Olympic National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🦦 Sea Otters Along the Wild Coast
🌍 #275 Global · 3.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #52 in North America #58 in Temperate Forest
Pacific Northwest, United States 562 spp. recorded

Olympic National Park is a massive temperate conifer forest spanning the Pacific Northwest, featuring dense evergreen woodlands, jagged snowy peaks, and wild ocean shores. Visitors walk through moss-draped trails of giant hemlock and cedar, surrounded by towering mountain ridges and coastal tidepools.

47.779° N   123.597° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

30–40% · Possible
Olympic Marmot ★
LC Endemic

Olympic Marmot

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Marmota olympus

20–30% · Possible
American Black Bear ★
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

20–30% · Possible
Sea Otter ★
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Mule Deer
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

50–60% · Likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

40–50% · Likely
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

30–40% · Possible
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

30–40% · Possible
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
LC

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile rufescens

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

30–40% · Possible
Glaucous-winged Gull
LC

Glaucous-winged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucescens

30–40% · Possible
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

30–40% · Possible
Bald Eagle
LC

Bald Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

30–40% · Possible
Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

30–40% · Possible
Douglas' Squirrel
LC Endemic

Douglas' Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus douglasii

30–40% · Possible
Spotted Towhee
LC Endemic

Spotted Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo maculatus

20–30% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

30–40% · Possible
Olympic Marmot ★
LC Endemic

Olympic Marmot

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Marmota olympus

20–30% · Possible
American Black Bear ★
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

20–30% · Possible
Sea Otter ★
EN

Sea Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Enhydra lutris

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Mule Deer
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

50–60% · Likely
Harbor Seal
LC

Harbor Seal

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phoca vitulina

30–40% · Possible
Douglas' Squirrel
LC Endemic

Douglas' Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus douglasii

30–40% · Possible
Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

20–30% · Possible
Yellow-pine Chipmunk

Yellow-pine Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias amoenus

20–30% · Possible
Northern River Otter
LC Endemic

Northern River Otter

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Lontra canadensis

10–20% · With luck
Snowshoe Hare
LC

Snowshoe Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus americanus

10–20% · With luck
Northern Sea Lion
NT

Northern Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eumetopias jubatus

10–20% · With luck
Townsend's Chipmunk

Townsend's Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias townsendii

10–20% · With luck
California Sea Lion
LC

California Sea Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Zalophus californianus

10–20% · With luck
Killer Whale

Killer Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Orcinus orca

10–20% · With luck
Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

40–50% · Likely
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

30–40% · Possible
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

30–40% · Possible
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
LC

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile rufescens

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

30–40% · Possible
Glaucous-winged Gull
LC

Glaucous-winged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucescens

30–40% · Possible
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

30–40% · Possible
Bald Eagle
LC

Bald Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

30–40% · Possible
Spotted Towhee
LC Endemic

Spotted Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo maculatus

20–30% · Possible
Anna's Hummingbird
LC

Anna's Hummingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Calypte anna

20–30% · Possible
Golden-crowned Kinglet
LC

Golden-crowned Kinglet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Regulus satrapa

20–30% · Possible
Red-breasted Nuthatch
LC

Red-breasted Nuthatch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sitta canadensis

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Northwestern Garter Snake
LC

Northwestern Garter Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Thamnophis ordinoides

20–30% · Possible
Common Garter Snake
LC Endemic

Common Garter Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Thamnophis sirtalis

10–20% · With luck
Northern Alligator Lizard
LC Endemic

Northern Alligator Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Elgaria coerulea

10–20% · With luck
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
LC

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Thamnophis elegans

5–10% · With luck
Common Wall Lizard
LC Endemic

Common Wall Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Podarcis muralis

5–10% · Rare
Pond Slider

Pond Slider

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Trachemys scripta

<5% · Rare
Northern Rubber Boa
LC

Northern Rubber Boa

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Charina bottae

Insufficient data
Painted Turtle
LC

Painted Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chrysemys picta

Insufficient data
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
VU

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Caretta caretta

Insufficient data
Sharp-tailed Snake
LC

Sharp-tailed Snake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Contia tenuis

Insufficient data
Green Turtle
LC

Green Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chelonia mydas

Insufficient data
Western Fence Lizard
LC Endemic

Western Fence Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus occidentalis

