How To Avoid The Crowds In Olympic National Park


We recently went on a family trip to Olympic National Park and it was absolutely magical. I am eager to talk about all the gorgeous trails we hiked! 

But first, I want to share why it was so worth it to go in the off season, because this is a big part of why our vacation was a success. 

I planned our visit for the last week of February.  Yes, this is the rainy season. And yes, we did get rained on, but that was part of the fun. Most of all, it meant we avoided the crowds.

Olympic is HUGE with many roads that don't intersect. There is no way you can see all or even most of the park in just three days. But it was perfect for us because ... 

1. Trying to see it all on any vacation is exhausting. 

We wanted to take our time with each destination within the park. Keep in mind that to see multiple sights involves a lot of driving. 

Don't overestimate how much you can get to each day regardless of how many days you have or the time of year. 

I recommend choosing a handful of places you would love to see and take your time. If you try to visit as many destinations as possible, you will be doing a lot more driving than being in nature.

We have three children ages six and under. So, it wasn't possible for us to see everything anyway. We prioritized shorter trails and let them play along the way.

2. We avoided the crowds

I had considered going planning our vacation for summer until I read stories involving long lines of cars waiting for over an hour to park. 

The only way to get some solitude on a trail is to wake up early and get to your destination before 7:30. Even then, you'll have to share the trails and roads with tons of people on your way back and on other trails throughout the day. 

My idea of a nature vacation does not involve hanging out with tons of strangers at each site. 

Visiting on weekdays in February was perfect because we had almost every trail to ourselves, and we rarely saw other hikers! 

3. Travel is cheaper in the off season

Our Airbnb cost $130 a night after taxes and fees. Whereas renting the exact same place during peak season would cost $290 per night.

Flights and rental cars tend to be cheaper in winter too. We flew into Seattle for $50 a person and rented a full-size SUV for $400 a week. 

Gas prices are higher everywhere in the summer too. We did so much driving on this trip, I don't want to think about how much we would have paid for gas alone if we had gone in June-August instead.   

4. It's so beautiful! 

I live in Utah with my family which is the second driest state in the US. Coming from a desert in February may have contributed to my perception that Olympic is still so green in late winter. But after comparing my photos to summer photos online, I don't regret going in winter one bit. 

I wouldn't mind coming back for a weeklong visit and doing even more hiking trails when my kids are older. This time, though, we got our fill. 

Now to the REALLY fun part. Here's everything we did in Olympic in just three days:


1. Madison Falls

0.2 mile Out-and-back, Easy

This is hardly a hike, but it's beautiful and worth the stop. My kids love waterfall hikes even when it is challenging, but the ease of this trail was exciting to them. 

Madison Falls trailhead is a short drive from Port Angeles and features large, mossy trees and a flat walk to a 60 foot cascade.

We stopped here in late morning on a sunny weekday, and despite the easy access, we had the place to ourselves. 

We enjoyed some cookies in the soft sunlight near some picnic tables before setting off on our next hike.


2. Elwha River Valley

We left our car near Madison Falls and walked up the road half a mile to set out on the Bypass Trail. This path connects to Elwha Forest Loop and Cascade Rock, which are longer trails. My husband and I relished this mountain trail even though the kids kept asking when it was going to be over. 

There were great views of the stark blue river downhill. I thought the moss-draped trees were lovely and could only imagine how much cooler Hoh Rainforest would be. 

It was so hard to turn around when we wanted to experience every inch of every trail, but we know our kids' limits. Even the hike along the road is stunning for us desert-dwellers. Of course, I had walked among such tall evergreen trees before, but young kids hadn't.

That's the beauty of traveling with kids. So many things look new when you share in their first experiences.  


3. Crescent Lake

We visited on a clear day in late February, and it was gorgeous! Lake Crescent was carved by glaciers over thousands of years. The water contains very little nitrogen which limits algae growth. That's why the water is so clear, you can see as far down as 60 feet on a sunny day.

We stopped at Storm King Ranger Station to play by and even in the chilly water and enjoy the views. We came on a weekday in early afternoon, so we were the only people there.

