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Facts About Olympic National Park

Alex Mathew
The Olympic National Park is known for its biodiversity and is considered one of the most beautiful parks in America. This story looks at some interesting facts about this wonderful natural wonder - the Olympic National Park.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal time to visit the park is from July through September. About 2.4 million visitors visit the park each year.
Olympic National Park in Washington is one of America's most popular parks. Throngs flock to see this piece of paradise right through the year. It boasts of a rich and diverse flora and fauna thanks to its location.
The park is also recognized as a World Heritage Center by the UNESCO, along with being designated as an International Biosphere Reserve. Here are some other facts about this mesmerizingly beautiful park.
  • The park was originally named Mount Olympus National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1909.
  • On June 29, 1938, the park was named a national park by President Franklin Roosevelt.
  • The park covers 922,651 acres of land.
  • The park is made up of four parts - the Pacific coastline, alpine regions, the west side temperate rainforests, and the forests of the east side.
  • The park is often called 'three parks in one', as it covers three ecological systems - the rugged snow-capped mountains, wild Pacific coast, and the temperate rainforests.
  • In 1988, 95% of the park was designated as the Olympic Wilderness.
  • In 1976, it became an International Biosphere Reserve.
  • It was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
  • The park is contoured by a total of 13 rivers.
  • The water bodies (rivers and streams) in the park run along a length of over 3,000 miles.
  • The Olympic mountains are made up of oceanic rock, and surfaced as a result of the collision of the Pacific Ocean floor with the North American continental plate.
  • The locals here call the park 'a gift from the sea'.
  • The park has about 60 named glaciers.
  • The park is home to 15 animals, and 8 plants which are not found anywhere else in the world.
  • There are about 1,200 plant, 300 bird, 37 fish, 20 amphibious animal, and 56 mammal species found here.
  • The mountain goats that dot the mountains here were introduced in the 1920s, before the park was formed.
  • Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain (7,979') in the Olympic Mountain range.
  • The highest rainfall of 200 inches is received on the slopes of Mount Olympus.
  • The park covers over 650 archaeological sites, including 130 historic structures.
  • 2,824,908 people visited the park in 2012.
As the park celebrates its 75th birthday (although the place itself has been around for many centuries), it undoubtedly shines just like a diamond in the Olympic Peninsula, attracting visitors from far and wide. So, what are you waiting for? Get packing, and take a trip to this mystical land. Bon Voyage.