Washington National Parks Road Trip: Olympic, Rainier, and North Cascades

Washington has three National Parks, and they couldn't be more different: rain forest and wild coast on the Olympic Peninsula, a glacier-covered volcano at Mount Rainier, and jagged peaks above turquoise lakes in the North Cascades. All three are within a few hours of Seattle, and they link up into one loop of about 750 miles that starts and ends at Sea-Tac.

This post is about getting between them: the ferries, the highways, the passes that close in winter, where to stay, and how many days to give it. Each park gets a short plan as you arrive, and the full days are in my guides.

Washington National Parks Road Trip at a Glance

• Parks: Olympic, Mount Rainier, and North Cascades.
• Start and finish: Seattle, as a loop.
• Driving: about 750 miles, plus the spur roads inside the parks.
• Time behind the wheel: about 16 to 18 hours over the trip, including a ferry crossing.
• How many days: 7 at the least, 9 or 10 to enjoy it.
• Best seasons: July through September.
• Pass: Olympic and Mount Rainier each charge $30 per vehicle in 2026; North Cascades charges no entrance fee. The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers both fee parks and many national forest trailheads.

Orientation sketch, not to scale. Check the official park maps for detail. Routes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); state lines from the U.S. Census Bureau.

How Many Days Do You Need?

Nine or ten days, and seven at the very least. Here's the math. Olympic isn't one place but several, strung around a peninsula with no road through the middle: Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, the Sol Duc valley, the coast, the Hoh, and Quinault. Seeing a fair sample takes three days and a lot of Highway 101. Mount Rainier needs two days, one for the Paradise side and one for Sunrise. North Cascades can be done in one long day on Highway 20, though two is better. Add the long transfer days and you're at nine.

With seven days, give Olympic two, Rainier two, and North Cascades one, and accept that you'll miss half of Olympic. With four or five, skip the loop and pair Rainier with North Cascades or do Olympic on its own.

Which Direction to Drive It

I'd go Olympic first, then Rainier, then North Cascades, as laid out here. Olympic's loop around the peninsula ends near Olympia, which is the natural jumping-off point for Rainier, and North Cascades sits a manageable 2.5 hours from Seattle, so it makes an easy last leg home.

Because it's a loop from Sea-Tac, there's no one-way rental fee. You can also start from Portland, Oregon: join the loop at Aberdeen or at Rainier, both about 2.5 to 3 hours north.

The Route, Leg By Leg

Seattle to Port Angeles: About 85 Miles, 2.5 Hours With the Ferry

The fast way is a Washington State Ferries boat from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island (or from Edmonds to Kingston), then Washington 305 and 3 to the Hood Canal Bridge and U.S. 101 west through Sequim to Port Angeles. The Hood Canal Bridge closes periodically to let ships through, so build in a little slack. If you'd rather skip the ferry, drive around by Interstate 5 to Olympia and U.S. 101 north up the canal, which is longer.

Port Angeles is the park's main gateway, with the visitor center and the road up to Hurricane Ridge, about 17 miles of climbing to a mile-high viewpoint. Hurricane Ridge Road runs on a reduced schedule in winter, so check Olympic National Park alerts before you plan around it outside summer.

A short plan for Olympic: Start at the Port Angeles visitor center with lunch, since the ridge had no food in 2026, and drive Hurricane Ridge Road, most reliable July to mid-September. Pay at Heart O' the Hills, walk the paved meadow paths, and picnic on Hurricane Hill Road (summer only). Turn back where the Hurricane Hill Trail steepens. If the road's closed, walk to Marymere Falls at Lake Crescent instead. My Olympic National Park guide has the full days.

Around the Olympic Peninsula on U.S. 101: About 230 Miles From Port Angeles to Aberdeen

Highway 101 wraps around the north and west sides of the park. From Port Angeles it runs along the south shore of Lake Crescent, past the turnoff to the Sol Duc valley, to Forks, about 57 miles. Forks is the main west-side town, with gas and groceries, and the jumping-off point for the beaches near La Push and the Upper Hoh Road to the rain forest. South of Forks, 101 touches the coast at Ruby Beach and Kalaloch, then turns inland to Lake Quinault and down to Aberdeen.

Two 2026 notes for the coast. Since May 1, 2026, the Quileute Tribe has charged $10 a day to park anywhere on its land, including the Second Beach trailhead, paid with the ParkMobile app or at the Lonesome Creek Store. And if you detour to Cape Flattery or Neah Bay, the Makah Tribe requires its own recreation pass, $20 per vehicle for 2026. Neither is covered by a park pass. Which valleys and beaches to fit into two or three days is what my Olympic National Park guide lays out.