It would be lovely to kayak here especially in the off-season if the weather is as good as we had. We saw no boats at all during our late winter visit. 

If I could change anything about our trip, I would add one more day so we could have had time to go to East Beach for a few hours. I've heard it's even prettier than the views near the ranger station and less crowded. I would pack a picnic lunch, let my kids play for hours, I'd even and brave a cold plunge in the sapphire water. 


4. Marymere Falls

1.8 mile Out-and-back, Easy

This lovely little trail starts at the Storm King Ranger Station, 18 miles from Port Angeles, and leads to a 90-foot waterfall. 

The trail is mostly flat with a couple foot bridges. There is a brief ascent up steps at the end with little elevation gain, but not much. 

Even in late February this trail is lush with moss covered trees and ferns covering the forest floor. The soft winter light filtering through the dense overgrowth made me feel like I was walking in a fairytale! 

My whole family liked the waterfall, but my baby seemed mesmerized. Any way I turned as I was holding him, he would twist to see the cascade as it came crashing down the cliff. The older kids were more focused on climbing the stairs, roots, fallen trees, and splashing in the mud. I just felt so happy to be there!



5. Second Beach

1.4 mile Out-and-back, Easy

I chose this beach because I thought it would be a little more secluded than others. Ruby Beach is supposed to be really cool, but it has easier access from the parking lot which makes it popular and busier throughout the year.

Still, it didn't take long to get to the beach where there are sea stacks and tons of tidepools. Of course, my kids immediately started building sandcastles. My husband and I took turns sprinting along the shore and while the other watched the baby experience a sandy beach for his first time. 

There were a few other people when we arrived, but they didn't stay long. After playing for half an hour, rain came crashing down on us and our neighbors promptly left. It was cold, but we were dressed for the weather. Honestly, the downpour added to the fun. Besides, it didn't last long. 

We took our time, exploring the tidepools, eating snacks, and simply existing in bliss. 

The hike back may be my favorite hiking experience with my kids so far. We played games along the way, and they were just so funny and cute as ever!



6. Hall of Mosses 

0.8 Loop, Easy

The drive to Hoh Rainforest by itself is worth it. This temperate rainforest seems straight out of a storybook! It rained on us the whole time we were on the trail, but we had a great time.

Because of the rain, we once again mostly had the trail to ourselves. It was delightfully quiet.

Hall of Mosses is a fitting name; this place is otherworldly and absolutely gorgeous. Photos do not do it justice. This is the kind of place you need to walk through for yourself. 

There are a few other trails here too such as the Spruce Nature Trail. You can hike part of the 35-mile Hoh River Trail as well. 

And then there's Land of Legends trail a few miles up the road. You can hike this 2-mile easy-to-moderate loop on your way to or from Hall of Mosses. 


7. Dungeness Beach

1.0-mile Out-and-back, easy


Dungeness Beach is not in Olympic National Park, but it was so cool to play here that I wanted to include in this post. The beach is a short drive from Port Angeles 

We came on a Thursday morning and walked down the easy 0.5-mile paved path to a chilly beach with a view of snowy mountains in the distance 

My six-year-old took his shoes off and waded with me in the cold water. There are tons of huge logs to climb on and a rainbow myriad of rocks and shells to collect. You are supposed to leave everything there for other visitors to enjoy. So, I took a photo of my little collection and scattered it all over the beach for someone else to find. 

And, no kidding, the beach was empty aside from us. There is something really cool about enjoying a beautiful place in privacy. 


KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Road Closures: Sol Duc Road and the road to Hurricane Ridge are closed each winter due to snow and dangerous conditions. They typically close in early November and reopen near the end of March or later. 

So, yes, not everything is accessible in winter but there is still plenty to do. And unless you have a whole week just for Olympic, you won't get to do all the trails. 

Don't let the possibility of wet or cold weather deter you from coming in the off season. Avoiding the hordes of tourists is absolutely worth it!

If you found this post helpful, be sure to check out some of my other posts! 



 Hi, I'm Kaitlyn and I'm so glad you're here. Get to know me and more about my blog

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