Exploring the Best of Olympic National Park Trails

Your Essential Guide to Olympic’s Iconic Trails

Wander beneath bigleaf maples draped in emerald moss along the Hoh River Trail, where rainfall can top 140 inches a year and Roosevelt elk browse quietly at dawn. Share your favorite rain forest moment in the comments and tell us which fern-lined side path made you linger longest.

Your Essential Guide to Olympic’s Iconic Trails

On clear days, Hurricane Hill delivers Olympic peaks and a glittering Strait of Juan de Fuca, while Mount Storm King climbs steeply to commanding lake vistas. Pack steady footwear, respect seasonal snow, and subscribe for trail condition updates when shoulder-season ice and wind reshape plans overnight.

Spring swells the Sol Duc and Quillayute rivers while skunk cabbage, trillium, and salmonberry bloom along lowland paths. Snow often lingers at higher elevations through late spring, so microspikes may be prudent. Comment with your favorite early-season loop, and we’ll feature it in our subscriber roundup.

Seasons and Best Times to Hike

By mid to late summer, the High Divide and Seven Lakes Basin typically shed snow, revealing meadows buzzing with pollinators and mirrored tarns. Expect quotas for popular overnights and book permits early. Share your alpine sunrise photos, and subscribe for weekly updates on trailhead parking patterns.

Seasons and Best Times to Hike

Trailheads, Permits, and Planning Essentials

Overnight trips often require wilderness permits, with quotas in coveted areas like the coast and Seven Lakes Basin. Bear canisters are required on many coastal routes and strongly recommended elsewhere. Subscribe for our step-by-step planning checklist and comment with your permit wins or lessons learned.

Trailheads, Permits, and Planning Essentials

Highway 101 circles the peninsula, but distances are longer than they look, and road work or storm impacts can alter access. Check the park’s official alerts page before leaving and arrive early to secure parking. Drop a note about current trailhead conditions to help fellow hikers plan better.

Trailheads, Permits, and Planning Essentials

Coastal hikes depend on tide timing to safely round headlands; use NOAA tide tables for La Push or Neah Bay and build buffer time. Forecasts shift quickly, so download offline maps and carry paper backups. Subscribe to get our printable tide-planning worksheet and share your favorite navigation app.

Trailheads, Permits, and Planning Essentials

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Give Roosevelt elk plenty of space, especially during calving and rut seasons, and store food securely to avoid attracting black bears. On the coast, step carefully around anemones and starfish, touching tidepools only with your eyes. Comment with your best wildlife etiquette tip to educate new hikers.

Rain-Ready Layers and Footwear

A breathable rain shell, quick-dry base layers, and a light fleece keep you comfortable when showers drift through mossy valleys. Gaiters and wool socks help on rooty paths and puddles. Tell us your favorite jacket and why, and we’ll publish a reader-sourced shortlist for subscribers.

Navigation, Light, and Power

Download offline maps, carry a paper topo and compass, and bring a headlamp even for planned day hikes, especially on coastal routes. Batteries drain faster in cold, so pack a small power bank. Comment with your must-have navigation habit, and help newcomers stay oriented under dense canopy.

Food, Water, and Safe Storage

Filters handle tannin-stained streams; consider prefiltering with a bandana to extend cartridge life. Bear canisters or proper food hangs protect wildlife and your meals, with canisters mandatory on many coastal sections. Subscribe for our packing list and share your smartest food storage trick for stormy nights.

Stories from the Trail: Moments that Matter

One fog-tinted morning, we paused where the Hoh breathes softly around alder bends, and a Pacific wren stitched music into the hush. A hiker behind us whispered thanks for the stillness. Share your own trail hush, and subscribe to read featured reader stories each month.