As a national park in 1938 and inscribed in 1981 on UNESCO World Heritage, Olympic National Park is the main tourist interest centre in the Olympic Peninsula. With its icy lakes, waterfalls, primary forests and snow covered summits, it is unique for its aesthetic qualities and ecological importance. With an area of 2 250 km ², it protects three of the few temperate rainforests in the world. While its eastern part belongs to the very dry regions of the western coast, the valleys west are lined with rainforests - a veritable tropical jungle with lush, lush vegetation - and reach the deserted beaches of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the few still wild ecosystems in the United States, because virgin of all human activity.GeographyThe rain forest of Olympic. The three rainforests are the jewel of Olympic National Park. Only virgin forests of this type in the United States, their thick wild vegetation covers the three valleys of the western slope of the park (H, Queets and Quinault). The conifer botanical reserves are dominated by the imposing stature of giant redwoods, Canada's fir and Sitka fir, pushing on feeder logs. The highest of these trees exceeds the 90   m, the oldest 600 years, the largest 7   m in diameter. These giants prosper here better than anywhere else, thanks to the large annual rainfall (3,60   m). Large leaf maple, red alder, carciné maple, and balsam poplar from the West are the other major species. The trees are covered with ferns, lichens and mosses (70 types) which are hanging over branches, giving this forest the appearance of a jungle with lush vegetation. On the ground, the thick humus of 50   cm muffled the steps. In this universe, the wind is hard to impose, like the sun or the rain, filtered into a kind of green drizzle. In the heart of the forest, some trails have been built.A mountain chain. At the heart of the park is the Olympic Mountains. Their geological composition is a curious mixture of oceanic basaltic and sedimentary rock. The western part is dominated by the summit of Mont Olympus (2   428   m), flanked by seven glaciers, the thickness of which reaches several metres. The most important is the H glacier, which is nearly 5 km long. Hurricane Ridge is a well-known mountain scenic road, which leaves the Port Angeles administrative centre to stop at about 2   060 m, with a breathtaking view. From here, mountains stretch far south, in a series of snow-capped summits crossed by glacial valleys.A coastal strip on the Pacific Ocean. The coastal part of the park is a beautiful sandy beach bordered by the forest. Along these beaches, because of the endless sea wind that blows permanently, the trees are almost paper. As well as walking, you will discover all around you some artistically shaped pieces of wood, as well as gently polished stones. Almost unchanged for thousands of years, this coast is only disturbed by the abrasion of the storms. Previously, the first Indian villages had settled there. A long 117   km on a few kilometres of wide, it is inhabited by Indian communities. A wild coast with a variety of colours, colours, and shapes, which you can enjoy on foot.GeologyThe Olympic Mountains were born on the bottom of the seas. Sedimentary rocks and basalt that make up the bulk of these summits were caused by erosion at sea level, 18 to 57 million years ago, then raised, bent, folded and eroded in the rugged peaks that you can observe at present.HistoryFor thousands of years, the coast over its entire length and the peninsula was occupied by Amerindians. It is the sea and the rivers that they derive their livelihood, also feeding berries, roots and mammals. To build houses and canoes, they used mainly cedar, the bark of which was also used in clothing and baskets. In 1592, the first European, Juan de Fuca, visited these shores. Reliable and documented information about European penetration is only available from 1774, where there is a certain Juan Perez sailing along the coast. It was the English master John Meares who, in 1788, named the highest peaks of the mountain range of the name of Olympus (called El Cerro de la Santa Rosalia by the Spanish explorers), by reference to the legendary stay of the gods of Greek mythology. And it was Lieutenant Joseph P.O'Neil who, the first, opened the interior of the peninsula in 1885. Five years later, a movement was created which claimed a national park status for part of the peninsula. However, it was still waiting for nineteen years to see the creation of the Olympic National Monument. And, in 1938, President Franklin D. Roosvevelt declared this territory national park. The coastal band was added to the park in 1953. Finally, in 1988, the decision was made to leave 95   % of the park in the wild. As a biosphere Reserve in 1976 - notably thanks to the presence of the three virgin forests, Olympic National Park has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981.ClimateAmong the originalités of this park, we must cite its climate. On the west coast, it is the most wet in the United States, with over 3,60 m of annual precipitation. On the east coast it is semi-arid. Indeed, the constant and very wet breeze from the Pacific Ocean brings a lot of rain to the slopes west of the mountains and huge snowfall on the summits. What gives us a mild but moist and windy spring, with the elevation of snow showers; a summer that can be very hot, pleasant or mild (July, August and September are the driest months); a fresh and humid autumn, with the onset of snow storms on heights; a low-altitude wet winter and spectacular snowfall. In short, a variable time that requires a luxury of clothing precautions.NatureWith the melting of snow, the first readings hatch and, during the next three months, splendid flowers appear after the other. Indeed, the park has an astonishing variety of plants. More than 1   450 types of vascular plants develop on the peninsula. The diversity of the park's ecosystems are as many shelters for a wide variety of animal and plant species as possible. Among the native and endemic species, you will notice northern spotted owls, ringed murres or flat-headed char, some 300 species of birds, including the peregrine falcon, shorebirds or the heather blue rooster (blue grouse), commonly encountered in the mountain meadows, but also the varied thrush, the mignon, the pic, the @ @, the great @, the great pic, the great @, the great @, the great @, the great @, the big pic. crow…From autumn to spring, rain forests are inhabited by amérique deer (also elk), rare species whose local herd of 6   000 heads is the largest in the world. In addition to deer, some 50 types of wild mammals inhabit the park, from black-tailed deer to the Rocky Mountain goat, which climbs the walls overhanging the road, and to the Marmot Olympic, also known as siffleuse marmot. The coastal border has a very different wildlife. From Kalaloch, a dozen small tracks lead to the white sand beach where bears and farfouillent racoons in search of shellfish and crustaceans deposited in abundance by the tide. From here, we can also follow, in coastal waters or on the rocks, the frolics of seals, sea lions, calves and sea otters reintroduced since 1969. Twice a year, more than 20   000 grey whales pass to less than 1,9   mile of the coast during seasonal migrations. 29 species of marine mammals were identified in the waters forming part of the Olympic Coast's marine sanctuary. These shores are also one of the main migratory routes for seabirds (140 varieties). Thousands of them nest, for a time, on the green islands before leaving for other destinations. Ponds, lakes, rivers, and rain forests are also the refuge of several amphibian species, frogs, toads, salamanders, and not to mention quarantine species. The cold and marine climate are not very favourable to lizards and snakes, the few rare specimens present are not venomous.To observe typical species of the park, counsel  : arriving by the north of the park, from the US -101 national. A well-established route starts from the main information centre in Port Angeles and moves south to Hurricane Ridge Visitor's Center, at close to 1   300   m elevation. It is better to do this visit in summer early in the morning.

What to visit Olympic National Park?

Weather at the moment

Loading...
Organize your trip with our partners Olympic National Park
Transportation
Accommodation & stays
Services / On site

Olympic National Park travel inspiration

Find unique Stay Offers with our Partners

Pictures and images Olympic National Park

Skyline of Seattle. davelogan - iStockphoto.com
Grizzli. Stéphan SZEREMETA
Seattle Skyline and Mount Rainier at Sunset on a clear summer day. ferrantraite
Send a reply