Olympic National Park in 3 days

Rainforest, glacier peaks and wild Pacific beaches in one enormous park. Best time to visit: June to September. Average daily budget: $120-220.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Port Angeles, The main gateway and best base for Hurricane Ridge, with the most lodging and food options.

Morning: Hurricane Ridge. A 17-mile climb from Port Angeles to alpine meadows with marmots and views into the Olympic spine.

Afternoon: Explore Port Angeles, The main gateway and best base for Hurricane Ridge, with the most lodging and food options.

Evening: Hoh Rainforest Hall of Mosses. A short loop through one of the world's only temperate rainforests, dripping in club moss.

Eat: Fresh Dungeness crab and salmon in Port Angeles

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Forks, The west-side hub for the Hoh Rainforest and La Push beaches, small but functional.

Morning: Mount Storm King. A steep, rope-assisted climb over Lake Crescent with the park's best photo op.

Afternoon: Explore Forks, The west-side hub for the Hoh Rainforest and La Push beaches, small but functional.

Evening: Rialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall. Sea stacks, tide pools and driftwood giants; time it for low tide and sunset.

Eat: A burger and a shake in Forks, yes, the Twilight town

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Lake Crescent, Glacial-blue lake with a historic lodge, kayaking and the Mount Storm King trail.

Morning: Sol Duc Falls. An easy forest walk to a three-channeled waterfall, with hot springs nearby.

Afternoon: Explore Lake Crescent, Glacial-blue lake with a historic lodge, kayaking and the Mount Storm King trail.

Evening: Ruby Beach at low tide, the most photogenic of the sea stack beaches. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Picnic supplies from a local bakery for beach sunsets

Hidden gems

Ruby Beach at low tide, the most photogenic of the sea stack beaches
Marymere Falls from the Lake Crescent lodge, an easy 90-foot cascade
The Spruce Railroad Trail along Lake Crescent to the Devil's Punchbowl swim spot
Shi Shi Beach for those willing to hike 8.8 miles round trip to the wild coast's crown jewel

Getting around

A car is mandatory. Highway 101 loops the park and all trailheads branch off it. Port Angeles to the Hoh Rainforest is about 2 hours, and the Hoh to Rialto Beach another hour. Seattle to Port Angeles is 2.5 hours including the optional Bainbridge ferry. Gas up before the western side, where stations are sparse.

Safety

Cell service is nearly nonexistent inside the park. Carry paper maps, tell someone your plan, and never turn your back on the ocean: sneaker waves and driftwood logs injure people every year. Check tide tables before coastal hikes, store food from bears, and drive slowly at dawn and dusk for elk.

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