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A moss-covered fallen tree arching over a trail in the Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0

National park · USA

Olympic National Park Animal Checklist

Olympic National Park in Washington is three parks in one: temperate rainforest with Roosevelt elk, high meadows with the Olympic marmot (found nowhere else on Earth) and a wild Pacific coast with tide pools, sea otters and grey whales. This checklist covers 63 animals. July to September is best for the mountains and the coast; March to May for migrating grey whales.

The park wraps around the Olympic Mountains, and there is no road across the middle, so each zone takes its own day. Pick your habitat, then pick your tide and your weather.

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See all 63 animals
The Olympic checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
63
Where
USA
Best time
Jul to Sept
Found only here
Olympic marmot

Headline animals in Olympic National Park

  • Elk, one of the animals to look for in Olympic

    Elk (Wapiti)

    The Roosevelt elk here is the largest elk subspecies in North America. Herds feed in the Hoh and Quinault rainforest valleys, most reliably from autumn to spring.

    Photo: USFWS Pacific, Public domain

  • Olympic Marmot, one of the animals to look for in Olympic

    Olympic Marmot

    Found only on the Olympic Peninsula. Look in subalpine meadows along the Hurricane Hill trail from June to September, before they hibernate.

    Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Black Bear, one of the animals to look for in Olympic

    Black Bear

    The only bear in the park. They forage in subalpine meadows in summer, and on the coast they turn over rocks and logs looking for food.

    Photo: USFWS Pacific, Public domain

  • Black-tailed Deer

    Common at Hurricane Ridge, where they graze the meadows beside the road, and in the rainforest valleys.

  • Grey Whale

    Pass the coast on their northward migration from March to May. Watch for blows from the bluffs at Kalaloch and La Push.

  • Sea Otter

    Reintroduced in 1969 and now thriving along the northern coast, usually in kelp beds offshore. Binoculars or a scope are essential.

  • Ochre Sea Star

    Purple or orange stars cling to rocks in the tide pools at Kalaloch Beach 4 and Hole-in-the-Wall. Look but don't lift them off.

  • Giant Green Anemone

    Bright green anemones fill the deeper pools at low tide. Don't touch: they are delicate and easily damaged.

  • Black Oystercatcher

    Loud black shorebirds with bright red bills, feeding on mussels on rocky shores at Rialto Beach and Ruby Beach.

  • Bald Eagle

    Common along the coast and rivers, especially in winter and during salmon runs.

All 63 animals to spot in Olympic National Park

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

Big mammals 3

Hunters 6

Small mammals 4

Whales and sea mammals 8

Birds of prey 6

Coast and water birds 14

Forest and mountain birds 10

Reptiles and amphibians 5

Fish 3

Tide pools 4

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in Olympic National Park

Summer is the most rewarding season: Hurricane Ridge meadows are snow-free, marmots are out, and the lowest daytime tides of the year expose the best tide pools. July to September is also the driest period on a very wet peninsula. Autumn brings salmon runs, including coho leaping at the Sol Duc Salmon Cascades in October and November, and bugling elk in the valleys. Winter is stormy but elk are easiest to find in the Hoh and Quinault, and Hurricane Ridge Road opens on some winter weekends. March to May is grey whale migration season along the coast, and spring low tides are good for tide pooling too.

  • Mar-MayGrey whales migrating north, spring low tides
  • Jun-AugOlympic marmots, best tide pools, driest weather
  • Sep-OctElk rut, coho at Sol Duc, humpbacks offshore
  • Nov-FebElk in the rainforest valleys, winter storms

Tips for spotting wildlife in Olympic National Park

  1. Time the tide pools

    Check a tide table and aim for a low tide of zero feet or lower, arriving an hour before it. Watch the incoming tide so you are not cut off at headlands.

  2. Look for elk in the Hoh

    Walk the Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail early in the morning. Herds rest in the open river flats and can block the road.

  3. Walk Hurricane Hill for marmots

    The paved trail from the end of Hurricane Ridge Road crosses marmot meadows. The day lodge burned in 2023, so bring food and water.

  4. Keep your distance

    The park asks for at least 50 yards from all wildlife, bears included. Wilderness campers must store food in approved canisters, as bears and raccoons raid camps.

  5. Scan the sea from Kalaloch

    The bluffs above Kalaloch Beach are a good place to watch for grey whales, harbour seals, cormorants and scoters.

The Wilder app

Take Olympic National Park with you

Visiting Olympic? Tick off elk, marmots and tide pool finds in Wilder as you go. It's free to start and works offline on the coast.

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  • A summary of the tripEverything you saw, day by day.
  • A passport stampOne for Olympic National Park, kept in your Wilder passport.
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The Olympic checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked

Olympic wildlife FAQ

What animals live in Olympic National Park?

Olympic National Park is home to Roosevelt elk, black bears, black-tailed deer, cougars, river otters and the endemic Olympic marmot. Along the coast you can see sea otters, harbour seals, sea lions and grey whales, and the tide pools hold sea stars, anemones and urchins. It has no grizzly bears or moose, which are found elsewhere in Washington.

Where can you see Roosevelt elk in Olympic National Park?

The Hoh Rainforest is the best place to see Roosevelt elk in Olympic National Park, especially along the Hoh River and the Hall of Mosses trail. The Quinault valley is also good. Elk are easiest to find from autumn to spring; in summer many move to higher ground. Keep at least 50 yards away, as the park asks for all wildlife, and more in the September rut.

What can you find in the tide pools at Olympic?

At low tide you can find ochre sea stars, giant green anemones, purple sea urchins, and gooseneck barnacles clinging to the rocks. The best spots are Kalaloch Beach 4, Hole-in-the-Wall near Rialto Beach and Second Beach. Step only on bare rock, don't move animals and put any turned rocks back exactly as you found them.

Are there bears in Olympic National Park?

Yes, Olympic National Park has black bears, but no grizzlies. Black bears are seen in subalpine meadows, rainforest valleys and on the coast, mostly from spring to autumn. They are generally shy, but they learn quickly to raid food, which is why wilderness campers must store all food and scented items in approved animal-resistant canisters.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

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