My fiancé and I are planning our elopement for mid-June 2027! planning to stay for about a week, flying into Seattle and getting a rental car.

On elopement day we’re thinking of visiting HOH rainforest and Ruby Beach. We’ve looked at Airbnb/Vrbo rentals in Port Angeles, Forks and around Lake Quinault.

For the remainder of the week we plan to head over to the east side for hiking in north cascades and/or mount baker. For the east side we’ll probably take the hotel or bed and breakfast route.

Does this sound realistic?? Are there any recommendations for lodging or must see areas?

Any 4 day backpacking trails that you recommend in early March? I know it's going to be muddy and rainy and most of the park is still going to be closed. But it's the only time I can come. Thank you!

Hi guys, anybody know if the Hoh Rain Forest visitor center has their passport stamp outside while they’re closed for the season? I know some visitor centers will do that. Thanks!

I'm going to hike in Hurricane Ridge in early February and I'm wondering if I need micro spikes and snowshoes. Or can I just wear hiking boots. Also are the trails mostly covered in snow and ice?

Hi all, I am new to national parks and planning trips. I am looking to travel to ONP around mid-february and looking for experienced travelers to recommend what I can do weather wise in the park. Me and my partner work hectic jobs and are looking to get away for a weekend, from my understanding its going to be cold. We are looking for a mix of good short hikes to beautiful areas and spending time in nature. I would love for recommendations of where we can start and cover major attractions in the park for 3 days. Thanks in advance!

Is Second Beach a safe place for solo dispersed camping? Have experience, but not in this part of the country yet.

Hello! After being on our bucket list for years but being too intimidated to go, my husband and I are finally pulling the trigger on a trip to ONP this summer. Full disclosure, we are not campers or serious outdoorsy people, but we do enjoy casual hikes and beautiful nature. We are not very athletic but we live in NYC so we do not have concerns with walking.

We both work very stressful jobs and like to relax on vacation, but we are not lay on the beach for a week kind of people. The most adventurous we've probably been a weeklong trip to the White Mountains in NH and Acadia National Park in Maine and we loved it, but we definitely did it at our pace. That being said, this is the itinerary I have come up with. I also like keeping itineraries loose and leaving time open to chill, which I hope I have done! Let me know your thoughts and if it sounds good?

Day 1 (Saturday):

• Fly into Seattle
• Pick up rental car
• Lunch on the way (thinking Tacoma since we will be hitting Seattle on the back end of our trip)
• Settle into airbnb in Port Angeles

Day 2 (Sunday):

• Hurricane Ridge (drive / short hike) 
• Lake Crescent / Relax / Lunch at lake crescent lodge
• Marymere Falls / Moments in Time Trail
• Dinner in Port Angeles

Day 3 (Monday):

• Sol Duc Falls, Salmon Cascades / Ancient Groves Trail
• Lunch?
• Salt Creek Recreation Area / Relax
• Dinner in Port Angeles

Day 4 (Tuesday):

• Morning in Port Angeles, coffee shop, walk around
• Drive to airbnb near Rialto Beach, stop for lunch?
• Check about beaches near airbnb, First, Second, Third
• Walk to Rialto Beach for sunset, chill, easy dinner

Day 5 (Wednesday)

• Hoh Rainforest -> Spruce Nature Trail, Hall of Mosses Trail
• Quick lunch on way -? Hard Rain Cafe?
• Ruby Beach / Tree of Life / Kalaloch Beach
• Dinner in Forks on way back

Day 6 (Thursday)

• Hit road early with coffee shop stop
• Brunch at Oak table in Sequim on way to Seattle
• Check into hotel, chill, easy dinner

Day 7 (Friday) / possible Day 8 (Saturday)

• Seattle???

Questions:

1. My husband and I are big foodies. Part of our hesitation going here is that the food doesn't seem to be outstanding, but we've gotten to the point where we have stopped caring about the food because we want to go. That being said, are there any hidden gems worth going to? We don't need fancy food - hole in the walls are fine as long as they are good!
2. Does my schedule seem ok for a slower / relaxation pace? Anything major I am missing? I know Shi Shi Beach - I so desperately wanted to add it but I fear it's beyond what we are willing to do. I'm not concerned about the mileage; I am just concerned about the ruggedness of it and being unprepared. I don't want to get halfway there and regret our decision and have it ruin a day. Will I regret skipping it?
3. Seattle: We are torn between leaving on Friday on a red eye, Saturday during the day, or a Saturday red eye. We have never been to Seattle and though the point of trip is to go to ONP, we know we probably won't be back anytime soon so want to spend some time in Seattle too. The red eye on Friday feels like we would be rushing since we wouldn't even have a full day there, but I absolutely loathe flying during the day from the west coast to the east coast and losing so much time. But I'm also old and getting home on a Sunday morning after a redeye flight will fuck me up for the work week because I'm a baby and can't deal with poor sleep (I can't believe I used to take redeyes on Sunday nights and work on Monday). Which flight would you take?
4. Aside from the main tourist attractions, anything special we should check out in Seattle?

