Olympic National Park Statistics

Olympic National Park recorded 1,937,401 recreation visits from January to July 2026, 4.4% more than the 1,855,471 recorded over the same months of 2025.¹

• April 2026 drew 224,046 visits, up 30.7% from 171,452 in April 2025.¹
• June 2026 brought 411,366 visits, up 12.5% from 365,561 in June 2025.¹
• July 2026 was the busiest month so far, with 528,764 visits, 0.9% fewer than in July 2025.¹
• January (93,180 visits, down 6.4%) and February (110,792, down 4.4%) were below their 2025 totals, while March and May came within 1% of theirs.¹

Figures for August 2026 onward have not been released yet. The 2026 figures are preliminary; the National Park Service finalizes them by the end of the first quarter of the following year.¹

The Park Service counts vehicles, not people, on the roads into the park's main areas. In 2025, the counts were highest at:

• Hurricane Ridge: 158,070 vehicles passed the fee station, 16.2% more than in 2024.⁷
• Ruby Beach: 131,554 vehicles entered the parking area, up 20.7%.⁷
• Hoh Rain Forest: 176,566 vehicles in 2024, the latest full year. The 2025 count of 138,147 is incomplete, as no vehicles were recorded from January to April.⁷
• Sol Duc: 59,481 vehicles on Sol Duc Road.⁷
• Rialto Beach and Mora: 45,916 vehicles on the Mora entrance road.⁷
• Ozette: 40,134 vehicles at the Ozette ranger station.⁷

The Park Service's 2000 survey of summer visitors points the same way: the most visited spots were the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center (47% of visitor groups), the Hoh Rain Forest (44%), Lake Crescent (33%) and the main visitor center in Port Angeles (31%).⁸

Olympic is Washington's most visited national park by far. In 2025, it had more than twice as many recreation visits as Mount Rainier, and about two-thirds of all visits to the state's three national parks.²

• Olympic: 3,584,187 visits, 9th of the 63 U.S. national parks²
• Mount Rainier: 1,635,342 visits, 20th²
• North Cascades: 46,925 visits, 57th²

Olympic's western coast and valleys get 100 to 170 inches of rain a year, while the park headquarters in Port Angeles, on the drier east side, averages only 25 to 30 inches.¹² In the Hoh and Quinault rain forests, precipitation ranges from 140 to 167 inches (12 to 14 feet) a year.¹³

• Why the west is so wet: Storms from the Pacific drop most of their moisture as they rise over the Olympic Mountains, leaving the east side of the park in a rain shadow.¹²
• Snow: Hurricane Ridge traditionally records 30 to 35 feet of snow a year.¹²
• Rain forest temperatures: In the low rain forest valleys, the temperature seldom drops below freezing, and summer highs rarely exceed 80°F.¹³

Olympic National Park has 14 developed campgrounds.⁵ In 2025, tent campers made up about 29% of the park's 426,748 overnight stays, backcountry campers about 28% and RV campers about 20%.³

• Reservation campgrounds: Kalaloch (170 sites), Mora (94 sites), Fairholme (88 sites), Hoh Rain Forest (78 sites) and Staircase (49 sites) cost $24 a night and need a reservation in the summer season. Outside it, they are first-come, first-served.¹⁴
• First-come, first-served: Heart O' the Hills (97 sites) costs $24 a night; South Beach, Graves Creek, Ozette and North Fork cost $20; Queets and Deer Park cost $15.¹⁴
• Booking: Reservation sites can be booked on Recreation.gov up to six months ahead.¹⁴
• RVs: Most campgrounds have sites for RVs up to 21 feet, and a few up to 35 feet. Deer Park is tents only, and RVs and trailers are not allowed at Graves Creek. Full hookups are available at Log Cabin Resort and the Sol Duc Hot Springs RV Park.¹⁴
• Dump stations: Fairholme, Kalaloch and Mora have dump stations, at $10 per use.¹⁴
• Stay limits: You can camp up to 14 consecutive days a year in the park; at Kalaloch, Mora and Hoh, the limit is 7 days in the peak season.¹⁴
• Backpacking: Wilderness permits are required year-round and must be booked in advance, mostly on Recreation.gov. Permits for the summer season (May 15 to October 15) are released on April 15.¹⁵
• No roadside sleeping: Vehicle camping is allowed only in authorized campgrounds in the park.¹⁴

• Location: Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, about 45 miles west of Seattle.¹⁰
• Establishment: Created as Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909, it became a national park in 1938.¹⁰
• Size: Covers 922,651 acres, and 95% of the park is designated wilderness.⁵
• Coastline: 73 miles of wilderness coast, with tidepools, sea stacks and secluded beaches.⁵
• Glaciers: 32 named glaciers, mostly high in the Olympic Mountains.⁵
• Trails and roads: 660 miles of trail and 171 miles of road.⁵
• Wildlife: Roosevelt elk, black bears and mountain lions, among 56 mammal species, and around 300 bird species.⁵
• Ecosystems: Rugged coastline, glacier-capped mountains and temperate rain forests such as the Hoh, where 140 to 167 inches (12 to 14 feet) of rain and snow fall each year.¹³
• Hurricane Ridge: Sweeping mountain views, hiking trails and winter recreation.
• Lake Crescent: A glacially carved lake known for its clear water and mountain backdrop.
• Recreation: Hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking and wildlife watching.
• Lodging: Four lodges operate inside the park: Kalaloch Lodge, Lake Crescent Lodge, Log Cabin Resort and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.¹⁶

Deaths in Olympic National Park are rare for a park with about 3.6 million visits a year, but cold rivers and lakes and fast-changing weather call for care. Drowning is the most common recorded cause of death in the park, with 11 of the 60 deaths since 2007.¹⁷ Cellular access is spotty throughout the park, so don't count on your phone.¹⁸ A few precautions help keep you safe:

• Be ready for sudden weather changes: Dress in layers and bring waterproof gear.
• Stay on marked trails: It protects the ecosystem and keeps you from getting lost.
• Keep your distance from wildlife: Never approach or feed animals.
• Carry enough water: Also bring a way to purify it if needed.
• Bring a paper map and compass: GPS isn't always reliable.
• Plan for emergencies: Carry a basic first aid kit, know how to use it, and know where the nearest ranger station is.
• Take care near water and cliffs: River and lake currents can be strong, and cliff edges and unstable ground are best avoided.