2 Day Olympic National Park Itinerary

Olympic National Park is just three hours from Seattle, which makes it the perfect weekend trip! On my recent visit, I spent 2 days in Olympic. My favorite stops included Marymere Falls, Devils Punchbowl and the Hoh Rainforest – so I’m including those (and more!) in this 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary!

Since Olympic National Park is one of the most diverse ecosystems there is definitely something in this itinerary you will love! You can’t go wrong with the lush rainforests, rugged coastlines (some of the prettiest on the West Coast!), tidal pools or mountain views.

In this article:

• 2 Day Olympic National Park Itinerary + Downloadable Map
• Best Way To Get To Olympic National Park (Ferries & Route)
• Guided Day Trips To Olympic From Seattle
• Best Spots & Hikes In Olympic
• Where To Stay
• Best Time To Go & How Many Days
• Printable Packing List

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Best Way To Get To Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is located on a peninsula, so there’s no direct route from the mainland.

If you’re coming from north of Seattle to Olympic National Park the easiest way to get there is by ferry. But, if you’re coming from Tacoma, or south of Seattle, it’s faster to drive around Puget Sound.

Either way, you’ll want to rent a car for your trip to Olympic National Park because there are no good public transportation options to or within the park.

TIP: I recommend booking your rental car with Discover Cars. They search across the major rental companies to find the best rate and let you cancel for free up to 48 hours before pickup, so you can grab a good rate now without stressing if your plans change.

Ferry From Seattle To Olympic National Park

There are four ferry’s from Seattle to Olympic National Park. Each takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour to cross the water.

The ferry costs roughly $15 per vehicle (including the driver), and $10 per additional passenger.

Once you unload the ferry, it’s a 1.5 hour drive from Kingston to Olympic National Park, just under 2 hours from Bainbridge and Bremerton, and 2.5 hours from Fauntleroy.

TIP: I recommend buying ferry tickets in advance so you can reserve a spot, especially during busy weekends when the ferry sells out. Be sure to arrive early because traffic can get backed up.

Driving From Seattle To Olympic National Park

Because the SeaTac airport is south of Seattle, it’s easier to drive around the peninsula to get to Olympic National Park if you’re starting from the airport.

Day Trips To Olympic From Seattle

If you’re looking to see the highlights but don’t want the hassle of driving, I recommend booking a day trip from Seattle to Olympic National Park.

I love booking group tours because they’re an easy way to see a new place, you don’t have to plan as much, and it’s a great way to meet new friends!

There are several variations of day tours to Olympic from Seattle:

• Olympic highlights (Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls) – hotel pickup and ferry included
• Twilight Fans: Includes Cullen House, Bella’s work place, Forks, & Lake Crescent
• Half-day guided tour of Olympic National Park – departs from Port Angeles

Even if you choose to explore on your own, I highly recommend this self-guided driving tour for your trip. It’s affordable (around $20) and can be downloaded to your phone so it auto-plays as you pass noteworthy sights in Olympic National Park.

2 Day Olympic National Park Itinerary At A Glance

I visited Olympic National Park in 2 days and it was the perfect amount of time to explore the highlights.

This is my ideal 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary:

Map Of 2 Day Olympic National Park Itinerary

Use the map below for your 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary planning!

Day 1: Olympic National park Itinerary

Get an early start to your first day in Olympic National Park! The park is really spread out, and there aren’t direct roads through the park so expect a lot of driving time between sights.

On day one you’ll head all the way to the coast, see Hoh Rainforest and Rialto beach, and then head back towards Port Angeles (where there are lots of places to stay near Olympic National Park) to position yourself perfect for day two.

1. Hoh Rainforest

Seattle to Hoh Rainforest: 4.5 hours
Port Angeles to Hoh Rainforest: 2 hours

The Hoh Rainforest is one of the most iconic spots in Olympic National Park. It’s full of lush forests with great hiking trails through moss covered trees that provide a nice shade, even on hot summer days.

