Olympic National Park Campgrounds Compared

Olympic National Park campgrounds put you on an ocean bluff, beside a rain forest river, on a lakeshore or high in the mountains. Each one books differently, and seasons shift every year. This guide compares the frontcountry campgrounds you can drive to, using the National Park Service and recreation.gov listings as of October 2026.

Olympic National Park campgrounds at a glance

Dates below are the 2026 season as published on the park’s camping page, which the park updated on October 10, 2026. Campgrounds can close at short notice for weather, so call (360) 565-3131 or check that page before you go.

Campground	Setting	Sites	Season and booking (2026)
Kalaloch	Coast bluff	170	Year round; reserve May 15 to Sep 20
South Beach	Coast bluff	55	May 19 to Oct 10; first come
Mora	Coastal forest	94	Year round; reserve May 15 to Sep 20
Ozette	Lake Ozette	15	Year round; first come
Hoh Rain Forest	Rain forest river	78	Year round; reserve Jun 12 to Sep 6
Graves Creek	Quinault rain forest	30	Year round; first come; no RVs
North Fork	Quinault rain forest	9	Year round; first come
Queets	Queets River	20	Year round; first come
Fairholme	Lake Crescent	88	Apr 25 to Sep 29; reserve May 15 to Sep 29
Log Cabin Resort	Lake Crescent	38	May to October; phone booking
Sol Duc	Sol Duc River	82 plus 17 RV	Reserve Mar 20 to Nov 1
Heart O’ the Hills	Old growth forest	97	Year round; first come
Deer Park	Mountains, 5,400 feet	14	June to mid October; first come; tents only
Staircase	Skokomish River	49	Seasonal; reserve Jul 8 to Sep 29

Campground reservations and first come, first served sites

Campground reservations go through recreation.gov, and the busiest campgrounds release their loops in stages. At Kalaloch, for example, the A and B loops open six months ahead, C and D two weeks ahead, and E and F just four days ahead. Hoh works the same way with its A, C and B loops, so a last minute trip is not always hopeless.

At first come campgrounds you pick an open site and self register at the board. Where a reservable campground has an unreserved site, you can usually claim it in person for one night only. In mid October most reservable campgrounds have already switched to first come, Sol Duc takes bookings through November 1, and Fairholme and South Beach have closed for the season.

Camping on the coast

Kalaloch Campground

Kalaloch Campground is the park’s biggest, and some sites sit right above the Pacific. The bluff is wearing away: the recreation.gov listing reports serious erosion in the A, D and E loops, and a number of bluff sites are permanently closed. Stays are capped at seven days in the reservation season, gathering wood is not allowed, and firewood is sold at Kalaloch Lodge about half a mile south.

South Beach, Mora and Ozette

South Beach, in the Kalaloch area, is a simpler bluff top campground with big ocean views and beach access, flush toilets but no drinking water. Mora sits in coastal forest two miles from Rialto Beach, the starting point in our guide to Rialto Beach and Hole in the Wall. Tiny Ozette, on Lake Ozette, is the base for the Ozette Triangle hike; some of its sites flood in winter.

Rain forest campgrounds

Hoh Rain Forest Campground has summer ranger programs and some sites along the Hoh River. Recreation.gov notes that loops may close for winter, bad weather, or the elk rut and calving seasons, and that entrance lines are common, so arrive before 10 AM or after 5 PM. Our guide to the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park covers the trails nearby.

The three small rain forest campgrounds are quieter and more basic, with pit toilets and no running water. Graves Creek sits by a stream in the Quinault Rain Forest and doesn’t allow RVs or trailers. North Fork has just nine sites, and Queets can only be reached by the Upper Queets Road after a past mudslide.

Lakes, rivers and mountains

Fairholme, at the west end of Lake Crescent, has lakeside sites and a boat launch nearby. Log Cabin Resort, a concession on the same lake, adds full hookup RV sites, showers and laundry; our Lake Crescent guide has more on the area. Sol Duc’s campground and RV park, run by Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, sit by the river in old growth forest.

Heart O’ the Hills, surrounded by old growth, has 97 sites, summer ranger programs and year round camping, walk in only during heavy snow. Deer Park sits at 5,400 feet at the end of a steep, winding gravel road, with mountain views, starry skies and tent sites only. Staircase offers old growth and riverside sites on the Skokomish River.

Rules to know before you pitch a tent

• Bring a valid park pass; recreation.gov listings say the state Discover Pass is not accepted. Our guide to Olympic National Park entrance fees covers passes and nightly camping fees.
• Up to 8 people per site, quiet hours 10 PM to 6 AM, checkout at 11 AM.
• Stay up to 14 consecutive days a year in the park, and 7 at Kalaloch, Mora and Hoh in the reservation season.
• Keep food, scented items and trash in your car or a food locker; our black bear safety guide explains why.
• Pets stay on a 6 foot leash; see where dogs can go in the park.

Vehicle camping is only allowed in these campgrounds. For backcountry trips, read our wilderness permit guide.

How Friends of Olympic National Park helps

We are Friends of Olympic National Park (FONP), a volunteer led friends group in Port Angeles. We don’t run any campgrounds, but our volunteers help care for places campers love, including our beach cleanups in Olympic National Park. If you camp here often, become a member and help us keep that work going.

Frequently asked questions