Olympic National Park Backpacking and Thru-Hiking Adventures

Olympic National Park is located a surprisingly short distance from Seattle. It is a quick ferry ride across Puget Sound or a 1.5-hour drive to Highway 101, and that’s just where the fun starts. The famously dense rainforest and snowy peaks are not easy to reach. It takes at least six hours to circumnavigate the Olympic Peninsula, and there are no roads through the park. The only way across the peninsula is to get out your backpacking equipment and hike up river valleys and over mountain passes. There are over 600 miles of well-maintained trails that offer numerous opportunities to create incredible Olympic National Park backpacking trips. With so many options, it is hard to know where to start!

Guide Notes aren’t just a list of best hikes. We provide all the details to help you plan an adventure that works best for you. The following information is a brief introduction to hiking in Olympic National Park.

Hiking in Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park covers most of the interior of the Olympic Peninsula. At the center, Mt. Olympus rises over 9,000 feet, and rivers radiate in every direction toward the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound. The unique geography of the Olympic Peninsula creates diverse microclimates, astounding biodiversity, and countless hiking opportunities.

The most popular hikes (Mt Storm King, Hoh River Trail, Sol Duc Falls) are in the north and northwest regions. The Olympic National Park Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes focuses on multi-day backpacking trips that expand access to remote wilderness areas near the Elwha River, Quinault River, Dosewallips River, and Enchanted Valley.

Olympic National Park Backpacking Trips

Because of the terrain distance between trailheads, most backpacking itineraries are out-and-back trips. Our approach is a little different. We’ve designed a resource to help you plan a thru-hike of Olympic National Park. All the suggested routes can be completed as out-and-back hikes, but with a little extra planning, a thru-hike is a rewarding and unique way to experience the park.

The primary backpacking trips are an east-to-west route and an east-to-north route. The east-to-west route connects the Dosewallips River to Enchanted Valley and the Quinault River. The east-to-north route connects the Dosewallips River to the Elwha River. Alternative routes cover the classic Press Expedition route from north to west, hiking to Hurricane Ridge, and multiple shorter/longer point-to-point backpacking trips (GPS tracks and maps included).

Dosewallips River

Although the suggested routes can be hiked in reverse, we chose the Dosewallips River trailhead as our starting point for two important reasons. When the road washed out in 2003, this area experienced a dramatic drop in visitors. If you are searching for solitude, the eastern region of Olympic National Park is now much less crowded. Yet, many of the campsites in this area were among the most popular spots in the park! Another important reason why you might want to start your trip here is that the trailhead is over 8 miles from Highway 101. If you don’t have a friend picking you up at the end of your hike, it may be more difficult to find a transportation option if you end your hike at the Dosewallips River.

Enchanted Valley

It is a 12.7-mile hike from the Graves Creek Trailhead to Enchanted Valley. This is the most popular backpacking route to reach Enchanted Valley. The trail steadily climbs through old-growth temperate rainforests along the Quinault River, until it reaches the “Yosemite Valley of Olympic National Park.” This backpacking trip is popular for good reason, but it misses the spectacular Anderson Pass and surrounding peaks. We recommend the Dosewallips River to Enchanted Valley backpacking thru-hike as a 3-day backpacking trip.

Elwha River

The Elwha River is a well-known example of a successful dam removal and restoration project. Similar to the Dosewallips River, the road is closed due to erosion. Getting to the Whiskey Bend Trailhead requires walking on pavement for 6 miles, but the trek is worth it. Many people plan an out-and-back backpacking trip along the Elwha River to Humes Ranch, Goblin Gates, and Geyser Valley. If you are seeking more adventure and have a few extra days, continuing to Hayden Pass connects the Elwha River to the Dosewallips River watershed. We recommend the Dosewallips River to Elwha River thru-hike as a 5-day backpacking trip.

Olympic National Park Hiking and Backcountry Map

Olympic National Park is almost one million acres. We created a map that stitches together 25 different quadrants so that you see how all the hiking trails and backpacking routes fit together. The map includes our main hiking itineraries, alternative routes, campsites, and segment distances. Subscribe to our email list below, and we’ll send you a link to download a free copy of our Olympic National Park hiking map. Purchase the Olympic National Park Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes for the full-resolution version, detailed GPS data for all routes, and helpful background information.

Permits for Hiking and Camping in Olympic National Park

Backcountry permits are required for hiking and camping in Olympic National Park year-round. Permits are available on Recreation.gov six months in advance. There is much less competition for backcountry camping permits in Olympic National Park compared to many other National Parks. The number and remoteness of backcountry campsites help distribute use across the park. A Northwest Forest Parking Pass is required for parking at many trailheads that start in Olympic National Forest.

The Best Time To Visit Olympic National Park

Most hikers think the best time to visit Olympic National Park is late summer or early fall (September). The trails are less crowded, the weather is a little cooler, and you have a few weeks before the likelihood of rain dramatically increases. Mid-summer is also an ideal time to attempt a thru-hike, but if you attempt the hike too early in the season, you may encounter bloated river crossings and significant snow covering the mountain passes.

Olympic National Park Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes

Please review the Guide Notes and our Backpacking and Hiking Trails Difficulty Ratings to understand the difficulty of the suggested overnight backpacking trips. The suggested routes have been completed by the author and fact-checked by editors. Remember, your experience, your group, and the adventure you choose will impact your experience.

The Olympic National Park Backpacking Adventure Guide Notes: Dosewallips River, Enchanted Valley, Quinault River, and Elwha River includes:

• A 60-page digital guidebook for backpacking and thru-hiking Olympic National Park
• Extensive descriptions of a 3-day east-to-west thru-hike and a 5-day east-to-north thru-hike
• Example itineraries for alternative routes, variations, and for creative trip planning
• Downloadable and printable maps
• GPS downloads for all the routes
• An overview of the natural history and cultural history of the Olympic Peninsula
• Three pages of links organized by maps, permits, transportation, location, cultural history, natural history, weather, and environment
• Risk management, gear, and packing list information
• Details about parking, backcountry permits, and camping regulations
• Recommendations, tips, and more