9 Best Olympic National Park Hikes For Families
If you are looking for the best Olympic National Park hikes for families, you are in the right place! Stretching over a million acres, planning your trip to Olympic National Park can feel daunting. But don’t worry, I did the research so all you need to do is the hiking!
This guide has 10 kid friendly Olympic National Park hikes for families organized by area. I can’t stress enough how perfect Olympic National Park is for kids. It is one of the few national parks where you can let the littlest hikers get out of their hiking packs and stretch their legs.
What Makes an Olympic National Park Hike family friendly?
We love multigenerational travel and our trip to Olympic National Park was no exception! We tackled Olympic National Park with a group ranging in age from two to 70. When picking the perfect hikes for our family we think about:
- Safety: can our toddler handle the hike on his own or will he need to be restrained in a hiking pack the entire time?
- Hike Lengths: are there a variety of trail lengths or trails where we can turn around without missing the ‘main attraction’?
- Views: will I be able to bribe weary travelers with promises of ‘just a few more minutes until the waterfall’?
- Visitors Centers: are there bathrooms and benches?
Hurricane Ridge – Olympic National Park Hikes for Families
If you are looking for expansive views as far as the eye can see then Hurricane Ridge is the spot for you! Some of the best Olympic National Park hikes for families are located in Hurricane Ridge. Due to a fire, the Hurricane Ridge visitors center is currently closed and traffic into this portion of the park is limited. To ensure you are able to make it up to the parking lot, I recommend arriving at the entry gate by 8:30am at the latest. Luckily, the gate is located at the bottom of the road just 12 minutes from Port Angeles so this isn’t that early of a day! You can check Hurricane Ridge’s twitter account for updates.
1. Hurricane Hill
This 3.4 mile out and back hike is the hardest one on this list but it is worth it! With young children, I recommend you plan on only tackling the first part of the trail. This won’t save you from one of the steepest inclines, but it will keep the trail short and sweet. While you will be walking along a sheer cliff, the trail is extremely wide so we were still able to let our toddler walk for part of the trail. We just always put him on the inner side of the trail away from the edge.
You’ll want to drive past the site of the visitors center to access the closest parking lot for Hurricane Hill. You’ll always want to bring some mega-strength bug spray. And suncreen! Pack wisely for your day on this trail.
2. Hurricane Ridge loops and Sunrise Point
There are a few quick and easy loops right off of the visitors center. These are excellent for young kids and for the most part even adventurous toddlers can navigate the trails on their own. The exception to this is the narrow hike to Sunrise Point where you have drop offs on either side. We opted to throw our youngest into a hiking pack at that point. In addition to absolutely amazing views, you’ll probably see more than a few deer. As with any wildlife, make sure to give them their space.
Yes, these trails can get crowded because they are easy and near the visitors center but they are absolutely worth it. The views of the ocean and Canada in the distance make this one of the best Olympic National Park hikes for families!
Lake Crescent – Olympic National Park Hikes for Families
Lake Crescent is home to our two favorite Olympic National Park hikes for families! Both relatively flat and absolutely gorgeous, you won’t regret spending a day or more at Lake Crescent.
3. Marymere Falls
I have to admit it but I wasn’t sure if we needed to hike to Marymere Falls when I research our family’s trip to Olympic National Park. Boy am I glad we went ahead and did it! This relatively flat 1.8 mile loop skirts Lake Crescent before turning into a moss-laden forest. Any minute we felt like a fairy or a troll might make an appearance. Especially because there was a fun wooden bridge to cross over that the kids absolutely loved! There are upper and lower viewpoints for the waterfall and its absolutely worth doing both.
4. Spruce Railroad Trail
You won’t see the Spruce Railroad Trail on many best Olympic National Park hikes for families lists and that is a complete oversight because this trail is a stunner! The Spruce Railroad Trail is one of the most recognizable sections of the Olympic Discovery Trail and it is completely family friendly! This paved 8-mile round-trip trail is perfect for families pushing strollers. There is some elevation gain though so plan on getting a bit of a workout.
