Olympic National Park
Trip Summary
The Olympic National Park is most common trip for guests departing from Seattle. We recommend spending at least 5 days exploring the ONP to get the most out of your trip and if you’d like to explore Mount Rainier and/or Seattle as well, extend to a 7+ day trip. To help you plan for your trip, we’ve put together a recommended itinerary. The trip is basically a large circle and you can start either by heading West (clockwise) or North (counterclockwise), our itinerary follows a clockwise trip.
See below for the map view of this trip:
Day 1: Quinault/Kalaloch
Pick up your van, go to the grocery store (Safeway or QFC are common choices in Washington), and head on your way to Quinault or Kalaloch beaches. On your way, we recommend stopping off at one of the ONP’s most famous restaurants, Ranch House BBQ and Steakhouse for some of the best ribs you’ll ever have (yes, we know, you are in the ONP and we are recommending ribs and not crab, but trust us here):
Hike in the Quinault Rainforest
Drive to the Quinalt Rainforest Trailhead (S Shore Rd, Quinault, WA 98575) and explore the Quinault Rainforest.
Where to stay:
Book a reservation ahead of time for either Lake Quinault at the Willaby Campground or Kalaloch Beaches at the Kalaloch Campground. We list our favorite spots below for the best views:
Kalaloch Campground
Spots D33-37 and E6-9 have the best views. You can book your campsite here. See below for a picture of a Noma van in our favorite spot, D33:
Wilaby Campground
Spots 6-15 are near the water, spot 15 has the best view. You can book your campsite here. See below for a picture of spot 15:
Day 2: Hoh Rain Forest
Explore Kalaloch Beaches
Start your day off by making your morning coffee and exploring the Kalaloch beaches (Kalaloch Campground, Forks, WA 98331).
Visit Ruby Beach
Make breakfast and then drive up to one of the most famous beaches in the ONP, Ruby Beach.
Visit the Hoh Rainforest
Drive to the Hoh Rainforest and go for a hike:
Try Boondocking in the Hoh Rainforest
We recommend using the iOverlander app and filtering for “Wild camping”. One of our favorite spots is HERE, but there are many to choose from in the iOverlander app.
Day 3: La Push
Explore La Push Beaches
Drive up to La Push and visit First, Second, and Third Beaches. First Beach is drivable, Second Beach is great for a picnic, and Third Beach is a ~1.5 mile hike with great views.
Stay at our favorite campsite in La Push
The most picturesque campsite you’ll find is in La Push. It’s a private campsite listed by a host on Hipcamp. You can book this campsite directly on hipcamp here.
Day 4: Sol Duc Hot Springs
Olympic Hot Springs
Drive to the Olympic Hot Springs Trailhead HERE. Hike to the hotspings and relax in a natural hot tub.
Explore and hike some more
We recommend checking out the Salmon Cascades on your way to the Ancient Grove trails for another hike.
Boondock or Camp
Find a boondocking spot near Lake Crescent using the iOverlander App, or head over to the Heart O’ the Hills campground near Hurricane Ridge.
Day 5: Hurricane Ridge
Hike the Marymere Falls Trail
Head out to the Marymere Falls Trail for a short hike with a beautiful view of the Marymere Falls.
Explore Hurricane Ridge
We recommend spending most of Day 5 exploring Hurricane Ridge. Pretty much everything you need to learn is listed here.
