Best Hikes in Olympic National Park
 

Hi all,
Me and four friends are planning on going to Olympic national park this August for around 3 days as part of a road trip across the western US. We would like to know what are the best hikes and routes to take in Olympic. We're looking to get as much variety as we can during the trip, so we can get a little taste of everything for the short time that we're there. That means seeing mountains, valleys, meadows, beaches, forest, as much as we can. We also preferdifficult hikes with no crowds.
As much detailed information as possible would be really appreciated (ex. Where to camp for the night, which exact trail to take, what to expect to see, etc). We want to do at least one 2-day long hike so we can get some camping in, so we're not looking for so many day-hikes.
Is it better to park the car in one spot and do one long hike deep into the park, or would we see more by doing smaller hikes and driving to different parts of the park at night?
What should we expect in terms of crowds, rainfall, and permit-restricted hikes?
We're also considering spending one day in Columbia gorge, so would it be smarter to sacrifice that day in favor of staying an extra day in Olympic?
Thanks for all the help!

Go to Trip Advisor and look for postings from kaleberg and glaciermeadows. Both live on the peninsula and know it inside and out. You might also check out the Washington Trails Association website www.wta.org.

Plan your visit | Visit Olympic National Park

Kaleberg Symbionts Home Page (click on the ONP tab and look at the pictures)

I agree, get insight from kale berg and glacier meadows. That said, I will give my opinions as well:) Three days is not much at all for ONP. I don't know if you are aware, but the park layout is a bit different than most. It is like a bicycle wheel where there are roads that go in to various areas, but none that go all the way through, so there is a lot of backtracking. There will definitely be crowds in August, but depending on how far off the main roads you go, you can easily get away from them. As for rainfall, not a worry in August. If you share a bit more about what type of hikes you are looking for, that will help immensely.

I would absolutely not try to do a day in the gorge and 2 on ONP. That would short change both areas, significantly. Also, on the OR side of the gorge most of the trails are still closed due to the massive fire last summer, so most hiking is on the WA side. The hikes in the gorge are VERY crowded, and this year the trails that are open will be even more so.

Hike specifics
 

Thanks for for the help! To be more specific, we're not very experienced hikers (we've each done our fair share though) so we're looking for something challenging but not too difficult. You mentioned yourself that 3 days isn't a lot, so our goal is to see as many different types of terrain, wildlife, and overall atmosphere as we can, to get a taste of everything. Kind of like a "greatest hits" of the park. What we're trying to avoid is going on a days-long hike that will have the same terrain and views the whole time, and that will eventually turn into a trudge. We prefer to have cool places to hike at, such as streams that we could go into whenever we want, nice sweeping views,etc. I don't know if this is possible but we also want to end up at the beach for one of our nights and camp there. Also, a big priority for us is not to be stuck in crowds, as I mentioned before. The more solitude the better.

Let's assume we have 4 days there and won't go to Columbia gorge. I think it would be best to go on two 2-day hikes. You probably know the specifics, but I would assume that would entail doing one hike near the eastern entrance to the park and another on the western part that would end at the beach for one night and come back around to our car to end the trip. Keep in mind we do need loop routes so that we can end up by our car after each hike. What do you think?

Would you also recommend the rainforest at Olympic, and other famous spots like hurricane ridge, or Are they too crowded or time-consuming? Also, if you know of any really beautiful one-day hikes please share them, in case we end up only doing 3 days at the park or just decide to split our time up into day-hikes. Any help you can give would be great! Thanks!

to end up at the beach for one of our nights and camp there

Are you saying you will backpack w/ camping gear on the hike that day? To camp on a beach overnight?

Since you are not very experienced, I would stick to the more populated areas. ONP is wild and rugged and without experience, I would hate to send you to an area not right for you. A really good coastal hike that is a ways out there, so fewer crowds, is the Lake Ozette Capa Alava/Sand point loop. It is 9 miles and not difficult, but a few things to consider for it. It is a triangle, so at the starting point, regardless of which way you go, you go along a boardwalk for about 3 miles, then down onto the beach for another 3 and then back on a boardwalk for 3. The thing is, you HAVE to time this with the tides as if you are down there when high tide comes in, you are in a world of hurt. Time it right though and it is a fantastic hike. The area along the water can be very slick, so I appreciate my hiking poles even more there. There are also some really cool petroglyphs along the way. If you want, you can camp at the lake there. Not fancy or anything, but we enjoy it.

Definitely head up to Hurricane Ridge. It gets busy so go early, but do not miss it. There are a few hikes from up there, and a nice one with stunning views is Hurricane Hill.

I would also suggest visiting the Hoh. You might like the Hoh River Trail to 5 Mile Island.

Thanks for the suggestion! While that sounds really cool, we're looking for something with a greater length. I should've mentioned earlier, we've gone on hikes in the past where the maximum we were able to do per day was around 13 miles. So 9 miles for a 2 day hike seems a little shorty. Also we're looking for more rough terrain than a boardwalk, so it could feel more natural and encompassing. We'd prefer to end up on the beach, rather than walk along it the whole time, so that we're able to experience more types of terrains and conditions than just the beach. Do you know of any trails of greater length (let's say around 20 miles total so we can hike comfortably for both days) that go more deeply into the forest, and that have more varied types of terrains and scenery? It'd be really neat to have a spot like a secluded lake along Thanks for the help we really appreciate it!

P.S. to Suze, We're planning on going on a two-day hike anyway so we'll be bringing our camping gear regardless. We'd just rather end up at a beach than at a more traditional campground. Do you have any suggestions as far as carrying our camping gear? Thanks!

No, sorry, I'm no help. Was just trying to follow the request :-) since i live in Seattle was reading your inquiry.

Any camping I have done was at regular campgrounds, not rough. And for ONP have only stayed at a couple of the lodges.

Others here are WAY more qualified to reply about hiking/camping.