Parks on the Olympic Peninsula

National Parks

Olympic National Park is 922,000 acres of stunning alpine and coastal wilderness. Over 3 million people visit it every year, and yet the park still retains an untouched, natural feel. It's known as the focal point of the Olympic Peninsula, and Washington State in general. Glacier capped mountains, wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth forests, including temperate rain forests -- at Olympic National Park, you can find all three. About 95% of the park is designated wilderness, which further protects these diverse and spectacular ecosystems. Olympic is also known for its biological diversity. Isolated for eons by glacial ice, and later the waters of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Peninsula has developed its own distinct array of plants and animals. Eight kinds of plants and 15 kinds of animals are found on the peninsula but no where else on Earth.

Olympic National Park: 24-hour Road & Weather Recording: 360-565-3131

Web Site: www.nps.gov/olym

Olympic National Forest

The Olympic National Forest encompasses 633,677 acres, and over 450,000 recreational visits are recorded annually. This ecologically diverse forest is home to mountain ranges, cascading rivers, saltwater beaches and tidelands, large lowland lakes and a temperate rain forest.

Hood Canal Ranger District

Quilcene Office Phone: 360-765-2200

Pacific Ranger District

Forks Office Phone: 360-374-6522
Web Site: www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic

State Parks

Information Phone: 360-902-8844
Web Site: www.parks.wa.gov

Bogachiel State Park is a thickly forested 123-acre camping park on the banks of the Bogachiel River. It is remotely located on the northwestern tip of Washington state.

Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk. The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in winter.

Sequim Bay State Park is a year-round, 92-acre marine camping park with 4,909 feet of saltwater coast in the Sequim "rainshadow," just inside Puget Sound on the Olympic Peninsula. The bay is calm, the air is dry and interpretive opportunities await visitors.

Summer: 8a.m. to dusk.
Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk. The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in winter.

Old Fort Townsend State Park is a 367-acre marine camping park featuring 3,960 feet of saltwater shoreline on Port Townsend Bay. The heavily wooded park has a rich military history dating from pioneer days.

Summer: Open for day use 8 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: Closed for camping from the third weekend in October; re-opens the first weekend in April. The park is open year-round for day use.

Fort Worden State Park is is a 433-acre multi-use park with 11,020 feet of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities. The park rests on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Many historic buildings remain at this 19th century military fort.

Camping and conference facilities open year-round. Lower campground open and reservable during winter; upper campground closed Dec. 1, reopens Feb. 14

Fort Flagler State Park is a 784-acre marine camping park surrounded on three sides by 19,100 feet of saltwater shoreline. The park rests on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound, with views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. Many historic buildings remain at this 19th-century-established military fort.

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Winter: Closed to camping Nov. 1, reopens March 1. The park is open year-round for day use.

Shine Tidelands State Park is a 13-acre seasonal day-use park with 5,000 feet of tideland along Bywater Bay. At high tide, there is little beach available to the visitor. Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk. Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mystery Bay is a 10-acre marine park is reachable by car or boat. The park features 685 feet of saltwater shoreline on Mystery Bay and offers a spectacular view of the Olympic Mountains.

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park is open year-round for day use only.

Anderson Lake State Park is a remote marine day-use park of cedar, fir and alder forest mixed with freshwater marshes. Surrounded by 410 wooded and wetland acres, the park slopes down to the 70-acre Anderson Lake and abounds with birds and wildlife.

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Winter: Closed Oct. 1, reopens April 20.

County Parks

Clallam County Parks Department
Phone: 360-417-2291
Email: parks@co.clallam.wa.us
Web Site: www.clallam.net/CountyParks/

Camp David Jr. is an outdoor recreation resident camp located on the north shore of Lake Crescent. This 9.5 acre park is one of the oldest county parks in the state, rich in history. The facilities include a main lodge/kitchen/dining room building, eight sleeping cabins, two restrooms, two staff cabins, two beach cabins, swimming area, and more.

Summer: By reservation 360-928-3540 or ccpcd@olypen.com
Winter: Closed December and January

Dungeness Recreation Area has 67 campsites, 3 restrooms (2 with showers), group camping with a shelter, playground, hiking and equestrian trails, on 216 acres. The County Park, with sweeping views of the shipping traffic as they make their way through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, serves as the trailhead for the Dungeness Spit National Wildlife Refuge.

Summer: 7 a.m. until dusk
Winter: Campground is closed October through March The park is open year-round for day use.

Salt Creek Recreation Area includes upland forests, rocky tide pool shoreline, sand beach, and panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Crescent Beach, and Vancouver Island on its 196 acres. Visitors will find 92 campsites, including 39 utility sites, 3 restrooms (2 with showers), hiking trails, playground, sandlot baseball field, dump station, reservable picnic shelter, 5 shoreline access points, a marine sanctuary, and basketball, volleyball, and horseshoe courts. Salt Creek has been voted the "Best Campground for Clallam County" by the readers of the Peninsula Daily News in 2006.

Summer: 7 a.m. until dusk
Winter: 7 a.m. until dusk.

Please contact the park for exact gate hours. The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in the winter.

Jefferson County Parks & Recreation Department Phone: 360-385-9160 Email: mtyler@countyrec.com

Web Site: www.jcparksandrec.org