How Many Visitor Centers Are in Olympic National Park?

Many of the larger national parks have multiple visitor centers to provide several contact points for guests to get information.

For example, Yellowstone National Park has six visitor centers within its 2.2 million acres. Big Bend National Park has five visitor centers within its 801,000 acres.

So, how many Olympic National Park visitor centers are there? As the 13th largest national park in the country, you’ll be happy to know there’s more than one. Let’s dive in and learn more!

Where Is Olympic National Park?

Olympic National Park is one of Washington’s three national parks. The state also has several historic trails, historic sites, and historical parks.

Olympic is near Port Angeles and covers much of the Olympic Peninsula. It sits in the state’s northwestern corner, while North Cascades National Park is northeast of Olympic and Mount Ranier National Park is southeast. Highway 101 circles Olympic National Park.

Pro Tip: You’ll want to know What Wildlife Is in Olympic National Park if you love spotting local animals!

How Big Is Olympic National Park?

This northwestern Washington park covers almost one million acres and over 70 miles of wild coastline. About 366,000 acres are old-growth forests, and 95% of the park is designated wilderness. There are over 600 miles of trails and 3,000 miles of rivers and streams.

What Is Olympic National Park Known For?

Olympic National Park is known for its diversity. The park protects over 1,200 native plant taxa, at least 16 kinds of endemic animals and eight kinds of endemic plants, 20 reptile and amphibian species, 37 native fish species, 300 bird species, 56 mammal species, and 22 species listed as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

The ecosystems here are varied and abundant from glacier-capped mountains to temperate rain forests to the Pacific coastline. Because of the incredible range of precipitation and elevation at Olympic National Park, this region is one of the most diverse national parks in the U.S.

How Much Does It Cost To Visit Olympic National Park?

All visitors must have an entrance pass to Olympic National Park. A private vehicle pass is $30, valid for seven days, and good for everyone in the car.

For guests planning to visit the park several times during the year, it makes sense to purchase the annual pass, which is $55. It’s good for 365 days from purchase and can be bought at the Olympic National Park visitor centers and entrance stations.

Interagency passes are also accepted here. You can purchase the America the Beautiful pass for $80, which covers entrance fees at lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

There are also senior passes, military passes, 4th grader passes, and access passes you may qualify for.

How Many Olympic National Park Visitor Centers Are There?

Although Olympic National Park is the 13th largest in the country, there are only three visitor centers. There are also several ranger stations where you can get information during summer.

Let’s look at each of the three Olympic National Park visitor centers so you know what to expect when you visit.

Pro Tip: Ranked: These Are the Best National Parks in the USA!

Olympic National Park Visitor Center

Address: 3002 Mount Angeles Road, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Things To Do: At the primary Olympic National Park Visitor Center, you can purchase or rent bear canisters while camping within the park’s boundaries. There’s also a gift shop, exhibits, and restrooms.

This is the ideal place to start your adventure because you’ll find maps and rangers available to help you make the most of your visit to Olympic. There is RV parking available.

Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center

Address: 18113 Upper Hoh Road, Forks, WA 98331

Things To Do: The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is about two hours from the main visitor center in Port Angeles. You’ll follow Highway 101 past Forks and then turn onto Upper Hoh Road when you reach the rainforest area of the park.

During the summer, you can get advice from rangers, pick up maps, enjoy a picnic, and browse the educational exhibits. There are restrooms and RV parking available.

Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center

Address: Hurricane Ridge Road, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Things To Do: Although this visitor center used to be a place to grab a bite to eat, purchase gifts and souvenirs, and get information about the park, it’s now closed.

The building burned down on May 7, 2023. The area along Hurricane Ridge Road is currently closed. You’ll want to contact the park for any updated information.

How Many Olympic National Park Ranger Stations Are There?

Kalaloch Ranger Station is open daily during the summer. It’s situated along U.S. 101 on the western side of the national park at the Washington coastline. The Mora Ranger Station is about two miles from Rialto Beach and is open intermittently during the summer only. It’s also on the western side of Olympic National Park but north of the Kalaloch Ranger Station.

The Ozette Ranger Station is only open intermittently during the summer as well. It’s situated just south of Point of Arches State Park on the northwest coastline of Washington. The Quinault Rain Forest Ranger Station sits along an unpaved road just off Quinault North Shore Road in the southern part of the park near Lake Quinault.

The Sol Duc-Eagle Ranger Station is unstaffed. It’s near the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. The Staircase Ranger Station is adjacent to the Staircase Campground in the southeastern part of Olympic National Park. Finally, the Storm King Ranger Station sits on the banks of Lake Crescent in the north-central part of the park. It’s the closest ranger station to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center.

When Are the Olympic National Park Visitor Centers Open?

The Olympic National Park Visitor Center is open every day from 9 AM to 4 PM year-round. It’s only closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is only open during the summer and intermittently during the winter. As mentioned earlier, the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is currently closed.

No ranger stations are open year-round. Most of them operate only during the summer months.

Check Out the Olympic National Park Visitor Centers To Learn More About This Washington Park

Olympic National Park welcomes two to three million people annually since 1972. It’s a popular park for good reason. There’s so much diversity here, from golden eagles to Roosevelt elk to sea lions to sockeye salmon.

The wildlife is abundant, and you’ll find breathtaking scenery stretching from the glaciers to the rainforests to the coastline. It’s a place of indescribable beauty and vast wilderness.

So the next time you head to the Pacific Northwest, don’t skip out on this national park. Head to one of the Olympic National Park visitor centers to learn about what you can experience in its almost one million acres. You’ll definitely need a few days to explore!

Have you ever visited Olympic National Park? What’s your favorite location within this national treasure?