Although referred to as three parks in one sometimes the Olympic National Park is really just one park that encompasses several ecosystems. The three ecosystems
that divide the park are the rainforest, Olympic mountains , and the Pacific coastline. Olympic National Park is located in the upper northwestern corner of the state in an
area known as the Olympic Peninsula.
The park is very interesting to visit because of its location and its three different ecosystems, but also because there are species there that are not anywhere else on
earth. The reason why is the mountain range closes the peninsula off from the rest of the land and certain species evolved here that did not elsewhere. The park is a
biological reserve and it is studied on a regular basis to better understand what makes the park so special and how animals evolved here.
There are several roads on the peninsula, but none of them make it into the depths of the peninsula rendering much of it wilderness that may only be explored on foot.
Because of this visiting the park for a brief time will not do it justice. So, plan a couple days or at the very least one full day to dedicate to exploring the beauty of Olympic
National Park.
Some of the best things to do in the park, for those who don't know, include the following. Doing these activities will ensure you get the best of the park. You should
definitely climb all 7,965 feet of Mt. Olympus . Also, backpack the 57 miles of coast and raft the rivers. Hike the Grand Ridge Trail that is above the tree line and provides
unbelievable views from a very precarious trail. Sea kayak the coast of the park, soak in the hot springs , and watch the salmon migrate. If you can fit all of these
activities into your vacation to the park then you will certainly get the best experience possible.