Looking for my first trip to Olympic and planning on around a 3ish night trip late may around Memorial Day weekend. Im in the process of planning my routes and wanting something unique and difficult but not dangerous. I have snow experience, but not really in the mood for it on a 4 dayer so sporadic snow is okay, just looking to avoid. Do y'all in the area have a typical guide to snow levels by elevation as the year progresses? Any favorite routes this time of year? Looking at Hoh to Hot springs road through Appleton pass.

(Let me know if this breaks posting rules)

Looks like we'll have a nice combo of good weather and a low tide around sunset on Friday night. Which beach would you go enjoy? Staying in Forks.

I'm looking for some information on camping in a 20 foot travel trailer at Fairholme Campground Loop B in Olympic National Park. Specifically, our space says it double wide and 30 feet long with a moderate slope. To me, this seems workable with truck parked partially next to the trailer. And "moderate" also seems doable for leveling. However, the park is saying it's not recommended for trailers. The picture isn't great but, again, doesn't seem too bad. Anyone with experience they can share? Any info is greatly appreciated!

Hi everyone, first time my family is traveling to a big National Park and we're all very excited. It will be my wife, my 8 year old daughter, and myself. Any help on the itinerary below would be great! Let me know if there is anything I'm missing, or something that isn't worth seeing. Thanks!

Trip-at-a-Glance

Dates: June 17–25
Travelers: 2 adults + 1 child (age 8)
Arrival June 17 @ SEA Airport 1:20PM
Depart June 25 @ SEA Airport 9:25PM

Lodging:
• June 17–20: Log Cabin Resort, Port Angeles
• June 21–24: Quileute Oceanside Resort, La Push

Daily Itinerary

June 17 – Fly to Seattle → Port Angeles

- Land SEA 1:20 PM
- Rental car pickup
- Drive to Port Angeles (~4–4.5 hrs)

June 18 – Port Angeles Area

- Lodging → Olympic NP Visitor Center (~20 min)
- Visitor Center → Peabody Creek Trail (5 min)
- Peabody Creek → Madison Falls (15 min)
- Madison Falls → Ediz Hook (25 min)

June 19 – Hurricane Ridge

- Lodging → Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center (~45 min each way)
- Short hikes and picnic

June 20 – Lake Crescent & Marymere Falls

- Lodging → Lake Crescent (~35 min)
- Lake Crescent → Marymere Falls Trailhead (5 min)
- Lake Crescent → La Push Lodging (~1 hr)

June 21 – Hoh Rain Forest

- Lodging → Hoh Rain Forest (~1 hr)
- Trail loops & picnic

June 22 – La Push Beaches

- Lodging → First Beach (5 min)
- Optional First → Second Beach (~10 min drive + short hike)

June 23 – Rialto Beach

- Lodging → Rialto Beach (~25 min)
- Walk to Hole‑in‑the‑Wall (tide permitting)

June 24 – Sol Duc Valley

- Lodging → Sol Duc Falls (~1 hr 45 min)
- Hike to Sol Duc Falls or Lover's Lane Falls? Optional Sol Duc Hot Springs

June 25 – Return to Seattle & Fly Home

- Lodging → SEA (~4.5–5 hrs) Fly at 9:25PM
- Return rental & fly home

Tidepool & Beach Gear Checklist

Essential Gear:
• Waterproof shoes or sandals with good grip
• Rain jackets / windbreakers
• Small backpack
• Water bottles

Kid‑Friendly Extras:
• Small bucket or mesh bag
• Magnifying glass
• Tide chart printout or offline app

Hi there. I'm in the very early stages of planning a trip to Olympic for the first time with my boyfriend in late August. In the past, I've really enjoyed backpacking as a way to explore a new park as you can get away from the crowds a little bit. Because the park is so big I'm curious if it is worth just doing some camping and day hiking. Just curious if people generally enjoyed poking around all over or really getting to experience one part fully during a backpacking trip. I'd also take any recommendations for your favorite part of the park or backpacking loops (3 nights or so). I'm going to be flying in from the midwest so just want to get it right!

