Washington National Parks: Travel Guide & Itinerary

Cost: $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days

Top Experiences: Go hiking on Hurricane Ridge, photograph the moss dripping from the trees in the Hoh Rainforest, stroll along Rialto Beach until you get to Hole-in-the-Wall, hike to Mount Storm King, see lovely Sol Duc Falls and Marymere Falls, and hike along Shi Shi Beach.

Ultimate Adventure: For the ultimate adventure, go backpacking in the Enchanted Valley or spend the night camping on Shi Shi Beach.

Olympic National Park in One Day: With one very busy day in Olympic National Park, hike one of the short trails on Hurricane Ridge. Drive west, visit the Hoh Rainforest and then spend the afternoon on Rialto Beach. I recommend staying in Port Angeles or near Forks, Washington, to minimize how much time you spend in your car.

Cool Fact: The Hoh Rainforest gets between 12 to 14 feet of rain each year. Most of this falls in the winter months. And Hurricane Ridge can get up to 30 feet of snow each winter!

When to Go: The main park roads in Olympic National Park stay open all year. There are a few interior roads and high-elevation roads, such as Obstruction Point Road, that close due to snowfall. But for the most part, you can visit Olympic National Park year-round.

Where to Stay: There are numerous campgrounds and lodges located around the park. Port Angeles makes a great home base for exploring the northern part of Olympic National Park. Forks, the Kalaloch Lodge, and the Quinault Lodge are convenient locations to visit the coastal sights and western section of the park. Stay in Skokomish to visit the eastern side of Olympic National Park.

Cost: $30 per vehicle, valid for 7 days

Top Experiences:See Myrtle Falls, hike the Skyline Trail in Paradise, have brunch at the Paradise Inn, visit Sunrise and fill your camera’s memory card with images Mount Rainier from the Sourdough Ridge Trail, visit the Grove of the Patriarchs, ride the Mount Rainier Gondola to Crystal Mountain, and hike to a fire lookout tower.

Ultimate Adventure: I’ve got two for you. Hike the Wonderland Trail, a 93-mile trail that circumnavigates around Mount Rainier. On average, this takes between 9 and 13 days. Or, climb to the summit of Mount Rainier. It takes 2 to 3 days to reach the summit and this is best done with an experienced guide.

Mount Rainier National Park in One Day: With one day, you have enough time to visit one area of the park. I recommend choosing between Paradise and Sunrise. Personally, I don’t think that one is better than the other. You have lots of hiking options and spectacular views from both places.

Cool Fact: Mount Rainier is an active volcano. In fact, due to its high probability of eruption in the near future, it is considered to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

When to Go: Summer and early fall are the best times to visit, since all of the park roads and hiking trails will be open. The wildflowers typically bloom from mid-July through mid-August. In Mount Rainier, there are several roads that close in the fall and don’t reopen until spring. These include Stevens Canyon Road, Sunrise Road, and the Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass.

Where to Stay: Packwood, Ashford and the lodges at Sunrise and Paradise are handy locations for exploring Mount Rainier National Park. If you want to visit the northwestern corner, stay in Puyallup.

Timed Entry Permit: If you will be visiting Mount Rainier between late May and early September, you will need a timed entry permit to enter several areas of the park.

Cost: There is no entrance fee. However, if you plan to hike in one of the adjacent national forests (such as Rainy Lake or the Maple Pass Loop) you will need a Northwest Forest Pass. This can be purchased for $5 at the trailhead.

Top Experiences: Go for a scenic drive along North Cascades Highway, hike to Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm, enjoy the views from the Washington Pass Overlook and the Diablo Lake Vista Point, hike the Maple Pass Loop, and visit Stehekin.

Ultimate Adventure:Hike a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. 18 miles of the PCT travels through the park. You will need a backcountry permit if you plan to camp overnight along the trail.

North Cascades National Park in One Day: With one day in North Cascades National Park, drive North Cascades Highway, visit the overlooks, and do one or two hikes. If you prefer short, easy hikes, we recommend Rainy Lake, Blue Lake, or Thunder Knob. For something more challenging that will offer spectacular views of the North Cascades Range, the Maple Pass Loop is amazing.

Cool Fact: The North Cascades Range, for which this park is named, has the largest glacial system in the United States, other than Alaska. In the park, there are over 300 glaciers and 300 lakes. Over millions of years, these glaciers created some of the steepest mountain ranges in the USA, with some mountains rising 4,000 to 6,000 feet above their bases.

When to Go: If you want access to the entire park, plan your visit for the summer months, when all of the roads are open. This is also your best chance for sunny skies and warm temperatures, although rain and snow are a possibility all year long. Highway 20, the main road in North Cascades National Park, is typically closed from early November through early May.

Where to Stay: Twisp, Winthrop, and Mazama are all located east of the park and make a great home base for exploring North Cascades National Park. The Ross Lake Lodge is the only lodging inside of the park. On the west side, Marblemount is a good place to stay if you plan to hike one of the trails that are located on Cascade River Road (such as the Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm hike).

Road Trip Itinerary and Map

The best way to visit all three Washington national parks is on a road trip. Ideally, you need 10 days to do this. Not only is there a lot to do in each of these parks but they are spread out across the state of Washington, so you will spend a nice chunk of time driving from park to park.

To get the full details on how to do this same itinerary, and get suggestions if you have more or less time, read our article Washington Road Trip Itinerary: 7 to 14 Days in the National Parks.