places are great choices for any traveler’s wish list.
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Press Release Forest Service Advances Proposal, Poses Harm to Olympic National Park In a move that stands to forever harm the natural quiet soundscape of Olympic National Park, the U.S. Forest Service released its final review of proposed roads and infrastructure to be used within Olympic National Forest. Such infrastructure would support electronic warfare training operations by the U.S. Navy.
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Advocacy in Action Save the Wild Natural Sounds of the Olympic Peninsula The Hear Our Olympics campaign seeks to protect the natural sounds of Olympic National Park, an ancient refuge from noise pollution in the Northwest.
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Trip Hiking Olympic National Park Washington’s Olympic National Park is extraordinary. More than 95 percent of it is designated as the Olympic Wilderness, meaning it’s undisturbed by buildings or roads. On a trail in this International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage site, you might find yourself with black bears, elk or mountain goats as your only companions.
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Magazine Article Sunny Days Everything’s A-OK when sunshine lights up the coastline, mountains and rainforest of Olympic National Park.
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Trip Explore! Olympic Wilderness & San Juan Islands Small Ship Journey: A wild world of natural wonder. Explore islands, hike in rainforests and up mountains in Olympic National Park, paddle in Puget Sound waterways and the San Juan Islands, and watch for birds, orca, and other marine life.
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Report Park on the Edge: Funding Shortfalls at Olympic National Park Olympic National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the country, currently receives only approximately 60% of the funds it needs to adequately serve visitors, maintain roads and trails, and protect internationally recognized natural resources.
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Report Center for State of the Parks: Olympic National Park Current overall conditions of Olympic’s known natural resources rated 81 out of a possible 100, indicating they are in marginally good condition, with viability of the ecosystem(s) estimated as vulnerable. Overall conditions of the park’s known cultural resources rated 65 out of a possible 100, indicating they are in fair condition.
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