Olympic National Park. Rialto Beach on an overcast September morning in 2024, looking north toward the sea stacks near Hole-in-the-Wall (photograph by Roller Coaster Philosophy, CC BY 2.0). Photo: Roller Coaster Philosophy, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

Olympic National Park. A hiker at a viewpoint on Mount Storm King above Lake Crescent in February 2022 (National Park Service photograph; public domain). Photo: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (National Park Service).

Aberdeen to Mount Rainier: About 120 Miles, 2.5 Hours

U.S. 12 and Washington 8 east to Olympia, then south and east on Washington 507 and 7 to Elbe, and Washington 706 through Ashford to the Nisqually Entrance, the only entrance open all year. From there it's about 19 miles past Longmire to Paradise, on the mountain's south side at about 5,400 feet.

Good news for 2026: Mount Rainier dropped its timed-entry reservations for the year and is handling summer crowds with parking management instead. The catch is that Paradise's lots still fill on summer weekends, and the park suggests the Stevens Canyon Entrance, on Washington 123 north of Packwood, as the shorter-wait alternative. My Mount Rainier National Park guide sorts out the Paradise side, the Sunrise side, and how to divide your days between them.

A short plan for Mount Rainier: Use the Nisqually Entrance and drive straight to Paradise, past the waterfalls. Walk the Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls and eat at the Paradise Camp Deli, usually open May through early October. Reflection Lakes on Stevens Canyon Road, which closes in winter, is your turnaround. Stop at Narada Falls and Christine Falls on the way down. My Mount Rainier National Park guide has the full days.

The road to Sunrise curving through golden autumn meadows below Mount Rainier in September 2020, in a National Park Service photograph (public domain). Photo: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (National Park Service).

Paradise to Sunrise: About 60 Miles, 2 Hours, Summer Only

Stevens Canyon Road runs east from Paradise past Reflection Lakes to Washington 123, which climbs north over Cayuse Pass to Washington 410 and the White River Entrance. The Sunrise Road then climbs to the park's highest point reachable by car. All of these are seasonal. Stevens Canyon Road, Cayuse Pass, Chinook Pass, and the Sunrise Road close in winter; in 2026, Chinook and Cayuse reopened on May 22. If you're driving a tall rig, note the tunnel on Washington 123 with a height limit of 13 feet 1 inch.

Subalpine daisies and other wildflowers along the Deadhorse Creek Trail at Paradise below Mount Rainier in July 2019, in a National Park Service photograph (public domain). Photo: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (National Park Service).

Mount Rainier to North Cascades: About 180 Miles, 3.5 to 4 Hours

From the White River side, take Washington 410 west to Enumclaw, then work north around Seattle on Washington 169, Interstate 405, and Interstate 5 to Burlington (exit 230). From there Washington 20, the North Cascades Highway, runs east up the Skagit River valley through Sedro-Woolley, Concrete, and Marblemount to Newhalem and the park's visitor center. Avoid Seattle traffic at rush hour if you can; it can add an hour.

North Cascades is the easy park to enter: there's no entrance fee and no reservation, and the highway itself is the main way to see it, past Gorge Creek Falls and the Diablo Lake overlook. Marblemount is the last gas going east until Mazama, about 70 miles on. My North Cascades National Park guide covers what to do along the corridor, from Newhalem to the lakes.

A short plan for North Cascades: There's no entrance station, so stock up in Marblemount and take Highway 20 east; the corridor has no restaurants. Stop at Gorge Creek Falls, have your packed lunch at the Diablo Lake Overlook, and turn around at the Ross Lake pullouts near milepost 136, a summer stop. On the way back, walk the Trail of the Cedars in Newhalem. My North Cascades National Park guide has the full days.

Highway 20 over Rainy and Washington passes closes every winter, usually from late fall into spring. 2026 was a hard year: after December flooding and a March rockslide, the crossing didn't reopen until June 14, 2026, tying the latest reopening on record. Check North Cascades National Park alerts and WSDOT before you plan to drive over the top.

North Cascades National Park. The milky turquoise water of Diablo Lake around its small forested islands in July 2013 (photograph by Jeff Gunn, CC BY 2.0). Photo: Jeff Gunn, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

North Cascades to Seattle: About 125 Miles, 2.5 Hours

Back down Highway 20 to Burlington and south on Interstate 5. If the passes are open and you have an extra day, you can instead continue east over Washington Pass to Winthrop and loop home by U.S. 97 and U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass, a much longer drive that turns the trip into the Cascade Loop.

A Sample 9-Day Driving Schedule

This is the driving skeleton only. The park days themselves are in the guides.

