Top Things to do in Olympic National Park
Top Hotels in Olympic National Park Campgrounds
Countries
The 10 Best Free Things to do in Olympic National Park, Olympic National Park
The Olympic Coast national park.
Restaurants in Olympic National Park Campgrounds
1. Ruby Beach
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,233 reviews
Dramatic Pacific coast beach with a rugged shoreline.
Reviewed By Brian0ntheGo - Bradenton, United States
If you are visiting the Olympic Peninsula, make sure you include a stop at Ruby Beach. After visiting the rainforests and the mountains of the region, you'll appreciate the seaside beauty of this picturesque spot. It is just a short walk down to the beach area from the parking lot, and once on the beach, you'll be busy taking pictures of the amazing rocks that stand out of the ocean, the piles of driftwood, the tidal pools, and the crashing waves. While we were there in the afternoon, sunsets must be amazing on clear days. If you want to picnic, make sure you bring your supplies with you as there are no stores anywhere close by. You'll be glad you visited Ruby Beach!
2. Second Beach Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 374 reviews
Dense and marshy forest trail on the Olympic Coast.
Reviewed By RalphieBoy2020
Very nice beach near Salt Creek campground. Tide pools and really worthwhile at low tides. Lots of parking available.
3. Rialto Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 692 reviews
Pacific coast beach.
Reviewed By miklospat - Sequim, United States
This is a beautiful beach and even wheelchair accessible close enough to enjoy the view and the sound of the surf. Picnic tables near the parking lots. For easy access go the north end of the parking lot past the restrooms and follow the path. They usually clear most of the driftwood logs for easy access here. Access elsewhere usually involves climbing over a lot of logs. Nice walk to hole in the wall at the end of the beach, but be advised that you may need to cross a creek that may be ankle deep to go that far except in the middle of summer when it dries up. Just a great beach with sea stacks, tide pools, huge driftwood logs, colorful beach rocks, close forest cover, and a huge expanse of beach to explore. Does require an Olympic park pass and dogs are not permitted past the creek.sunrises ok sunsets are better.
4. Deer Park
5. Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 271 reviews
A 454-mile drive through Olympic National Park.
Reviewed By GoAlong2 - Seattle, United States
The Olympic Peninsula is one of our favorite vacation places for exploring natural beauty. There are dozens of side trips off the main highway that will take you to wonderful places to visit and enjoy nature. While it is physically possible to do the loop in one long day, you’ll only be able to see 2 or 3 sights and you’ll spend most of your time in your car. Taking two days will let you add 2 or 3 more sights, and spending three or more nights will enable time to explore a wide range of activities. Starting from Seattle and going counter clockwise, here are some of my favorite highlights: - the ferry ride across Puget Sound with views of the city and mountains - Dungeness Spit, long hike to a lighthouse on the Straits of Juan de Fula. - Hurricane Ridge, in Olympic National Park, a 17 mile drive up a scenic road to 5200 ft in elevation to enjoy trails through meadows and stunning views of the Olympic Mountains. Not to be missed! - Elwah Valley, Olympic National Park, if you have extra time, you can visit a pretty waterfall and hike up an abandoned road to where a dam was removed. - Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, the winding highway along the shore is scenic. Stop at the lodge for a meal, or for kayaks or swimming. There is an easy 1 mi hike to Marymere Falls too. - Sol Duc, Olympic National Park, this side road takes you to Sol Duc Hot Springs, a rustic resort with hot spring water piped into pools. Further up is an easy 1 mi hike to a pretty waterfall in a lush forest. - Neal Bay, visit the Northwest most point in the US at the end of a 1 mi trail to see cliffs and rock formations and a bird covered island. This is on a Native American reservation with a good museum in town. This is a bit further off the loop. - Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, due west of the town of Forks, explore the wild coast with massive seastack rock formations and sea life. - The Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, hike short trails from the visitor center to see lush growth and gigantic trees covered in moss. With up to 17 feet of rain, everything is overgrown. - Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, easy access to a beach where a river meets the ocean. Large rocks and sea stacks with tide pools teaming with life at their bases can be explored. - Kalaloch, Olympic National Park, near the lodge is a wide sandy beach. There are cabins here if you reserve far in advance. - Quinault valley, there is another rainforest trail here on National Forest land, a beautiful old lodge, and the worlds largest spruce tree. Further up the road are some small waterfalls. - Ocean Shores, sleepy resort town with wide sandy beaches you can drive out on. North from there are more beaches and sandy cliffs. There’s plenty of natural wonders to enjoy on the Olympic Peninsula. We love going back to explore more.
6. Crescent Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 772 reviews
A scenic lake.
Reviewed By marktS5189DV - Hillsboro, United States
Driving from to/from Port Angeles on the101 to the Olympic National Forest you will be treated to one of the most breathtaking lakeside drives you will ever take. we saw a pair of bald eagles fishing . absolutely gorgeous
7. Hood Canal
8. Mount Walker
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
A 2,750-foot high mountain with a view from the summit of the eastern Olympic Mountains.
Reviewed By reneeteach - Sumner, United States
While camping nearby we thought we would take a drive. The view both to the North and South was beautiful. We could see Mt. Baker, Seattle, Tacoma, Mt. Rainier. Can be windy so be prepared.
9. Quinault Rain Forest
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 315 reviews
The Olympic Coast national park.
Reviewed By dunadan - Lynnwood, United States
We've walked the trails around Lake Quinault a few times over the past several years, and they never fail to awaken our sense of wonder and awe at the majesty and immensity of nature. A great place to start is with the short half-mile nature trail on the South Shore, which takes you through several impressive stands of fir, spruce, cedar, and hemlock trees, across tranquil streams, and through silent forests. If you have time (and you should really reserve at least a half day in Quinault to experience it best), then you can link up the nature trail with several other loop trails of varying lengths and difficulty and explore much more of the forest. Many of the trails start or end at the lodge, so you can fit in a visit during your walks. But mostly a visit to the Quinault area should be spent outside among the trees taking in the clean air and marveling at their lifetimes, their impact on the environment, and how lucky you are to be visiting one of the world's only temperate rainforests, where annual rainfall is measured in feet, not inches. Feel your body rejuvenated and your spirit renewed as you walk among these giants.
