Olympic National Park hiking trails are as diverse as the Olympic Peninsula they occupy. They can take you to rocky tide pools, old-growth fir and pine forests, the summit of peaks, and anything in between.
Olympic National Park hiking trails are accessible for most of the year, but you should always be prepared for rain when you hike in Olympic, so carry rain gear, and food, even if you only plan to be on the trail a few hours.
If you plan to backpack overnight, you'll need a Wilderness Permit, available at the park or at the
Wilderness Information Center in
Port Angeles. You'll also need to store your food safely away from your camp in bear-proof containers; there are bears in the park.
You can also hike the rugged coastline for some breathtaking views of ocean, cliff, and headland, and many of these trails are not as strenuous as those in the higher elevations.
Olympic National Park hiking trails are easily accessible from
Seattle and
Tacoma, and a few trails even allow pets to join the family on their hikes.