Start your day with an easy hike along Hall of Mosses Trail (0.8 miles). It’s a short loop through the rainforest with moss-draped trees and lush ferns. There are also tons of species of mushrooms to spot along this hike.

You’ll also want to hike Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles), which is a slightly longer loop that offers views of the Hoh River and dense undergrowth.

NOTE: Both of these trails share a parking area, so it’s convenient to hike them both at the same time. The parking lot is very small so if you’re arriving later in the day you may need to circle a few times to find an open spot. Luckily, the trails here are short, so cars are leaving frequently.

2. Rialto Beach

Hoh Rainforest to Rialto Beach: 1.5 hours

Next, head out towards the coast to see the rugged shoreline. If you have some extra time, I recommend a short detour (20-minutes each way) to Ruby Beach and Kalaloch Beach.

Ruby Beach and Kalaloch Beach are great areas to spot a variety of bird species, like Bald Eagles and puffins, that nest along these protected coast lines.

There are also some fantastic tidal pools to explore at low tide where you’re likely to find sea stars and anemones.

After, head to Rialto Beach – one of my favorite spots in Olympic National Park! This is a great place to have a picnic lunch. It’s also a popular spot for locals and you can sit and watch the surfers.

If you’re up for a bit of a hike (4-miles roundtrip) head to Hole-in-the-wall from Rialto Beach. This is another great place for tidepooling, and there are lots of interesting sea creatures here, like urchins and starfish.

TIP: This hike follows the beach, so it’s best to do during low tide.

3. Forks

Rialto Beach to Forks: 20 minutes

After exploring Rialto Beach head into Forks.

If you’re a fan of the Twilight series you’re in for a treat- the town really leans into the vampire/werewolf theme. You can visit the Swan House, or check out the “Twilight” display at the Visitors Center, complete with Bella’s truck and other memorabilia.

Have dinner in town before driving back to Port Angeles for the night. Pacific Pizza is a great local pizza place, and they also serve pasta and salad. Or, if you’d prefer burgers, steaks and seafood head to Blakeslee’s Bar and Grill.

4. Madison Falls

If you still have daylight on your way back to Port Angeles take a quick detour to Madison Falls.

It’s about an hour from Forks, and adds 10-minutes to your total drive time back to Port Angeles.

Madison Falls is an easy 0.2 mile hike that ends at a waterfall you can walk right up to! Dogs are also allowed on this trail.

5. Port Angeles

Forks to Port Angeles: 1 hour 15 minutes

After your first day in Olympic National Park, head to Port Angeles for the night.

Port Angeles has several great places to stay near Olympic National Park, like Olympic Railway Inn (where you can stay in a refurbished train car), Olympic Inn & Suites (a good budget-friendly option) or the Red Lion Hotel (with full amenities, and on the water).

I recommend staying in or nearby Port Angeles for your entire 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary because it’s conveniently located to most of the best sights and hikes in Olympic, and it has a variety of hotel and vacation rental options.

Day 2: Olympic National park Itinerary

Day 2 in Olympic National Park is a good one! It’s all about alpine meadows and waterfalls.

The itinerary for this day has some of my favorite hikes in the park, including Marymere Falls and Lake Crescent!

1. Sol Duc

Port Angeles to Sol Duc Falls: 1 hour

First up, head all the way in to Sol Duc. There are two primary attractions in this area of the park: Sol Duc Falls and Sol Duc Hot Springs.

TIP: This area can get busy later in the day so arriving early will help you beat the crowds.

Sol Duc Falls Hike (1.6 miles roundtrip) is a short, easy hike in Olympic National Park to a beautiful, cascading waterfall.

The trail is well maintained, and it should take around an hour to hike the full trail.

Sol Duc Hot Springs is a popular stop in Olympic National Park. There are three mineral hot spring soaking pools and one freshwater pool you can relax in.

Adult rates start at $18 for a 1.5 hour soak.

