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Photo courtesy of Lana_aka_BADGRL
Olympic National Park
Type: Day Trips, Great Views, Outdoor Activities, Parks, Recreational Facilities, Reserves
10Best Says
Olympic National Park provides Seattle visitors with a huge range of recreation options in a compact area. About an hour to an hour-and-a-half southwest of Seattle on Washington State's Olympic... Read More
Olympic National Park provides Seattle visitors with a huge range of recreation options in a compact area. About an hour to an hour-and-a-half southwest of Seattle on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, the nature preserve centers around the Olympic Mountains and its system of rivers and valleys to the Pacific Ocean. Hiking, backpacking, kayaking or just touring by car, it's easy to check out the varying microclimates and zones within the park, which is encircled by U.S. Highway 101. So whether it's crunching along a dirt and gravel trail up a mountainside, padding over fragrant pine needles along a path deep in the temperate rainforest, or finding solid wet sand to save energy exploring along rugged Pacific Ocean beaches, this natural wonderland offers it all.
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Address:
3002 Mount Angeles Road
Port Angeles, WA 98362
(360) 374-5450
Admissions:
- National Park
Entry Per Vehicle $5 - $15
Website:
nps.gov
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Corinne Whiting
Seattle Local Expert
- Outdoor Activities: "While it is related to other marmots and groundhogs of North America, the Olympic marmot is unique, an endemic species found only in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. The cute critters are hard to spot. For the best shot at seeing one, plan a hike into the park's high country on a nice day, and you might spy a marmot sunning near its burrow. (If you get to the park via Bainbridge ferry from downtown Seattle, make a pit stop at the famous bakery in Poulsbo for refreshments along the way.)"
- Sightseeing, Parks, Beaches: "While it is related to other marmots and groundhogs of North America, the Olympic marmot is unique, an endemic species found only in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. The cute critters are hard to spot. For the best shot at seeing one, plan a hike into the park's high country on a nice day, and you might spy a marmot sunning near its burrow."
- Best for Outdoor Activities Because: Olympic National Park provides Seattle visitors with a huge range of recreation options in a stunning region just a few hours west of the city.
- Best for Sightseeing, Parks Because: Olympic National Park, an hour-and-a-half southwest of Seattle, showcases some of the region's most stunning natural beauty.
- Best for Beaches Because: Hailed as home to some of the region's most breath-taking terrain, Olympic National Park offers a coastline (often rocky) that visitors will not soon forget.
