Olympic National Park Camping: Complete Guide

Why Olympic Is Different

Most national parks have one thing—a canyon, a mountain, a desert. Olympic has three completely distinct worlds within its borders: temperate rainforest dripping with moss, wild Pacific coastline with sea stacks and tide pools, and glacier-capped peaks with alpine meadows.

We’ve camped in dozens of national parks, and Olympic remains one of our favorites precisely because of this variety. You can wake up in a rainforest, hike to a beach, and watch sunset from a mountain—all in one trip.

Rainforest Camping

The Hoh, Quinault, and Queets valleys hold some of the only temperate rainforests in North America. Expect moss-covered everything, towering Sitka spruce, Roosevelt elk wandering through camp, and 140+ inches of annual rainfall.

Hoh Rain Forest Campground

Sites: 78 | Open: Year-round | Reservable: Yes

The most accessible rainforest camping in the park. Flush toilets, no hookups. Sites are nestled among massive old-growth trees.

Why we love it:

Direct access to Hall of Mosses Trail and Hoh River Trail
Elk regularly wander through the campground
The sound of the river and rain creates perfect sleep conditions
Surprisingly quiet even when full

Tips:

Bring rain gear regardless of forecast
Morning fog in the rainforest is magical—don’t sleep through it
The 17-mile Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows is a premier backpacking route

Graves Creek Campground (Quinault)

Sites: 30 | Open: Year-round | Reservable: No (first-come)

More primitive, more solitude. Located in the Quinault rainforest, which sees fewer visitors than Hoh.

Best for: Campers who want rainforest without the crowds

Beach Camping

Olympic’s 73 miles of wilderness coastline offer some of the most dramatic beach camping on the West Coast. Sea stacks, tide pools, bald eagles, and the roar of the Pacific.

Kalaloch Campground

Sites: 168 | Open: Year-round | Reservable: Yes

Bluff-top camping with direct beach access. This is the easiest coastal camping in the park—drive-in sites with flush toilets.

Best sites:

A-loop sites have the best ocean views
Lower-numbered sites in D-loop are closest to the beach stairs

Why we love it:

Watch sunset over the Pacific from your campsite
Tide pools at Beach 4 are some of the best in the park
Year-round access (though winter storms are intense)

Mora Campground

Sites: 94 | Open: Year-round | Reservable: Yes

Gateway to Rialto Beach, one of Olympic’s most photographed coastlines. The campground sits along the Quillayute River, a short walk from the beach.

Don’t miss: The 1.5-mile walk to Hole-in-the-Wall at low tide

Wilderness Beach Camping

The real magic happens on the backcountry beaches. Multi-day coastal hikes between trailheads, camping on driftwood-strewn beaches with no one around.

Popular routes:

Third Beach to Oil City (17 miles)
Rialto Beach to Chilean Memorial (20 miles)
South Coast Wilderness (choose your distance)

Permits required. Get them at wilderness information centers or self-register at trailheads.

Critical: Know your tide tables. Some headlands can only be passed at low tide.

Alpine Camping

The Hurricane Ridge area and high country offer a completely different experience—wildflower meadows, mountain views, and cooler temperatures when the lowlands are warm.

Deer Park Campground

Sites: 14 | Open: June-October (snow dependent) | Reservable: No (first-come)

At 5,400 feet, this is Olympic’s highest drive-in campground. No water, pit toilets, but spectacular sunrise views.

The catch: The last 8 miles are on a steep, winding gravel road. Not for large RVs.

Why it’s worth it:

Above the clouds (sometimes literally)
Unobstructed stargazing
Access to high country trails without a long approach

Heart O’ the Hills Campground

Sites: 105 | Open: Year-round | Reservable: Yes

Located on the road to Hurricane Ridge. Old-growth forest setting with easy access to the alpine zone.

Perfect for: Those who want mountain access without the primitive conditions of Deer Park

Best Campgrounds by Priority

For families: Kalaloch (beach access, flush toilets, reservable)

For solitude: Graves Creek or Deer Park (first-come, fewer people)

For classic rainforest: Hoh Rain Forest Campground (the quintessential Olympic experience)

For backpackers: Wilderness beaches or Hoh River backcountry

For RVs: Sol Duc (hookups available) or Kalaloch (larger sites)

Practical Tips

Weather Reality

Olympic is wet. The rainforest side receives 12-14 feet of rain annually. Summer (July-August) is driest, but “dry” is relative here.

Pack accordingly:

Rain gear for every day, every season
Quick-dry layers
Waterproof stuff sacks
Tarp or large footprint for rainy setups

Wildlife

Roosevelt elk: Common in rainforest campgrounds. Keep distance, don’t feed.
Black bears: Present throughout. Use food storage lockers provided.
Banana slugs: The park’s unofficial mascot. Watch your step.

Reservations

Hoh, Kalaloch, and Mora can be reserved at Recreation.gov
Book early for July-August weekends
First-come campgrounds (Graves Creek, Deer Park) are your backup

Getting Around

Olympic is not a loop park. The road system is a series of dead-ends into different valleys. Plan your driving—some destinations are 3+ hours apart even though they look close on a map.

When to Go

Summer (July-August): Driest weather, all roads and facilities open. Most crowded.

Shoulder seasons (May-June, September-October): Fewer crowds, still good weather windows. Some high-country roads may be closed.

Winter: Rainforest and coastal campgrounds stay open. Expect rain, but also solitude. Hurricane Ridge road open weekends only (weather dependent).

The Bottom Line

Olympic rewards those who embrace its variety. Don’t try to see everything in one trip—pick two ecosystems and go deep. Camp in the rainforest, hike the beaches. Or base at Hurricane Ridge and explore the alpine zone.

The rain is part of the experience. The moss, the mist, the green—it’s all connected. This is the Pacific Northwest at its most wild.

Three worlds, one peninsula, unlimited wonder.