Olympic National Park Vs. North Cascades: Which to Choose for a Washington Visit [2023]
From rainforests and ocean coastline to alpine lakes and mountain goats, Olympic and North Cascades National Parks are vastly different.
Each deserves its own visit, but if you’re running on just a short amount of vacation time, you may need to choose between the two.
In this post, we’ll go over two of Washington state’s national parks and decide which is best, Olympic National Park vs North Cascades.
I’ll cover everything from the best time to visit, how long you might need to see everything, the best activities, and more.
So let’s jump right into it!
Olympic National Park Vs. North Cascades: Overviews
Olympic National Park is located in the far northwestern corner of Washington state on the Olympic Peninsula.
It covers nearly 1 million acres of land and is home to miles of ocean coastline, a temperate rainforest, and the Olympic Mountain range.
It’s one of the most diverse national parks in the country and provides some of Washington’s most beautiful views.
North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States, due to its remote location.
It’s found nearly on the Canadian border, near Mount Baker, and nestled deep in the Cascade Mountain range.
Plenty of hiking trails, alpine lakes, families of mountain goats, and more call this National Park home.
Which park you choose to visit on your trip to Washington will depend on a few things including how much time you have and when you’re visiting.
In this post, we’ll do a deep dive into the similarities and differences between the two parks and help you decide which will be best for you.
Differences Between North Cascades & Olympic
Below you’ll find a pretty thorough explanation of the main differences between two of Washington’s national parks.
You’ll find everything from activities to weather to the best time to visit. Enjoy!
Activities in Each Park
Olympic National Park
✅ Hike to the top of Mount Storm King
✅ Relax in the Sol Duc Hot Springs
✅ Walk to Sol Duc Falls
✅ Visit Ruby and Rialto Beaches
✅ Watch for whales in the ocean
✅ Drive to Cape Flattery
✅ Visit Forks, Washington
✅ Hike to the top of Hurricane Hill
✅ Visit the Hoh Rainforest
North Cascades National Park
✅ North Cascades Scenic Highway Drive
✅ Stop at the Washington Pass Overlook
✅ Hike the Heather-Maple Pass Loop
✅ See the Ross Dam
✅ Watch for mountain goats and wildlife
✅ Hike to Blue Lake
✅ Make the drive to Picture Lake
✅ Go stargazing at night
✅ Ross Lake Overlook
Views and Landscapes
Both Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park have absolutely beautiful views that will leave you breathless.
But the views at each park are pretty different!
In Olympic, you’ll find a vastly diverse park with temperate rainforests, mountain ranges, and miles of ocean coastline.
With this diverse of a park, it’s hard to feel like you’re even in the same park when in each different ecosystem.
And in North Cascades, you’ll find the mountain range with jagged peaks, alpine lakes, and lots of forests.
There are also over 300 glaciers within the park, which makes it the most heavily glaciated area in the country, outside of Alaska.
Olympic Vs. North Cascades: Hiking
One of the best and most popular activities in national parks is to go hiking, so it’s good to consider what types of hikes are in the parks.
Both parks are well-known for hiking and have a lot of great trails to check out, so it’s tough to choose which is better.
Personally, I believe that the hikes within North Cascades are prettier and more unique with really intense mountain views.
But the hikes in Olympic are all very diverse and allow you to see very different things.
Be prepared for longer hikes in North Cascades, while Olympic has many shorter and easier hikes to try.
Family Friendliness
Both parks can be great for families, but if you have little ones, Olympic will be more family-friendly.
There are a lot of short hikes and activities that don’t involve long distances, so these are better for littles.
You can do things such as go to the beach and search for sea shells, walk nature trails in the rainforests, and just relax by the ocean.
North Cascades is better suited for kids who are accustomed to hiking longer distances or older children.
Park Location
Olympic National Park is located in the far northwestern corner of Washington state, to the west of Seattle.
The closest towns are Port Angeles and Forks, which are actually along the ring road that circles the park.
North Cascades is in the far northern part of Washington, not too far from the Canadian border.
There aren’t many towns nearby and it can be tough to get to, which is why it is known as the least visited national park in the country.
Both parks are pretty far away from other towns and require a bit of planning to get to.
Nearest Airport
The nearest airport to both parks is the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in Seattle.
The airport is about 2 hours from Olympic National Park and about 3 hours from North Cascades National Park.
