Olympic National Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. A 7-day entrance pass costs $30 per private vehicle and covers all mountain, rainforest, and coastal areas.
You can enter Olympic National Park 24 hours a day, year-round. But access shrinks from October through May. Heavy snow and storms frequently close high-elevation routes like Hurricane Ridge, while the main Port Angeles visitor center maintains a steady 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily schedule.
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| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | 24 hours | Main Visitor Center in Port Angeles operates 09:00–17:00 |
Visitor centers and Hurricane Ridge Road shut down completely on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The main Port Angeles visitor center also closes on December 24. Expect sudden, weather-dependent closures on mountain roads and higher elevations between November and March.
Entry to Olympic National Park costs $30 per private vehicle and covers all passengers for seven consecutive days. Motorcycles enter for $25, while visitors arriving on foot or by bicycle pay $15 each. Expect additional fees if you plan to camp or stay overnight in the backcountry.
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| Category | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $30 | Valid for 7 consecutive days |
| Motorcycle | $25 | Valid for 7 consecutive days |
| Individual (foot or bicycle) | $15 | Per person; valid for 7 consecutive days |
| Annual Park Pass | $55 | Valid for one year at Olympic National Park |
| Wilderness Camping Permit (16+) | $8 | Per person, per night; requires an additional $6 reservation fee |
| Drive-in Camping | $15-$24 | Per night; price depends on the specific campground and season |
Federal interagency passes (America the Beautiful) cover standard entry, and specialized passes are available for military personnel, seniors, fourth graders, and visitors with permanent disabilities.
Planning your visit to Olympic National Park? Find tours with free cancellation and skip-the-line options.
View All ToursVisit between June and September for the mildest weather, nearly 17 hours of daylight, and fully open roads across all three ecosystems. Midsummer draws the heaviest crowds, pushing midday wait times at popular entrances to two hours. Target May or September to keep this wide access while shedding the worst of the traffic.
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| Period | Crowd Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (Before 10:00 AM) | Low | Arrive early to bypass the entrance lines at Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest. |
| Midday (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) | High | Expect one to two-hour waits as parking lots at popular coastal beaches and rain forests reach full capacity. |
| Late afternoon (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM) | Moderate | Traffic begins thinning out, making this a practical window to enter the park if you missed the morning rush. |
| Evening (After 6:00 PM) | Low | Summer daylight lasts until nearly 10:00 PM, leaving plenty of time for an uncrowded hike. |
Plan for three or more days to properly see Olympic National Park. The 922,650-acre park lacks interior roads, so connecting the distinct mountain, rainforest, and coastal ecosystems requires significant driving along Highway 101. A half-day trip from Port Angeles only leaves enough time for nearby stops at Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent.
Summer parking lots at Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest fill up fast, causing entrance waits of one to two hours. Arrive before 10 am or after 4 pm to skip the midday queue. The park stays light until nearly 10 pm near the summer solstice, leaving plenty of time for late-afternoon hikes.
Temperatures swing 10 to 20 degrees within the same day across the park's different elevations. Bring waterproof layers even in July, since coastal fog lingers and the western slopes get almost 12 feet of rain annually. Check the road and weather hotline at 360-565-3131 before driving up mountain routes.
Headlands along Rialto Beach and the Ozette loop are impassable at high water. Pick up a free tide chart at any visitor center before walking the coastline to avoid getting trapped by fast-changing surf. Watch the water constantly for sneaker waves that sweep over dry rocks without warning.
Campgrounds at Hoh, Kalaloch, Fairholme, Mora, Sol Duc, and Staircase require advance reservations through recreation.gov during peak season. Unreserved sites elsewhere operate on a first-come, first-served basis and fill fast on weekends. Backcountry hikers must also pay an $8 nightly fee per person plus a $6 permit charge.
No roads cross the 922,650-acre interior. Highway 101 circles the peninsula to connect major entrances, meaning long drives between the mountains and the coastal strips. Budget at least three days and consult the official mileage chart to realistically see the rainforest, beaches, and Hurricane Ridge.
A standard pass costs $30 per private vehicle, $25 for motorcycles, or $15 if you enter on foot or a bike. This covers you for seven consecutive days. You can also use a $55 annual park pass or the America the Beautiful interagency pass.
The park stays open 24 hours a day, year-round. But many facilities and high-elevation roads like Hurricane Ridge close or reduce hours from October through May because of snow and storms. The main Port Angeles visitor center runs daily from 9 am to 5 pm, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
No reservation or timed-entry ticket is required just to drive in. You will need to book ahead on recreation.gov if you plan to camp at popular summer spots like the Hoh or Kalaloch campgrounds. Backcountry camping also requires a wilderness permit, which costs $8 per night for adults plus a $6 reservation fee.
Plan for at least three days to see the mountains, rainforest, and coast. The park spans 922,651 acres without a single road crossing its interior, meaning you'll spend significant time driving between areas. A half-day trip from Port Angeles only leaves enough time for a quick look at Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent.
June through September gives you the most reliable access to roads and trails, along with daylight stretching from roughly 5 am to 10 pm. May and September offer similar conditions with noticeably fewer people. Avoid November through March unless you want heavy rain and frequent road closures.
Pets are banned on nearly all trails, inside public buildings, and in the wilderness. You can walk a leashed dog in drive-in campgrounds, picnic areas, and on dirt or paved roads. They are also allowed on a couple of specific paths, like the Madison Falls and Spruce Railroad trails.
No roads cross the park's interior. Highway 101 forms a ring around the Olympic Peninsula, and you have to use it to connect to the different entrance roads. About 95% of the park is roadless wilderness accessible only on foot.
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