Day	Drive	Driving Time	Overnight Town
Day 1	Seattle to Port Angeles by ferry, about 85 miles	2.5 hours with the ferry	Port Angeles
Day 2	Olympic's north side from Port Angeles, then on to Forks, about 57 miles	About 1.5 hours	Forks
Day 3	Olympic's coast and rain forest, driving from Forks	Local driving	Forks
Day 4	Forks to Lake Quinault by way of Kalaloch, about 70 miles	About 1.5 hours	Lake Quinault
Day 5	Lake Quinault to Ashford by way of Aberdeen and Olympia, about 160 miles	About 3.5 hours	Ashford
Day 6	Mount Rainier's Paradise side, driving from Ashford	Local driving	Ashford
Day 7	Stevens Canyon to Sunrise, about 60 miles, then down to Enumclaw	About 3 hours	Enumclaw
Day 8	Enumclaw to Marblemount, about 150 miles	About 3 to 3.5 hours	Marblemount
Day 9	North Cascades on Highway 20, driving from Marblemount, then back to Seattle, about 125 miles from Newhalem	2.5 hours from Newhalem	Seattle

Where to Stay Along the Way

• Olympic: Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend on the north side; Forks on the west side; plus Lake Quinault and La Push. Inside the park, Lake Crescent Lodge, Log Cabin Resort, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, and Kalaloch Lodge, most of them seasonal (Kalaloch was open all year in 2026).
• Mount Rainier: the National Park Inn at Longmire, open all year, and the Paradise Inn, usually mid-May to early October. Outside, Ashford and Elbe on the southwest side, Packwood on the southeast, and Enumclaw and Greenwater toward Sunrise.
• North Cascades: Marblemount, Rockport, and Concrete on the west side; Mazama and Winthrop on the east. Inside the park complex, Ross Lake Resort's floating cabins (mid-June through October) are reached by trail or boat, not by car.

Best Time of Year to Drive It

July through September is the only window when every road on this loop is reliably open and the high country is free of snow. August is the driest month on the peninsula. It's also peak season, so book rooms early, especially inside the parks.

June is a gamble: Paradise can still be under snow, and the North Cascades Highway opened late in 2026. October brings fall color and fewer people, but the Paradise Inn and Sunrise close, the passes can get early snow, and the rain returns to the coast.

Winter splits the loop. Olympic's coast and rain forests stay open, Paradise is reachable from the Nisqually Entrance, and the west end of Highway 20 to Newhalem is open, but the North Cascades crossing, Sunrise, and the east-side passes at Rainier are closed. A winter version works as a set of out-and-back trips from Seattle rather than a loop.

Road Trip Tips for Western Washington

• Check the ferry schedule. Washington State Ferries posts sailing times and wait times; summer weekend lines can be long.
• Bring rain gear in every month. The west side of the Olympics is among the wettest places in the lower 48.
• Fill up in Forks, Aberdeen, Ashford, and Marblemount. Gas is sparse along the park roads themselves.
• Download maps and the guides. Cell service is weak or absent in much of all three parks.
• Carry a Northwest Forest Pass or the America the Beautiful pass. Many trailheads near North Cascades, including Rainy Pass, are national forest land with their own fee.
• Carry chains outside summer. Washington can require them on mountain roads, including the road to Paradise.

Plan Your Days Inside Each Park

This post gets you from park to park, with a short plan for each stop. The full days are what my guides are for: each one has nine itineraries for one, two, or three days at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for bad weather or a closure, plus orientation maps, the park's history, and the animals you're likely to see. You get an EPUB and a printable PDF, so the day's plan can ride in the car with you.

• Olympic National Park: nine itineraries, 12 animals to look for, 6 maps, and 33 photographs
• Mount Rainier National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 38 photographs
• North Cascades National Park: nine itineraries, 12 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 33 photographs

Short on time at one stop? Just an Afternoon is my free four-hour plan for every U.S. National Park.

Washington National Parks Road Trip FAQ

Do I need a reservation to enter Mount Rainier in 2026? No. The park didn't use timed entry in 2026. Olympic and North Cascades don't use it either.

Is the ferry worth it? Usually, yes. It's the shortest way from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula, and the crossing is a nice break. If the line is long, the drive around by Olympia works.

Can I do the whole loop in October? Partly. Expect the North Cascades crossing, Sunrise, and some lodges to be closed or closing, and check the alerts for each park before you set your route.

Which park should I cut if I'm short on time? North Cascades is the easiest to see quickly, since the highway does most of the work. If you have to drop one entirely, drop the one farthest from your interests rather than the farthest on the map.

Before you go: roads, campgrounds, and visitor centers close for snow, fire, and repairs, so check each park's alerts and current conditions, updated daily: Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades. For every park at a glance, see the park conditions dashboard.

Planning a different route? See all my National Park road trips.

This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Driving times are estimates without stops, and conditions change; check each park's current alerts before you go.