How to Get Around
Since both parks are pretty large and are fairly far from other cities, the best way to get around is by having your own car.
Whether that be a car that you own, one that you’re borrowing, or a rental, it’ll allow you to best see the entire park.
I actually recommend renting a campervan from Escape Campervans, because then you are able to have your car and your home in one place!
Need a Car for Exploring Washington’s National Parks?
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With Escape Campervans, you can have your car and your home base all in one, and travel around in a pretty sweet ride!
Nearby Towns
Olympic National Park has a few towns just outside the border of the park that are great for stopping to eat or explore.
Forks is on the northwestern side of the park, while Port Angeles is on the northeastern half.
On the other hand, North Cascades National Park is pretty far away from any cities, and the closest major city is Seattle.
Weather and Seasons
When thinking of Olympic National Park vs North Cascades in terms of weather, there are a few things to consider.
First, both parks are in mountainous regions, so you will most definitely see snow in each park during the winter months.
Second, since they are in Washington, there’s a pretty high chance that it also could be raining, especially in Olympic.
Below you’ll find a breakdown of the weather in each park during each season, to help you better plan.
Winter (November-March)
North Cascades sees a lot of snow in the winter, making it one of the snowiest places on Earth, and the temperatures are very cold.
Due to the snow and cold, the main road through the park typically closes in winter and it’s inaccessible, making hiking in winter tough.
Olympic also has snow, but typically only in higher elevations, such as the Olympic Mountain Range.
In lower elevations, in the rainforests and on the coast, you can expect to see well over 100 inches of rainfall and chilly temperatures.
Spring (April-May)
Snow starts to melt in both parks during the spring and the temperatures start to warm up, although you can still expect to see a lot of rain.
You’ll likely still see quite a bit of snow in higher areas and roads or trails may still be impassable.
Summer (June-August)
The warmest temperatures of the year start to come out during the summer, and it’s likely that you’ll see the sun pretty often!
Snow may still linger on the highest elevation trails into late July, but most things are starting to open up.
Rain may still be possible and thunderstorms happen often.
Fall (September-October)
Temperatures start to drop again and it starts to rain and get windy again, just as it does in the spring.
Snow may start to fall in early October.
In the mountainous regions, larches begin to turn a golden yellow color, making for a truly magical sight.
Best Time to Visit
While both parks are absolutely beautiful year-round, you’ll need to plan your visit carefully, since they are in mountainous regions.
In the winter, the highway that goes through NCNP closes down, so the park is inaccessible for much of the year.
Olympic is primarily open year-round, except in higher elevations in the Olympic Mountain area.
The best time to visit each park is from July through September when there is minimal snow and nearly everything is open.
In fact, some of the best times are in September through early October when the larches are starting to turn golden.
Be aware that there could still be some snow, and this is the peak season, so there will be a lot of people.
But due to the snow in the areas at other times of the year, it’s tough to plan a visit during the other seasons.
Time Needed to Visit
Olympic National Park covers a very large area and it takes quite a bit of time to see the entire thing.
Quite honestly, with how large it is, it would be tough to see all that you want to within the park in an entire week!
I would recommend having a minimum of 3 days in ONP, but shoot for closer to 4 or 5 days, if you’re able to!
As for North Cascades, it’s still a large national park, covering over 500,000 acres, but you don’t need quite as long to see the park.
I would recommend 2-3 days and more if you’re able, but this is a good starting point to see all of the main attractions!
Crowds and Wait Times
National parks have begun to see a lot more crowds in recent years than they did in the past, and this should be taken into consideration when planning a visit.
Olympic National Park tends to get busy in the summer months, especially in the most popular locations such as the Hoh Rainforest.
The peak crowds arrive between 10 am and 5 pm on summer days, meaning that parking lots will fill very quickly during these times.
One nice thing about Olympic is that it’s a very large park, so it’s easier to spread out and go somewhere else if a parking lot is full.
If you’re able, consider visiting in the off-season to avoid some of the crowds, as Olympic is pretty accessible in lower elevations year-round.
As for North Cascades, it is one of the least visited parks, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any crowds.
You’re still going to see full parking lots and busy roads because there are a lot of hikes that are only accessible during the summer.
But the crowds and wait times might not be as long as they are at other parks, such as Olympic and Mount Rainier.
To avoid crowds at either park, arrive early in the morning and try to visit on weekdays rather than weekends.
