Olympic National Park

A United States national park on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula that protects Pacific coastline, temperate rainforests, and glaciated mountains.

Hoh Rainforest: A temperate rainforest in Olympic National Park known for abundant mosses, old-growth trees, and heavy rainfall. Its lush valley is among the park’s best-known examples of coastal temperate rainforest.
Olympic Mountains: A mountain range on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, dominated by rugged peaks and deep river valleys. The range forms the park’s central terrain and drives sharp changes in climate and habitat.
Theodore Roosevelt: The 26th president of the United States, whose administration expanded federal conservation and established national parks. He established Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909, a predecessor to the park.
Olympic National Park wilderness: Federally designated wilderness areas within Olympic National Park, protected from most development and mechanized use. Wilderness designation adds legal safeguards to much of the park’s interior.
Hurricane Ridge: A mountain area in Olympic National Park with alpine meadows and views of the Olympic Mountains. It makes the park’s high-elevation landscape accessible without a long backcountry journey.
Orographic lift: The upward movement and cooling of air as it encounters rising terrain, often producing precipitation. Moist Pacific air rises over the Olympics, helping create the park’s exceptionally wet western slopes.
Mount Olympus National Monument: A national monument established in 1909 to protect the Olympic Mountains’ forests and wildlife. Its creation began federal protection of lands later incorporated into the park.
Elwha River restoration: A large-scale ecosystem restoration project that removed two dams from Washington’s Elwha River. The project reopened habitat and brought salmon back to a river flowing through the park.
Rialto Beach: A rocky Pacific beach in Olympic National Park near the mouth of the Quillayute River. Its sea stacks and driftwood show the park’s rugged coastal character.
Temperate rainforest: A forest ecosystem in a temperate climate with high rainfall and abundant moisture-dependent life. This ecosystem defines much of the park’s west-side valleys.

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