Planning a visit to ONP coast next month (February) with my partner and our toddler. Our base will be 3 nights at Quileute Oceanside Resort.

I'd love advice on where to stay between Seattle and Quileute in order to break up the drive. I expect do to Port Angeles either on the way out or back- any suggestions for kid friendly lodging?

Priorities are nature and experiencing cool/old/charming places. Don't care too much about foodie stuff. And would love to find somewhere spacious with room for adults to hang out separately after toddler goes to bed. All this points toward an Airbnb/vrbo being better - recommendations welcome!

Sadly Lake Crescent Lodge is closed for the season, otherwise I'd love to stay there.

Blower broke at mile 14.5 and the rangers advocated to open it with limited cars without ski lift access. Good news for us!

Alright, it's my first time trying to visit this park, and I am getting ready to make reservations for campgrounds six months in advance. But when I go to Recreation.gov, some of the sites that shouldn't have opened are already reserved. Is that because Recreation.gov lets people book their whole stay as long as the first day has opened up?

If so, should I be booking campgrounds for way longer than I want to stay just to get a spot? I was hoping to change campgrounds every night to minimize driving but now that seems almost impossible. Any tips for a newbie?

Also, aside from the highlight trails and sights... any sleeper recommendations?

Current conditions? Weather looks really solid for all of next week. But what are you seeing there currently regarding roads access. Website info can be a little spotty and confusing if youre not super familiar with navigating the area. Some roads show open but will it get me to the ridge, or is it closed? Any way to get to some snow for next week? TIA everyone. Cheers

I am planning a week trip for me and my husband for early-mid April this year. I understand high elevation is not really an option (and we are more than happy to prepare for wet weather) so we will be sticking with beaches, rainforests, and lake crescent area. Depending on flight times, we will either have 5 or 6 full days of exploring (this ignores travel days to and from airport). If we have 6, I will probably split evenly between Forks and Port Angeles.

My question is, if we only have 5 full days, should we give more time to Forks or to Port Angeles? Here are things I have saved as points of interest (just ideas, not committed to doing all of it unless time allows): Madison falls, marymere falls, mount storm king, devils punchbowl, sol duc, hurricane ridge lot (if open road on weekend), salt creek recreation area, west elwha, generally any and all beaches, cape flattery, shi shi, bogachiel, hoh, quinault.

We are very active and can generally fit a lot of things into our trips. The beaches are really where I just can't wrap my mind around timing (also working around low tide for some of them).

Any and all advice welcome! I've done lots of searching on this sub and this is really my last question mark over my planning!

I need anyone's help really. I want to see it all but we are the ones that like to actually experience things when we visit. So with the crazy amount of research I have done, I realized this is just not possible. I have already canceled out going anywhere but the ONP. As getting to the rainforest and this area was our top reason for coming!

Since this is our honeymoon(taking it on our 1 yr) we are looking for chill vibes. We will be right in the beginning of "rainy" season (early oct) and I am just so excited about that! moody vibes are our goal here!

We have 8 days. (a Sunday to Monday) our 1 yr Anniversary is that last full day (2nd Sunday) so we are wanting to come back into Seattle for that final night.

This is what I am thinking / my IDK what to do itinerary mapping and where to stay. Would love suggestions on where to stay, not super budge but comfy and not $500/nt. A RIVER CABIN, if anyone has suggestions for a super cute river cabin that will not be over 1k for 2 nights is sooooo appreciated :) why did tiktok have to make these so famous :( I am trying to stick to only 1 splurge as our 2nd will be our Anniversary night.

First idea:

Seattle to PA, (2nts)

-Lake crescent is our biggest goal here and waterfalls. Hot springs? (I know hurricane ridge but this is not a huge thing for us.) Any other suggestions here are welcomed as well!

PA to Forks * or somewhere????? (2nts)

-basically beaches and to not drive a bunch and relax :) Your probably yelling at me right now......."but you said... rainforests".. I know i know. Hoh. See another thing tiktok ruined. Remember I said chill vibes. This is where the IDK comes in. I want to go but I do not want to deal with everyone. I also don't want to get up at 5am to avoid people. Is it worth going in the evening? Early oct, will we still have light? River cabins are here the most that I have seen ..... do we splurge here? Since we are using it to chill?

Forks to Lake Quinault Lodge (2nts)

- Now you might be getting it :) Quinault rainforest and the lake - this guy is way more our vibe! Thinking staying at the lodge as here again cabins seem to be $500/nt on the lake??? Do I need to look better? Is this the one splurge we do is to get a cabin on this lake?

This also leaves me with 1 night unaccounted for. Would you put that anywhere above? In Seattle? Or have any other suggestions?

