Olympic in March: Crowds, Weather & What to Pack

Shoulder · VisitWhen score 64/100 · #5 of 12 months

March is a quiet month with trade-offs at Olympic National Park: crowds run 21% of the August peak (133,353 average visits). Weather: highs average 51°F and lows 36°F, with 17.2″ of precipitation and 11.8 hours of daylight. Computed from NPS and NOAA data. The computed best months are April and May; March ranks #5 of 12.

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Olympic in March: what the park service says

March is still the reduced-service season at Olympic. The park service says some roads, campgrounds and other facilities are closed or have shorter hours from October through May, and that the busiest months are June through September, so you trade services for quiet. The west side, home of the Hoh and Quinault rain forests, gets 100 to 170 inches of rain a year, and Hurricane Ridge records 30 to 35 feet of snow, so pack for both. Hurricane Ridge Road opens or closes with the weather: call the road and weather line, 360-565-3131, before you drive.

Source: NPS 1, NPS 2, NPS 3, checked 2026-11-07.

Crowds in March

Olympic averages 133,353 recreation visits in March — 21% of what August, the peak month, draws. Trailheads and parking fill accordingly — crowds are thin by this park's standards.

Weather & daylight

Days are cool (highs average 51°F), and mornings are chilly (lows average 36°F). This is one of the wetter months (17.2″ of precipitation on average). Mid-month daylight runs 11.8 hours.

NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station QUINAULT 4 NE, WA US (13 mi from park coordinates, 286 ft elevation) — conditions vary inside the park, especially with elevation. Daylight computed for the 15th of March.

What to pack for Olympic in March

Computed from the month's weather normals above — not a generic list.

• Warm mid-layer (fleece or light puffy) — mornings average 36°F
• Rain shell + pack cover — 17.2″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 17.2″ of precipitation is normal this month

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If your dates are flexible, consider shifting: The computed best months for Olympic are April and May.

Also at their best in March

Other parks whose computed March verdict is a best window — same NPS × NOAA formula:

• Great Basin in March — 10% of peak crowds, highs 48°F, score 81/100
• Shenandoah in March — 23% of peak crowds, highs 55°F, score 78/100
• Wind Cave in March — 15% of peak crowds, highs 50°F, score 78/100
• Mesa Verde in March — 17% of peak crowds, highs 47°F, score 77/100

Common questions

See also: the best national parks to visit in March · Last verified 2026-09-24