By Alex Day, Marketing/Communications & Database Director
At more than 1,400 square miles, the vast wilderness contained in Olympic National Park boasts a diverse variety of terrain for visitors to experience, from the Hoh Rain Forest to the Pacific coast and into the peaks of the Olympics. It also welcomes nearly three million people every year, so it’s no wonder backcountry experiences away from crowds are a popular choice. New to Olympic? Learn all about the park in our park guide.
Like at Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks, a wilderness permit is required for all overnight stays in the backcountry year-round. Your permit allows you and your group to camp in a designated camp or area in the backcountry, and must be obtained in advance of your trip by visiting Recreation.gov. (Self-registration and trailhead permits are not available.)
Permits for peak season can be reserved in advance, and it’s a good idea to reserve your site early for the best chances of getting the location you want. Backcountry permits for trips between late May and early October are available for advance reservation beginning at 7:00 am PT on Saturday, April 15, 2024.
Some high elevation areas, like the Sol Duc/Seven Lakes Basin area where the popular High Divide Loop trail is located, have a narrower season due to snow conditions. If you are attempting to book early season dates that are not available online, contact the Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100.
Unlike Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks, Olympic does not hold any permits for walk-ups, and it doesn’t offer an early access permit lottery. All permit reservations are first-come, first-served through Recreation.gov. You can expect to pay a $6.00 non-refundable reservation fee for each overnight permit, in addition to a recreation fee of $8 per adult per night. (Annual Wilderness Pass holders must still pay the $6 reservation fee but do not have to pay the $8 per person per night fee.)
To get started on planning your trip, download a copy of the park’s Wilderness Trip Planner Map and check the park’s Backpacking Information and Trail Conditions pages.
Note that some popular areas in the park operate on a quota basis to protect park resources, including Sol Duc/Seven Lakes Basin, Grand Valley, Royal Lake, Cape Alava/Sand Point, and others. On the Olympic Wilderness Trip Planner Map, quota sites are color coded red or yellow. In these sites, group size for overnight wilderness trips is limited to 12 people, and each camp area has a maximum group size (some less than 12 people).
Have questions? The park’s Wilderness Information Center can be reached at (360) 565-3100 (visit their webpage for current hours here).
Reserved permits are issued by park staff 5-7 days before the start of your trip, at which point you will be able to log in to your account and print your permit.
If the reservation is made less than a week in advance, your permit will likely be issued within the business hours of the same day or the following morning. If you need a permit before then, visit a Wilderness Information Center or contact the wilderness rangers by calling (360) 565-3100.
Enjoy the rugged Olympic wilderness!
Prefer frontcountry over backcountry, or not sure of the difference? Want to secure permits in Mount Rainier or North Cascades National Parks? Check out the other published blogs in the Backcountry Beginners series:
Looking to venture into the backcountry with your closest hiking buddies? Stay tuned in the coming days to get the scoop on the ins and outs of planning a trip with a large group.
Follow us on social to get the latest updates on when the next article of Backcountry Beginners is released!
Cover photo: Sandy Point Trail by Alex Day