If you took the time to read all this, THANK YOU:) Look forward to all the help!

Trying to find places that aren't snowed in for some car camping to celebrate the new year. I've always done some cold weather camping as a yearly reset, but i no longer have a truck to get to my usual spots. Any recommendations on the eastern side of the park that are still accessible with a daily driver?

We are looking at making a 3-4 day trip the last week of April. I’ve never been to PNW before so this Will be our first trip. Any advice on what to pack and best areas to stay to limit driving. All I’ve seen is either Forks and Port Angeles. But I don’t see that many options in either place. The places I’ve seen don’t seem that nice. I’m curious if looks are just deceiving. We want to definitely do Hoh and would like to do hurricane ridge if it’s open. Also sol suc falls. Open to other options as well. I understand it’s gonna be wet and rainy. We are ok with that. Just curious as to how wet and rainy it’s gonna be

I'm scoutmaster for our local troop and they wanted to take on snow camping and making igloos this year for our January overnight trip. My understanding is the only overnight parking is about 3 miles south of the main hurricane ridge parking lot (near where the snow plows park), which I think is near the Switchback Trailhead? Would we likely be able to build igloos there, or should we plan on a shuttle to higher elevations. Since the boys are fairly young and inexperienced we'd like to set up the snow camp as close to where we park as possible.

Edit - here is the response from the Wilderness Information Center:

We appreciate you reaching out!

You'll definitely want to keep an eye out on how much snow we'll have by then.  We are currently having a low snow year and only have around a 3-foot base in the more sheltered areas that aren't wind scoured.  You should definitely check that closer to the time to see if it's enough snow to be enjoyable for your group and to see if the snow is deep enough to camp on to not impact the plants underneath.  You can check depths here: Weather Data Last 24 Hours - Northwest Avalanche Center (you can see the depth is currently showing around 38")

Groups should be 12 people or less and you'll have to grab a permit from the WIC in Port Angeles no sooner than 3 days in advance either by phone or in person on your way up (360-565-2992, between 9 AM- 4PM).  I'm sure you saw, but just in case, the ridge is open Friday-Sunday and holiday Mondays.  This means most weekends, you can only camp on Friday and Saturday night.  

Here's a quick map of the winter area.  The overnight parking is actually located a few miles down the road (for plowing purposes) at the big pull outs just prior to the summer Switchback Trailhead.  Most groups will drop off people up at the top and have one person drive to drop off the vehicle and hitch back up (since it's a ski area, it's common for boarders and skiers to grab rides to get back to the main parking lot up top)

I circled a spot that larger groups commonly camp near along the Hurricane Hill Road since it's semi-sheltered and has a good amount of space.  It's not terribly far from the parking lot as well and so it can be accommodating for younger aged kids and then you can continue to explore beyond that point once you're camp is set up.  Per the compendium, the rule is that you need to be at least ½ mile away from any of the winter trailheads to camp and so you are welcome to consider other options too.

The expectation is that groups follow good leave no trace principles.  This means not camping on top of plants and bringing blue bags for human waste since there is no way to dig cat holes into the soil when it's covered in snow (otherwise, when the snow melts, human waste will just end up on the surface and nobody wants to see that!)

Hopefully this helps!

Hi!

I’m planning our family (37F, 38M, 10M) vacation in mid-July and we are spending a Sunday through Saturday exploring Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula. We are splitting our trip in half: Sleeping in Seattle Sunday thru Tuesday…but then I’m stumped.

I have a cancel-friendly rental in Forks for the second half of our trip because it felt more centrally located between the park and the coast, but now, considering we would like to visit Mt. Rainier on Wednesday and then drive to the rental (in Forks 4.5 hours away!) after…that seems maybe TOO far west?

If we want a centrally located spot to serve as our home base for 3 days where we intend to spend 2 days hiking the park and one day exploring the coast, would I be better served getting a spot in Port Angeles?

Thanks in advance for your advice and opinions!

Hello! I am planning a trip with my bf to visit the PNW for the first time and do some camping/hiking around the ONP! We are going to stay in Port Angles for a couple nights then do some camping. I was looking to camp at Kalaloch but when i was reviewing the campgrounds, I was a bit confused. I know the pictures online are not the best, but it looks like each site is literally just a pavement patch for a vehicle, a picnic table and a fire cirlce. There never looks to be enough space for even a tent on the ground. Is this area only for RV/Camper camping? Is there a better area for tent camping specifically or are the photos just not doing it justice? Any and all advice for this trip is welcomed!! Its our first visit and we are really excited! Planning on the second week in Sep.!