Ten Things to Do With Kids at Olympic National Park

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Ten Things to Do With Kids at Olympic National Park
Here’s our Top Ten Things to Do with Kids at Olympic National Park! Before you visit the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, you should know that Olympic National Park is big.

A million acres of wilderness on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington means there’s a lot to see and do. However there are no roads bisecting the park, meaning to get from one area to another requires driving. We are already used to driving on this National Park to Park Highway tour, but even so, the distances between areas in Olympic surprised me.
Don’t expect to see Olympic National Park in one day. Because of the diverse ecosystems within Olympic the different areas almost feel like completely different parks.
Plan your trip based on location first. Here are our Top Ten Things to Do With Kids at Olympic National Park.
 
  1. Hike the Hall of Mosses 

    This short hike was the perfect introduction the Hoh rain forest  region of Olympic. 

  2. Watch for Wildlife

    A herd of Roosevelt Elk live within the Hoh rainforest and unbeknownst to me, someone spotted a black bear on the Hall of Mosses trail the day before I hiked it with my baby. In addition to big mammals, Olympic is known for its diversity of animal and plant life including marine animals, birds, insects and forest creatures.

  3. Boat on Lake Crescent.
  4. Explore the Coast

    Kalaloch and Ruby beach are located in the south western corner of the park. Kalaloch campground has 175 reservable spaces, assuming you reserve them six months in advance. 

  5. Stack Rocks on the Beach

    We loved exploring Rialto Beach a bit further north on the Pacific. The waves were so fierce it wasn’t safe to swim, but we enjoyed watching the water and stacking rocks on the beach.

  6. Explore the Quinault Ranger Station area

    The Quinault rain forest has some great short hikes to enjoy with kids.

  7. Learn about spawning salmon and dam removal in the Elwha area.
  8. Stay at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.
  9. Splash in the Water

    Whether it’s the Hoh River, the Pacific Ocean, Lake Crescent or  Lake Sutherland, Olympic National Park has lots of water to play in. 

  10. Backpack in the Olympic Wilderness

    While we sat at Rialto Beach a mother and her two sons started on a backpacking journey along the north coast of Washington. I envied her. To have children old enough to carry their own packs and not have to be carried! And what a cool trail, hiking the wild coastline, always aware of tides and water safety. Much of Olympic is preserved as wilderness area, so the backpacking options are seemingly endless.

Have you ever been to Olympic National Park? What’s your favorite area to explore?

Author: Mountain Mom

Hi! I'm Mountain Mom. I live with my husband and three young kids near the mountains in Idaho. When we're not hiking, biking, skiing and camping, I like to spend my time doing Mom stuff and reading.

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