Sea stacks rise from the surf off Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park under a clear blue sky, with dark boulders in the foreground

Olympic Peninsula Loop: 4-Day Road Trip from Seattle

Ferry, rain forest, wild beaches and one very closed mountain road: where to sleep, what costs money and when to go.

270 mi · 4 days · Easy
By

Photo: Lianguanlun, CC BY 4.0

The Olympic Peninsula loop circles Olympic National Park on US 101: a ferry across Puget Sound, the north-coast town of Port Angeles, Lake Crescent, the wild west coast, the Hoh Rain Forest, Lake Quinault and a run back to Olympia. The line on the map is about 270 miles (434 km) from the Kingston ferry terminal to Olympia, and it takes four days with nights in Port Angeles, Forks and Lake Quinault, or at Kalaloch on the coast.

There is no official itinerary or official mileage for the loop, so the days below are our own split and each day's distance is measured along the OpenStreetMap line, not published by the park. The route is also a set of detours from the highway: Hurricane Ridge is a 17-mile (27 km) climb south of Port Angeles, Sol Duc and the Hoh are spurs off 101, and Rialto Beach and La Push are west of Forks. The detours are where the park is, so budget time for them.

The one decision that matters is the season. Hurricane Ridge Road was closed for ice when we checked in early November 2026, the lodge up there burned in 2023, and the Sol Duc resort and many coastal facilities close for the winter. In summer everything is open and the Hoh fills early.

The Route on the Map

Each day in its own color, with the start and every night's stop numbered along the way.

Loading map...

Route line: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), simplified.

Day by Day

4 legs and 3 nights on the way, each in a different place.

  1. Forested ridges and bare slopes in the Olympic Mountains, with a hazy shoreline and water in the distance
    Day 1

    Day 1: Kingston to Port Angeles: Hood Canal Bridge, Sequim and Hurricane Ridge

    Kingston ferry terminaltoPort Angeles

    Distance
    60.8 mi 97.8 km

    Take an early ferry from Edmonds to Kingston and drive SR 104 west across the Hood Canal Bridge, then US 101 north and west through Sequim to Port Angeles. The drive itself is the short part of the day; the time goes on the detour to Hurricane Ridge, 17 miles (27 km) south of Port Angeles, which is not counted in this leg's distance.

    Read the conditions page before you turn up the ridge (winter rules are under Safety). If the road is closed, spend the afternoon in Port Angeles and keep the ridge for the morning after.

    Sleep
    Port Angeles · Town

    Photo: Han Zheng, CC BY-SA 2.0

  2. Lake Crescent under a clear sky, with a floating dock on the left and cloud reflections on the still water
    Day 2

    Day 2: Port Angeles to Forks: Lake Crescent, Sol Duc and Rialto Beach

    Port AngelestoForks

    Distance
    56.2 mi 90.5 km

    US 101 runs west along Lake Crescent to Forks. Marymere Falls and Barnes Point are on the lake and listed open in early November 2026. The Sol Duc valley is a spur off 101 just west of the lake, up the Sol Duc Road to the trail to Sol Duc Falls. The hot springs resort is concession-run and generally open late March through the last weekend of October, so it is a summer stop.

    Rialto Beach is west of Forks, reached in less than 30 minutes, and is the day's coast. From the Rialto lot Hole in the Wall is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north along the sand. Pick the day by the tide table, not by the weather. Second Beach is a 0.7-mile (1.1 km) hike on the La Push Road, about 14 miles (22.5 km) west of US 101.

    Sleep
    Forks · Town

    Photo: Adbar, CC BY-SA 3.0

  3. Moss-draped trees, a mossy fallen log and ferns on the forest floor in the Hoh Rain Forest
    Day 3

    Day 3: Forks to Lake Quinault: the Hoh, Ruby Beach and Kalaloch

    ForkstoLake Quinault (Amanda Park)

    Distance
    64.4 mi 104 km

    Turn up the Hoh Road for the rain forest first, because the Hoh is the place that fills, and the park's advice is to arrive before 8 a.m. in summer. The Hall of Mosses is a 0.8-mile (1.2 km) loop. The Hoh Road is a detour off US 101 and not counted in this leg's distance.

    Then the coast: Beach 4 is a short walk from the highway and an excellent tidepool site at low tide, and Ruby Beach, north of Kalaloch, is another coast stop reached directly from the highway. Kalaloch has a lodge and a campground, both open year-round. Lake Quinault is the other choice for the night, outside the park. The Forest Service lists a fee-free Lodge Trail beside Lake Quinault Lodge.

    Sleep
    Lake Quinault, or Kalaloch on the coast · Town
  4. Day 4

    Day 4: Lake Quinault to Olympia: Aberdeen and the road home

    Lake Quinault (Amanda Park)toOlympia (west side)

    Distance
    88.3 mi 142 km

    The last day is a transit day. US 101 runs south to Hoquiam and Aberdeen, then US 12 and SR 8 lead east through Elma to Olympia, where the loop closes. This is the stretch with the fewest sights, so use it for a late start or for a long stop at Lake Quinault.

    From Olympia, I-5 runs north to Seattle. Leave room before a flight or a ferry.

Permits

No permit is required

Driving US 101 needs no permit. Money goes to a handful of fees, and a few places are worth reserving.