NOTE: Sol Duc Hot Springs is open seasonally from late March – late October.

TIP: Hot spring passes are only available in-person on a first-come, first-serve basis, so I recommend stopping here before your hike to get your passes for the day.

2. Lake Crescent

Sol Duc to Lake Crescent (Devil’s Punchbowl): 1 hour

Next, head back towards Lake Crescent.

This was one of my favorite areas in Olympic National Park! There’s an easy, paved walking path along Spruce Railroad Trail that follows the lake and will take you to Devil’s Punchbowl – a fun place to go for a swim in the deep blue water.

TIP: Devil’s Punchbowl is so deep that you can jump off the bridge into the water! There are easy rocks along the shoreline to get in and out of the water, too.

NOTE: This path is also pet-friendly! I usually travel with my dog, and he really enjoyed this hike, too.

3. Marymere Falls

Devil’s Punchbowl to Marymere Falls: 20 minutes

On the other side of Lake Crescent is Marymere Falls. Most of the iconic photos you’ve seen from Olympic National Park are likely from this trail.

It’s an easy 1.7 mile out-and-back hike that follows a creek and takes you through lush rainforest before arriving at Marymere Falls.

One of the first sights you’ll come to on this trail is the moss covered tree (below) that’s insta-famous. Pictures don’t do this tree justice, it’s truly more beautiful in person!

This trail is really well maintained and doesn’t have many steep sections. There are a few switchbacks towards the base of the waterfalls, but they’re extremely manageable (I even saw people hiking this trail in flip flops!)

In total, it takes around an hour to hike, and the path is entirely shaded from the old growth forest, so it’s nice even in hotter temperatures.

4. Mount Storm King

If you’re up for a difficult hike, consider Mount Storm King, which branches off from the Marymere Falls trail.

It’s one of the more famous hikes in Olympic National Park. Or maybe a better word is infamous.

Even though it’s only 4.1 miles out-and-back, it has over 2,000 feet of elevation gain! For reference, the Grand Canyon is about 5,000 feet from the rim to the canyon floor.

This trail is incredibly steep and there are many sections where you’re scrambling to climb up rocks. The last quarter mile is so steep there are ropes installed to help you climb.

The most important thing to know about this trail is that you won’t have a view until you reach the summit. However, the views are truly stunning once you get to the peak.

Plan for a minimum for 2.5 hours for this hike.

NOTE: The grade on this trail is consistently 20-30% with some sections exceeding 50%. I usually say most trails are accessible to almost everyone if you go at your own pace. However, this is one trail I highly recommend you research ahead of time, and don’t push your limits.

5. Hurricane Ridge

Lake Crescent to Hurricane Ridge: 1 hour

Finally, head up to Hurricane Ridge. This is a great place to spend the afternoon hiking, and to watch the sunset in the evening.

There are a few hikes in this area: Hurricane Hill Trail, Sunrise Point and Klahhane Ridge. They’re all fantastic hikes.

Hurricane Hill Trail is 3.2 miles and takes about 2 hours to hike. From the summit you have 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains, but you don’t have to wait until the summit to enjoy the views. This is one of the best hikes in Olympic National Park!

TIP: If you cannot find parking at Hurricane Hill Parking head back towards the Visitors Center. It’ll add a few miles to your hike but you’re more likely to snag a spot there.

Sunrise Point is an easy hike in Olympic National Park that departs from the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center and is just 0.9 miles. For an easy hike, this trail offers some incredible views and you don’t have to work very hard for them! In total, it takes around 30 minutes to complete.

If you’re for a harder hike you can continue on the trail along Klahhane Ridge towards Mount Angeles summit. This trail is 5.6 miles and has almost 2,200 feet of elevation gain so it’s rated as hard.

NOTE: There’s a bit of scrambling required to reach the Mt Angeles summit and the trail can be harder to follow towards the end. I recommend downloading the trail guide on AllTrails to help with route navigation.

TIP: I highly recommend trekking poles for Mount Angeles due to how steep the final section is.

