Olympic National Park - Green As Can Be
If you love the color green, Olympic National Park is for you.
Located in the State of Washington, this park is simply
beautiful.
With plenty of rain throughout the year, the park is in a
constant state of insanely beautiful green. Much bigger than it
first appears, Olympic spreads over 900,000 acres. The geography
ranges from coastline to thick forest to mountains capped with
glaciers. Much of the park is classified as a rain forest, which
means you’ll need a coat to handle the cool temperatures most of
the time. This is made up, however, by waterfalls that pour off
of cliff faces into pools of crystal clear water.
Located roughly two hours outside of Seattle, Olympic National
Park is 95 percent wilderness. This untamed geography is an odd
contrast so close to a major city. Despite the close location,
the park is home to over 1,000 plant species, 300 bird species
and 70 mammal species. Of this collection, the park is the only
place in the world where 15 types of animals and 8 plant species
can be found.
With its northwestern location, water is a constant at Olympic
National Park. Depending on the time of year, rain can be a
constant. Annually, parts of the park receive roughly 12 feet of
rain. This massive volume of rain has a side benefit, to wit,
the forested areas of the park have grown massive. Old growth
trees top 200 feet in some areas and the ground area is covered
with ferns like you’ve never seen before in your life.
With so much rain, it probably isn’t a surprise the park
contains over 3,000 miles of waterways and 29 species of fish.
Of note, Steelhead and Pacific Salmon use the rivers to migrate
to and from the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, no fishing is
allowed in the park.
If you visit Olympic National Park, it is best to just start
cruising the trails. With over 600 miles of them, you’ll have
plenty to do.
