Olympic National Park facts and information

Quick Stats

Total Area

922,561 acres

Annual Visitation

2,966,502 in 2011 (view all years)

Creation Date

June 29, 1938

Entrance Fee

$15 per car per week

Time Zone

Pacific

Lowest Elevation

0 feet at Pacific Ocean

Highest Elevation

7,965 feet on Mount Olympus

Lowest Average Temp

34°F in January

Record Low Temp

4°F in 1950

Highest Average Temp

72°F in August

Record High Temp

102°F in 1981

Our Last Visit

August 2010

Park Contact Information

Olympic National Park
600 East Park Ave, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Info at (360) 565-3130
Fax to (360) 565-3015

Park Creation Timeline

1897

In 1897 President Grover Cleveland creates the Olympic Forest Reserve.

1909

In 1909 President Theodore Roosevelt designates a portion of the reserve Mount Olympus National Monument, mostly in response to the slaughter of the area elk.

1938

In 1938 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs legislation creating Olympic National Park, absorbing the national monument. It was nearly named Elk National Park instead.

1976

International Biosphere Reserve status is given to the park by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

1981

The park is named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Animals and Plants

Olympic's huge variety of ecosystems leads to a huge variety of wildlife. Mammals includes Roosevelt elk, blacktailed deer, otters, seals, whales, dolphins, marmots, and porpoises.

There are 13 species of frogs, toads, and salamanders. The climate is not ideal for reptiles, but there are 3 snakes and 1 lizard species, none of which are venomous.

There are about 300 species of birds observed in the park.

The ecosystem variety results in over 1,200 types of plants. There are four types of forest alone, including montane, alpine, lowland, and temperate rain forest.

Olympic Facts

Quick Stats

Park Contact Information

Park Creation Timeline

Animals and Plants