Where To Stay When Visiting Olympic National Park

Olympic is a bit different than most National Parks because it has a lot of great hotel options that are close to the park, without actually being inside the park.

For this reason, you can choose to stay at one of the official in-park options, or find an equally convenient option just outside of the park at a more affordable rate.

Personally, I think Port Angeles is the best place to stay when visiting Olympic National Park because it’s close to most of the attractions (like Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge), tends to have better pricing and more options than inside the park, and there are lots of restaurants and shops within walking distance.

The best places to stay in Port Angeles include:

• Olympic Railway Inn – a unique experience in a refurbished train car
• Olympic Inn & Suites – a good budget-friendly option
• Red Lion Hotel – right on the water with full amenities

There are also some great vacation rentals in Port Angeles, like this cozy Tree House (sleeps 2), tiny house on the river (sleeps 4), or this waterfront cabin (sleeps 5).

Lodging in Olympic National Park includes:

• Lake Crescent Lodge
• Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort
• Kalaloch Lodge
• Log Cabin Resort

Lake Crescent Lodge is the most conveniently located for this 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary, and is central to most of the best spots in the park.

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is the next best option, but can be a bit pricy and sold out many months in advance.

There are also many campgrounds in Olympic National Park. About half are first-come, first-serve, and the other half accept reservations.

The Best Hikes In Olympic National Park

There’s a huge variety of hikes in Olympic National Park – from beaches, to rainforests and mountains.

Whether you’re looking for an easy hike, or a more challenging one, there’s definitely something for every hiker in Olympic.

Best Time To Visit Olympic National Park

The best time to visit Olympic National Park is between March and November. Specifically, I think August and September are the best months to visit Olympic because the weather is dreamy.

There are plenty of microclimates in Olympic, and with the elevation in the mountains you can escape the summer heat in Seattle.

In fact, the first time I visited Olympic National Park was in August while there was a heat wave plaguing Seattle.

Living in a campervan and traveling full-time can be brutal when temperatures exceed 90°F. So I headed to the coast and enjoyed some 70°F days while exploring Olympic National Park.

Winter is another popular time to visit Olympic National Park, but some of the higher elevations in the park (like Hurricane Ridge) are closed on weekdays or occasionally closed completely due to weather. You can check current closures here.

Additionally, ranger programs and visitors centers tend to operate on decreased hours during the winter off-season. Even so, Olympic National Park still lands on my top 10 best National Parks to visit in winter list.

Packing Guide For Olympic National Park

Packing for Olympic National Park can be a bit of a challenge due to its diverse environments and range of weather year-round. 

The key is to be prepared for a range of conditions, including rain, cooler temperatures, and varying levels of activity.

Even in summer, you should expect rain, so waterproof and moisture-wicking clothing is crucial. I recommend packing clothing items that dry quickly in case you’re caught in a rainstorm.

How Many Days In Olympic National Park

Two days in Olympic National Park is an ideal amount of time to see the best this park has to offer. You can visit Hoh Rain Forest, Rialto Beach, Forks, Hurricane Ridge, Sol Duc and Lake Crescent with a 2 day Olympic National Park itinerary.

If you have 3 or more days in Olympic National Park, consider adding on sights like Hole-In-The-Wall, Second Beach, and Storm King.

Tips For Visiting Olympic National Park

These are a few things to keep in mind for your trip to Olympic National Park!

Weather: Olympic National Park has diverse microclimates – pack layers for rain, sun, and cooler temperatures in the mountains.

Tide Schedules: Check the tide charts for coastal hikes to ensure safety and plan the best times for tidepooling.

Bear Safety: Keep an eye out for wildlife, including black bears, and properly store food and scented items.

Entrance Fees: The park costs $30 per vehicle to enter, good for up to 7 days. Alternatively, you can use the America The Beautiful Park Pass, which is $80 and grants you access to all National Parks for free for 12 months from your date of purchase.