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Washington · 3 national parks · 14 other NPS sites

National parks in Washington

Last verified Sources ↓
Washington has 3 national parks: Olympic, Mount Rainier and North Cascades. 14 more National Park Service sites round out the map, from Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve to Wing Luke Museum Affiliated Area.
123Seattle
Numbered by 2025 visits. ★ Seattle, Washington's largest city.

At a glance

Washington, by the numbers

National parks in Washington at a glance
National parks3: Olympic, Mount Rainier and North Cascades
Other NPS sites14 see nps.gov
Most visited park, 2025Olympic 3,584,187 visits (#9 of 63)
Entrance feesFree to $30 per vehicle
Newest national parkNorth Cascades, October 2, 1968
Oldest national parkMount Rainier, 1899
Nearest to SeattleMount Rainier 61 mi straight-line, ≈ 1 h 20 min drive (est.)

3 national parks

Washington's 3 national parks

Busiest first, by 2025 recreation visits.

  1. Photo: NPS Photo/Jon Preston

    Est. 1938

    Olympic National Park

    2025 visits
    3,584,187
    Entrance
    $30 / vehicle
    Busiest month
    August
    Quiet month
    June

    “Protects a vast wilderness…” (NPS)

  2. Photo: NPS Photo / E. Brouwer

    Est. 1899

    Mount Rainier National Park

    2025 visits
    1,635,342
    Entrance
    $30 / vehicle
    Busiest month
    July
    Quiet month
    June

    “The most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A.…” (NPS)

  3. Photo: NPS Photo/D.Dixon

    Est. 1968

    North Cascades National Park

    2025 visits
    46,925
    Entrance
    Free entry
    Busiest month
    July
    Quiet month
    September

    “An alpine landscape beckons…” (NPS)

From Seattle

The closest national parks to Seattle

Measured from Seattle, Washington's largest city (784,777 people, Census 2025 estimate). Straight-line miles; drive times are our rough estimate.
Nearest national parks to Seattle
ParkStraight lineDrive (estimate)
Mount Rainier National ParkWA61 mi≈ 1 h 20 min
Olympic National ParkWA62 mi≈ 1 h 30 min
North Cascades National ParkWA92 mi≈ 2 h 10 min
Crater Lake National ParkOR323 mi≈ 7 h 40 min

National parks near Seattle →

14 other NPS sites

Beyond the national parks

Monuments, historic sites, trails and more: every other place the National Park Service lists for Washington, grouped by type. Links go to nps.gov.
5 National Historical Park · 3 National Historic Site · 2 National Historic Trail · …Show all 14

National Historic Trail · 2

National Geologic Trail · 1

National Historical Reserve · 1

National Recreation Area · 1

From the NPS Data API; the same list as Washington's page on nps.gov. Trails and other multi-state sites appear under each state they cross.

FAQ

Washington, answered

How many national parks are in Washington?
3: Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park. Washington also has 14 other National Park Service sites, such as Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
What is the most visited national park in Washington?
Olympic National Park, with 3,584,187 recreation visits in 2025, #9 of the 63 national parks. The least visited in Washington was North Cascades (46,925).
What is the newest national park in Washington?
North Cascades National Park, established on October 2, 1968. The oldest is Mount Rainier National Park (1899).
Do national parks in Washington charge an entrance fee?
Headline entrance fees run free to $30 per vehicle. North Cascades has no entrance fee. An America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees.
What is the closest national park to Seattle?
Mount Rainier National Park, about 61 miles from Seattle in a straight line, roughly 1 h 20 min by road on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Seattle is Washington's largest city.

Sources · 5

  1. 1.Washington: parks and places (nps.gov) · National Park Service
  2. 2.NPS Data API — /parks (all park units) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
  3. 3.NPS Visitor Use Statistics — monthly recreation visits, 2021–2025 (IRMA stats REST service) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) — Visitor Use Statistics Program
  4. 4.City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
  5. 5.2025 Gazetteer Files: Places · U.S. Census Bureau

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