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Olympic National Park’s forests, mountains, beaches look unreal

Olympic National Park looks straight out of a fairy tale or film.

Its beauty is unreal.

”We’ve got rugged glacier-capped mountains, more than 60 miles of wild Pacific coasts, and these massive, magnificent stands of old growth and temperate rain forests,” said Molly Pittman, Public Affairs specialist at the park. “Every shade of green that you can imagine.”

Located in northwest Washington state, the park has more than 922,000 acres, 95% of which are designated wilderness. 

“If you haven’t been to this part of the country before … you might be the most awestruck by the size of the trees and maybe also just the richness of growing things,” Pittman said. 

Here’s what travelers can expect at Olympic National Park, the latest park in USA TODAY’s yearlong series.

What is so special about Olympic National Park?

A backpacker hikes up a mountain at Olympic National Park.

Olympic National Park’s three distinct ecosystems offer visitors a world of opportunity.

“(You) can stroll along the coast and witness the power of the Pacific Ocean,” Pittman said. “You can hike for a full week through Olympic National Park, into the backcountry and out. You can drive up to Hurricane Ridge and view this sea of mountain tops.”

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