Olympic National Park, National Park in Washington, US
Olympic National Park is a national park on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State along the western coast of the United States. The area protects ancient rain forests with moss-draped trees and ferns, alpine peaks with glaciers, and long stretches of Pacific shoreline with tide pools and rock formations.
Congress established the park in 1938 at the urging of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to preserve a large herd of elk and undisturbed forests. Parts of the landscape were later recognized as a World Heritage Site for protecting temperate rain forest and a diversity of habitats.
Native American tribes of the Olympic Peninsula maintain strong connections to the park lands through traditional gathering and ceremonies.
Hiking trails range from short beach walks to multi-day mountain routes, with some paths becoming impassable in winter due to snow. Visitors should bring clothing for changing weather, as rain and fog are common even in summer.
The Hoh Rain Forest receives up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) of rainfall each year, making it one of the wettest places in the continental United States. Some of the spruce trees in the park stand over 300 feet (90 meters) tall and are among the tallest of their kind in the world.
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