Planning Your Wilderness Backpacking Trip

The Daniel J. Evans Wilderness remains one of the wildest regions in the contiguous United States. Nearly 50,000 campers enjoy Olympics' wilderness annually, with additional thousands exploring local day hikes. Listed below are various resources to help preserve this fragile ecosystem.

 

---

Backpacking permits are required year-round in Olympic National Park

---

Step One

Decide where to backpack and check area regulations and amenities

---

 

 

Hiker on Anderson Glacier Trail

• Backpacking FAQ Page

• Wilderness Regulations

• Trail Descriptions & Information

• Storing Food in the Wilderness

• Protect Olympic - Leave No Trace Guidelines

• Hiking the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNT) - New updates as of 04/2025

 

Still have Questions? Drop by or call a Wilderness Center - Information Center Hours & Locations

 

---

Step Two

Check the current trail conditions and road conditions. Consider forecasted weather, tidal restrictions, stream levels, and snow conditions.

---

 

 

---

Step Three

Reserve your permit. Permits are required year-round for all overnight backpacking. The majority of backcountry campsites can be self-booked through Recreation.gov.

---

 

View of Mt. Olympus

• Visit our Wilderness Permit Reservations page for information about our backpacking permitting system

• Book your Backpacking Permit on Recreation.gov

 

---

Step Four

Check the additional resources below for information that may pertain to your trip.

---

 

Wildflowers on Anderson Pass

• Pets in the Park

  Pets are not allowed in designated Wilderness or on overnight trips. See our Pets in the Park page for pet friendly day use areas.

• Wilderness Travel Basics

• Wilderness Safety

• Backpacking with a Large Group

• Traveling with a Horse or Pack Animal

Additional Resources

• Mountaineering in the Park
• Climbing Mount Olympus
• Winter Wilderness Conditions and Travel
• Guiding in the Park

 

In 1988, Congress designated 95% of Olympic National Park as Wilderness. In December 2016, Congress re-designated the "Olympic Wilderness" as the "Daniel J. Evans Wilderness" to honor Senator Evans' dedication to preserving our wildest places. The Wilderness Act of 1964 directs federal agencies to manage wilderness so as to preserve its wilderness character. Find out more about National Park Service Wilderness areas, wilderness designation, the Wilderness Act and other nearby wilderness areas.

Import our Camp Area and Trailhead locations into your mapping program (Google Earth, CalTopo, etc.) and GPS

• Camp area coordinates: GPX Format | KMZ Format | KML Format

• Trail head coordinates: GPX Format | KMZ Format

• Trail layer: KMZ Format