How Many Days Should I Spend in Olympic National Park?

If you’re wondering how many days to spend in Olympic National Park, you’ve come to the right spot. I’m here to help you determine the amount of time to budget for this national park, taking into account the adventures you’re hoping to have during your time in Olympic.

How many days should you spend in Olympic? I recommend 4 full days to see the highlights of the park without feeling like you missed out on anything! This park is large and complex, and it takes hours to drive between the points of interest.

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My name is Ash, and I’m a former park ranger. I’ve spent a ton of time exploring Olympic, and I can’t wait to help you plan your trip to this beautiful national park.

Let’s get deeper into the things you’ll want to consider when deciding how many days you should spend in Olympic.

Can I See Olympic in One Day?

Because Olympic is such a large and spread-out national park, if you’re visiting for one day, you’ll need to choose one main area to focus on.

I recommend choosing between either the Hurricane Ridge area of the park or heading over to the Pacific coast and enjoying the beaches.

Hurricane Ridge is the most popular part of the park. This area is tucked high into the Olympic mountains, providing 360-degree views of the peaks and the ocean — you can even see into Canada from up here. I suggest hiking to the top of Hurricane Hill for the best views! When you’ve finished up at Hurricane Ridge, head over to the Elwha Valley or Lake Crescent to finish out your day.

Olympic’s Pacific Coast is a completely different experience than Hurricane Ridge but can be just as dramatic and enjoyable. Take a walk along the beach and go tidepooling while you’re out here. If you spend your day in this part of the park, you’ll likely also have time to visit the beautiful Hoh Rainforest.

With one day in Olympic, you won’t have time to see the smaller and off-the-beaten-path stops, which will also limit your wildlife sightings. You’ll be traveling to the most popular areas of the park during some of the busiest times of the day, so expect a lot of crowding and traffic.

Olympic in Two Days

I suggest two full sightseeing days in Olympic at the very least. With two days, you’ll have time to spend one day in the Hurricane Ridge area and another day along the coast and in the rainforest.

You’ll also have time to add in some other exciting points of interest, such as Sol Duc Falls and Lake Crescent!

Olympic in Three Days

Spending three days in Olympic is when things really start getting good! With three days in the park, you’ll have time to drive to all of the main areas of the park. You can easily get to Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc, the Hoh Rainforest, and the Kalaloch beaches.

You’ll also have so much more flexibility when it comes to working around the tides. With three days in the park, you can time things right so that you can go tidepooling and explore some of the more off-the-beaten-path areas.

Olympic in Four Days

You can explore a good portion of Olympic in three days, but it’s amazing the difference an extra day can make. If you can spend four full days in Olympic, you will have time to see some of the most spectacular parts of the park that many people never see.

With four full days, you’ll have time to see all of the park’s main sections, hike several trails, enjoy wildlife viewing, and find solitude. You can see the very best of the park without the fear of missing out on anything!

A four-day visit will open up more options for capturing stunning photographs in the park in various lighting and weather conditions. It’s nice to have multiple evenings to enjoy a few nice dinners, join in on ranger programs, or return to your favorite spots after the crowds have gone.

One other fabulous thing about giving yourself four full days in the park is that it will be much easier to get to the busy spots when the crowds are the smallest. That will save you a lot of time and provide opportunities for solitude!

Do you need help with your daily schedule for Olympic?
Get the inside scoop for your upcoming vacation —> this itinerary is the most detailed, epic, and easy-to-follow guide to the park!

Other Things to Consider

Before you solidify your travel dates or book your lodging for Olympic, you’ll want to think about a few things, such as:

How much time will it take to travel to and from Olympic (not including your sightseeing days)?

Many people forget to factor in the time it will take for them to drive to the park, which can cut into your sightseeing and leave you wishing for more time. For example, if you plan on spending one day in Olympic, but don’t get to the park until 10 a.m., you’ll severely limit the things you’ll have time to see. This is especially true if you visit during the summer — parking lots will be completely full by then.

Are there any major holidays/fee-free days/festivals you’d like to be in the park for or avoid?

If you’re visiting over a holiday or fee-free day, the crowds will be higher, and parking lots will be packed. You may have a harder time getting around to all the can’t-miss spots, so some extra time could be beneficial.

Are there other national parks and points of interest you’re hoping to see on the same trip?

Olympic is close to several other national parks, including Mount Rainier and North Cascades. Even if you are hoping to visit other parks while you’re in the area, you’ll need to plan a good amount of time in Olympic. Most people underestimate the number of days they’ll need to fully enjoy the park!

How much time should I spend in each of the Washington National Parks?

Chances are, if you’re heading to Olympic, you may also want to visit Mount Rainier and North Cascades during the same trip. Both of these parks are only about 3-4 hours from Olympic, so I highly recommend adding them into your plans if you can. 

Olympic is by far the largest and most complex national park out of these parks, so you’ll want to allocate more time for this one than the others. I would aim for 3-4 days in Olympic, 2-3 days in Mount Rainier, and 1-2 days in North Cascades if you’re hoping to see all three parks.

Olympic Itinerary Options

I’m here to help you determine how many days to spend in Olympic, so here are a few sample trip itineraries for the area that can help you decide how to split your time between parks!

After you decide how to split your time, these detailed itineraries will provide you with a ton of extra information on things to do, driving directions, lodging and dining options, and insider tips for your trip.

If you have:

A Weekend

I recommend spending the whole weekend in Olympic National Park.

One Week

Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks

Day 1 — Fly into Seattle and drive to Port Angeles (2.5 hours)
Day 2 — Olympic
Day 3 — Olympic
Day 4 — Olympic for most of the day, then drive to Ashford (4 hours)
Day 5 — Mount Rainier
Day 6 — Mount Rainier
Day 7 — Drive back to Seattle to catch your flight (2 hours)

10 Days

Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks

Day 1 — Fly into Seattle and drive to Port Angeles (2.5 hours)
Day 2 — Olympic
Day 3 — Olympic
Day 4 — Olympic
Day 5 — Drive to Ashford (4 hours)
Day 6 — Mount Rainier
Day 7 — Mount Rainier
Day 8 — Drive to Newhalem (4.5 hours)
Day 9 — North Cascades
Day 10 — Drive back to Seattle to catch your flight (3 hours)

2 Weeks

Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades National Parks + Seattle

Day 1 — Fly into Seattle and drive to Port Angeles (2.5 hours)
Day 2 — Olympic
Day 3 — Olympic
Day 4 — Olympic
Day 5 — Olympic
Day 6 — Drive to Ashford (4 hours)
Day 7 — Mount Rainier
Day 8 — Mount Rainier
Day 9 — Mount Rainier
Day 10 — Drive to Newhalem (4.5 hours)
Day 11 — North Cascades
Day 12 — North Cascades
Day 13 — Drive to Seattle (2.5 hours) and explore the city
Day 14 — Enjoy Seattle and then catch your flight

Do you love to have a plan?
Get the inside scoop for your upcoming vacation —> this itinerary is the most detailed, epic, and easy-to-follow guide to the park!

Enjoy your trip to Olympic National Park. Happy trails!

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