Olympic National Park entrance fee: in 2026 it was $30 per private vehicle (all occupants), valid for 7 consecutive days, $25 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bike (15 and under free). An annual Olympic pass was $55. The 2026 fee-free days (for US citizens and residents) were February 16, May 25, June 14, July 3 to 5, August 25, September 17, October 27 and November 11. The park fees page is the source for the current prices. A 4-day loop passes the Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc, Rialto Beach, Hoh and coast entrances inside one 7-day pass.

Ferry: the Edmonds to Kingston crossing is first come, first served, with no vehicle reservations on this route. On November 3, 2026 the fare for a standard vehicle under 22 feet (6.7 m) with driver was $20.25 and for each adult passenger $11.35, collected at Edmonds. Fares change, so check the WSDOT fare page, and see the ticket page for how WSDOT sells tickets and which routes take reservations.

Quinault Rain Forest trailhead (National Forest): the Forest Service lists a $5 per vehicle day-use fee, payable by card at the machine or with a valid pass. The Lodge Trail and the Lake Lane trailhead near Lake Quinault Lodge list no fee.

Campgrounds: Kalaloch Campground is open year-round and in 2026 required reservations from May 15 to September 20, through recreation.gov. Mora Campground near Rialto Beach and Hoh Campground also take reservations in peak season, up to six months ahead on recreation.gov. Dates move each year, so check the park page for the one you want.

Cape Flattery (optional): the Makah Tribe's Cape Flattery trail and beaches need a Makah Recreation Pass, $20 per vehicle for the calendar year, bought online or at a booth near the trailhead and displayed in the windshield. It is not on the loop, and the pass is separate from the national park fee.

The official permit page

Getting There and Back

How to reach the start of the Olympic Peninsula Loop, and how to get home from the end.

The start

Seattle. The line on the map begins at the Kingston ferry terminal, the first point of the road trip proper. From Seattle you cross Puget Sound by ferry: Edmonds to Kingston is the route priced above, and the Seattle to Bainbridge Island ferry is the other common choice. If you are spending days in the city first, the 5 Days in Seattle guide covers them.

The end

Olympia, where the loop closes. From there I-5 runs north to Seattle. The line on the map stops at Olympia and the last stretch on the interstate is not drawn.

Parking

Beach and trailhead lots are small, and the Hoh Rain Forest, Rialto Beach and Ruby Beach fill early in summer. Fees differ by site: the Forest Service charges at the Quinault Rain Forest trailhead and the Makah Tribe at Cape Flattery.

Safety

  • Hurricane Ridge Road: it can close at any time for ice or snow, and in winter it is typically open to uphill traffic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday and some holidays, sometimes opening as late as noon. Cars must be below the Heart O' the Hills entrance station by 5 p.m., and all vehicles must carry tire chains above that station from late November through April 1, four-wheel drive included. Call the park's road hotline at (360) 565-3131 or read the alerts page before you drive up.

  • Beach tides: the park's rule on the coast is to carry a tide table and know how to read it. Some stretches become impassable when the tide comes in, and the park warns that you can be stranded. For Hole in the Wall at Rialto Beach (about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) each way along the sand), arrive at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide, and do not cross the arch once water covers its floor. Rocks can fall near the arch, so do not linger beside it. Tide predictions for the Pacific coast are published by NOAA.

  • Storm closures on the coast: the park says Queets roads are subject to closure on short notice in hazardous weather, and that SR 112 to Ozette has been closed or detoured often because of flooding and landslides. Check WSDOT for state highways and the park alerts page for the park's own roads.

  • Hurricane Ridge has no lodge: it burned in May 2023 and is in the design phase, with construction the earliest in 2028. Temporary trailers have restrooms and a visitor contact station, staffed only intermittently, and in winter there is no indoor warming area, food service or drinking water. Bring what you need and plan to warm up in the car.

  • Hoh Rain Forest in summer: parking is limited and entrance waits of up to 2 hours were reported. Arrive before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. The visitor center keeps seasonal hours, open daily in summer, Friday through Sunday in spring and fall, and closed in January to early March.

Olympic Peninsula Loop: FAQ

How many days do you need for the Olympic Peninsula loop?

Four days is the minimum for the whole loop with Hurricane Ridge, a Sol Duc or Rialto stop, the Hoh and a night near Lake Quinault. Five or six days give a buffer for a closed road or a low tide that does not suit the day.

Is Hurricane Ridge Road open?

It depends on the day. The park's alerts page showed it closed for ice on November 3, 2026. Once winter operations begin (November 28 in 2026-27) it is typically open uphill 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday through Sunday and some holidays, weather permitting, and tire chains are required.

Is the Hurricane Ridge lodge open?

No. The day lodge burned in May 2023 and the park says the replacement is in the design phase, with construction the earliest in 2028. Temporary trailers provide restrooms and a visitor contact station.

Do you need a pass for Olympic National Park?

Yes, the park charges an entrance fee: $30 per vehicle for 7 days in 2026, or $55 for an annual pass.

Do I need to book the ferry in advance?

Not on Edmonds to Kingston. WSDOT offers vehicle reservations only on the Anacortes and Port Townsend routes, and loading is first come, first served. Arrive early, especially on summer weekends.

Do you need a Makah pass for Cape Flattery?

Yes. The Makah Recreation Pass is $20 per vehicle for the calendar year and covers the Cape Flattery trail and the beaches on the reservation. Cape Flattery is not on the loop, so add a day if you want it.

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