At the mile marker there is picturesque bridge over Lake Crescent where we saw tons of people jumping in. Make sure to bring your bathing suit! However, there is something even better for kids. There is a giant tunnel to walk through. My kids used our cell phones as flashlights and spent a solid thirty minutes running back and forth through the tunnel. The tunnel alone would make this one of the best Olympic National Park hikes for families! Luckily there are amazing views on the rest of the trail too!
Sul Doc valley – Olympic National Park Hikes for Families
A little out of the way if you are heading from the Port Angeles area towards the beach and Hoh Rainforest, you can work Sul Doc in.
5. Sul Doc Falls Trail
The most popular of the Sul Doc Valley hikes, this flat trail is just 1.6 miles round trip and offers stunning waterfall views. This is definitely one of the easiest Olympic National Park hikes for families! After a morning of hiking reward yourself with a soak and nearby Sul Doc Hot Springs Resort.
Hoh Rainforest – Olympic National Park Hikes for Families
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperature rainforest in North America and is home to some of the easiest national park hikes for families. What I love about these hikes is that instead of walking along a cliffside, you are meandering through a rainforest. Making it perfect for independent toddlers who want to hike with you!
Pro tip: Get to the Hoh Rainforest early. And I mean before 9am early. You do not want to wait in line for four hours like we did.
6. Hoh River Trail
Not the trail most people think of when they think of hiking in Olympic National Park with kids due to its length, 34.6 miles. However, that is one of the reasons why it is my favorite trail in the Hoh Rainforest. Most visitors stick to the short and famous, Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail, so you can have the Hoh River Trail all to yourself. It can be a choose your own adventure type of hike where you go out as far as you want before turning around. With minimal elevation gain this is a perfect Olympic National Park trail for families.
7. Hall of Mosses
When you think about hiking in Olympic National Park you are probably envisioning the Hall of Mosses dripping with moss and looking magical. This 1.1 mile loop is absolutely perfect for families with numerous photo opportunities and minimal elevation gain. Another reason why this is a great Olympic National Park hike for families? Before starting you can grab a scavenger hunt booklet from the visitor’s center which will make the hike extra fun for aspiring junior rangers.
8. Spruce Nature Trail
Another quick and easy hike, the Spruce Nature Trail also originates at the visitor’s center and comes in at just over a mile (1.2 miles). You’ll have similar views as the Hall of Mosses but you’ll see a few less tourists. You will also get a few clearings with views of the Hoh River. Because the Hoh Rainforest is a bit off of the beaten path, I definitely recommend you make time for all three hikes so you feel like it was worth the trek.
West Coast Beach – Olympic National Park Hikes for Families
9. Rialto Beach – Hole-in-the-Wall
Ok this one is deceptively tough! What’s so hard about walking on a beach you ask? A lot! The black sand beach varies from soft to firm so you’ll find yourself trudging through what feels like quicksand on your way out to the Hole-In-The-Wall. But like every moderately challenging hike on this list, it is worth it!
You want to aim for arriving at the Hole-In-The-Wall around 1-hour before low tide so you can fully enjoy your time there. I’d recommend giving yourself 1.5-2 hours to walk the 1.5 miles out to the Hole-In-The-wall with kids. This will allow you to walk slowly and enjoy the beach instead of power walking while wearing a toddler like I did so you don’t miss low tide.
Once you reach the Hole-In-The-Wall you’ll be rewarded with some great tidepools and unique views of Rialto Beach! Bonus points if you stay on the beach after your hike to enjoy sunset.
Pro tip: the parking lot fills up quickly so plan on having a chauffeur to drop you and the kids off and go park the car along the road.
How to Turn the best olympic national park hikes for families into an itinerary?
This is where I work my magic! If you aren’t sure how to turn these into the perfect vacation then check out my ultimate week long itinerary. We didn’t just hike, we did bucket-list activities like whale-watching and taking a ferry over to Canada.
Even if you don’t use my itinerary, you can’t go wrong with any of these Olympic National Park hikes for families!
What gear do i need for hiking in olympic national park?
My top recommendation is layers and more layers! I found myself taking jackets off and putting them back on obsessively as we went from dense tree coverage to sunny low-coverage trails. A few of my favorite items that my kids wore on this trip, include:
