Olympic National Park spans nearly one million acres within Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, showcasing diverse areas of Pacific coastline, temperate rainforest, dry forest, and alpine ecosystems. The park was originally designated as a National Monument in 1909 before being converted into a national park in 1938.
Today, it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers more than 70 miles of rugged wilderness coastline for visitor exploration and beach backpacking, including the popular nine-mile Ozette Loop. For more adventurous visitors, the park’s interior rainforest and alpine areas offer day-hiking experiences. Three visitor centers within the park offer museum exhibits, documentary films, and interpretive nature trails and serve as launch points for ranger-led wildlife watching and night sky programming. There are several great places to stay nearby. Other popular park activities include boating, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, and camping at one of the park’s 16 campgrounds.