You can also try to visit during the off-season if possible, although this can be tough when you’re in the mountains.
Entrance Fees
While most national parks require an entrance fee, North Cascades is a bit different, and requires nothing, making it free to visit!
On the other hand, Olympic National Park requires a $30 weekly vehicle fee, or I recommend purchasing an $80 annual America the Beautiful Pass.
This $80 pass gets you into any national park, monument, etc. for the entire year.
How Far Apart are Olympic and North Cascades?
Although they may seem much closer on a map, North Cascades and Olympic are nearly 5 hours away from each other’s nearest entrances.
This is almost 220 miles since you have to go around the entire Puget Sound, which of course, adds quite a bit of time onto the drive.
Don’t forget to consider any traffic that you may encounter in Seattle!
This is also just a reminder that this distance and time could be much longer if you’re coming from different areas in the park.
For example, if you’re coming from Rialto Beach and are heading to Diablo Lake, the drive may be closer to 7 hours.
Is Olympic or North Cascades Better for Hiking?
If you’re looking to do some major hiking and get some pretty epic views, and are wondering whether to go to North Cascades or Olympic, then I recommend NCNP.
This park is well known for its expansive, beautiful mountain views that are totally unmatched.
There are plenty of longer trails for full-day adventures as well as shorter ones to just spend the morning outdoors, and maybe catch a sunrise.
No matter how you’re wanting to hike, there are plenty of trails around NCNP for every type of hiker.
Which Park is Better if I’m Not a Hiker?
If you aren’t much of a hiker and prefer to view the sights from the car of viewpoints, then I recommend heading to ONP.
There are a lot more short hikes and easy viewpoints compared to North Cascades.
You can also do simple things such as walking on the beach or viewing the mountains from the visitor centers.
Many people also enjoy spending time in the towns of Port Angeles and Forks, so you could grab lunch or dinner in either of these.
Olympic vs North Cascades: The Verdict
Overall, the choice of which Washington national park to visit is pretty tough because of how beautiful and unique each of them is.
But if you’re trying to decide to visit Olympic or North Cascades National Park, consider everything we’ve talked about and make that decision.
Personally, I would choose North Cascades National Park for its beautiful views, hiking, and minimal crowds compared to other parks.
This park has a lot of great long-distance hikes, ending with epic mountain views, and gives you the chance to fully escape reality.
But, if you’re looking for somewhere with shorter hikes or things closer to the car, and a lot of diversity, then Olympic will be the place for you.
The top things to think about are what activities you want to do, how long you have to visit, and what time of year you’re planning to visit,
These top considerations will help you make a better decision!
FAQs
What is the Prettiest National Park in Washington?
This question is a tough one because all three parks are magnificent.
But personally, I think that North Cascades National Park is the prettiest national park in Washington and has some of the best views.
With jagged mountains, shimmering alpine lakes, and dense forests, it’s a pretty magical place.
Is North Cascades National Park Worth Visiting?
Although NCNP is rated as the least visited national park in the country, yes, it’s absolutely worth visiting!
Just because it’s located in a remote location doesn’t make it any less beautiful!
Expect expansive mountain views, wildlife spotting, alpine lakes, epic hiking trails, and fewer crowds! Score!
Which is Better Olympic National Park or Mt. Rainier?
Both Olympic and Mount Rainier are fantastic national parks, but I personally prefer ONP due to its diversity.
Mount Rainier is great for viewing simply the mountain, but that’s the main attraction in the park, compared to how Olympic has multiple attractions.
Is Olympic National Park Worth Seeing?
Yes, Olympic National Park is highly worth visiting!
It’s a massive park with a lot of diversity and a very unique feel to it.
It’s one of my favorite parks that I’ve ever been to, and I highly recommend that everyone visit!
When Can I See Larches in the North Cascades?
Larches are one of the most popular things to see in the Cascades in the fall months.
They typically start to turn their signature golden color as early as mid-September and into late October.
But be sure that you’re on top of it, because they sure don’t last for long!
Wrap-Up: Olympic and North Cascades
As one of the most diverse national parks in the country and one of the least visited, Olympic or North Cascades are close contenders for which is best.
Both offer beautiful views of Washington state’s mountain ranges and natural beauty.
But if you have limited time and have to choose one, which is best, Olympic National Park vs North Cascades?
I hope that this post was able to help you make a good decision for yourself and that you’re able to enjoy Washington’s parks.