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Western Toad
LC

Western Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Anaxyrus boreas

20–30% · Possible
Rough-skinned Newt
LC

Rough-skinned Newt

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Taricha granulosa

20–30% · Possible
Pacific chorus frog
LC

Pacific chorus frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Pseudacris regilla

20–30% · With luck
Northern Red-legged Frog
LC

Northern Red-legged Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Rana aurora

10–20% · With luck
Western Red-backed Salamander
LC

Western Red-backed Salamander

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Plethodon vehiculum

10–20% · With luck
Cascades Frog
LC Endemic

Cascades Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Rana cascadae

10–20% · With luck
Ensatina
LC Endemic

Ensatina

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ensatina eschscholtzii

10–20% · With luck
Olympic Salamander
NT Endemic

Olympic Salamander

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Rhyacotriton olympicus

5–10% · With luck
Coastal Tailed Frog
LC

Coastal Tailed Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Ascaphus truei

5–10% · With luck
Northwestern Salamander
LC

Northwestern Salamander

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Ambystoma gracile

5–10% · With luck
Cope's Giant Salamander
LC Endemic

Cope's Giant Salamander

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Dicamptodon copei

5–10% · With luck
Wandering Salamander
LC

Wandering Salamander

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Aneides vagrans

<5% · Rare

Animal Events

🦌

Roosevelt Elk Herds

Mar

Roosevelt elk concentrate in large herds in the lowland rainforest river valleys in late winter, when sightings in the Hoh and western valleys peak

Elk
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

30–40% · Possible
🐋

Humpback Whale Season

JunJulAugSepOctNov

Humpback whales feed off the Olympic coast and the western Strait of Juan de Fuca through summer and fall

Humpback Whale
LC

Humpback Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Megaptera novaeangliae

20–30% · Possible
🐋

Gray Whale Migration

AprMay

Gray whales pass the Olympic coast on their northbound spring migration to Alaska, visible from park beaches like Kalaloch

Gray Whale
LC

Gray Whale

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eschrichtius robustus

5–10% · With luck

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
30–40
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
Elk
20–30
20–30
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
Olympic Marmot
<5
<5
<5
<5
20–30
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
<5
<5
<5
American Black Bear
10–20
5–10
5–10
10–20
20–30
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
10–20
5–10
Sea Otter
20–30
10–20
10–20
20–30
10–20
20–30
20–30
10–20
10–20
20–30
20–30
10–20
Mule Deer
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
30–40
American Robin
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
30–40
American Crow
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
Song Sparrow
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
20–30
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
Dark-eyed Junco
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
40–50
40–50
40–50
Glaucous-winged Gull
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
10–20
20–30
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
Common Raven
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
Bald Eagle
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
10–20
30–40
40–50
40–50
Harbor Seal
20–30
30–40
40–50
30–40
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
40–50
20–30
Douglas' Squirrel
20–30
10–20
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
10–20
Spotted Towhee
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
30–40
30–40
40–50
Animal Events
🦌 Roosevelt Elk Herds
🐋 Humpback Whale Season
🐋 Gray Whale Migration

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate
🦦 Sea Otters Along the Wild Coast

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
407
🐒 Mammals
121
🦎 Reptiles
13
🐸 Amphibians
21
562 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
35 Threatened 77 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
37%
📊
Coverage (135 species at ≥5% of 562 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
24%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 4 mammal)
46% Global avg
59%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
94
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
10
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
2

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Olympic National Park?

The most likely sightings are Mule Deer (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), American Robin (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers), American Crow (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers), Song Sparrow (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (seen by 30–40% of wildlife watchers) — among 562 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Olympic National Park for wildlife?

October has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Elk in Olympic National Park?

Yes — about 31% of wildlife watchers report a Elk sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 487 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Olympic Marmot in Olympic National Park?

Yes — about 28% of wildlife watchers report a Olympic Marmot sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 406 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see American Black Bear in Olympic National Park?

Yes — about 23% of wildlife watchers report a American Black Bear sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 301 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Sea Otter in Olympic National Park?

Yes — about 19% of wildlife watchers report a Sea Otter sighting in Olympic National Park, based on 218 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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