Olympic National Park History
Olympic National Park was established in 1938 and the paper was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt. Preservation of land on the Olympic Peninsula goes back to President Grover Cleveland, who established the Olympic Forest Reserve in 1887. By the late 1800's, logging the old growth forest was well underway and early explorers and conservationists urged the federal government to slow the logging and protect the forests. With the establishment of the National Forest Service in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Olympic Forest Reserve, previously controlled by the Department of Interior, was transferred to the National Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture. During this time, the movement to establish national parks and preserve the west was in full swing. In 1909, Teddy Roosevelt established the Olympic National Monument to protect the habitat of the huge herds of elk that reside on the Olympic Peninsula. Teddy Roosevelt was a big game hunter and understood that all animals need intact and healthy habitats for survival. For twenty-nine years after that, it was a big political battle to move the designation of Olympic National Monument to Olympic National Park. A president can create a national monument, but only congress can create a national park. The trees of the Olympic Peninsula where so valuable as a timber source, for many it was seen as an economic mistake not to sell the trees to support the economy and create jobs. During WWII and long afterwords, large amounts of Sitka Spruce trees were harvested, both legally and illegally for use in the building of airplanes. Sitka Spruce trees have the best weight to strength ratio and made excellent material for aircraft. It is not a coincidence that Boeing started building planes in Washington state. Olympic National Park currently protects 922,650 acres.

The old growth forest of the Olympic Peninsula is still valuable to many people for many reasons. Still today "poachers" cut down Western-red Cedars and Sitka Spruce for money. Still today there are people who argue to allow "limited" logging within Olympic National Park. However important the immediate needs of people may seem, the trees have much more value as they stand alive in the forest. When you cut down a 500 - 1,000 year old tree, it is gone forever and the money disappears quickly. But if you let the tree stand and support a larger eco-system, people from around the world, for many generation, will come to visit Olympic National Park and see the old growth forest of the largest temperate rainforest in the world. If you have never walked among this tremendous forest, now is the time to visit.
Olympic Spring and Summer News
Backpacking
Backpacking season starts early in Olympic National Park. There will be snow at higher elevations through early summer, but at sea-level the temperatures stay moderate and starting in March there are many great locations available for over-night trips. Check our website for a list of camping locations for any season.


Birding & Nature Tours
Late winter and spring are the best times of year for birding on the Olympic Peninsula with over 300 different species of birds identified on the peninsula and over 500 in Washington state.

Hiking
Olympic National Park has over 600 miles of maintained trails and nearly 70 miles of stunning Pacific Coastline. Choose your hike and habitat; rainforest, mountains or coastal routes.

Fly-fishing
Whether you enjoy an afternoon of fishing along the river, a day on Lake Crescent or including fly-fishing with your over-night backpacking trip to an alpine lake, we will have a tour for you. Check our website for more info.




Kayaking
You can explore the beauty of the Copalis River and the Ghost Forest and choose between a paddle-board, single kayak, or tandem kayak.


You can find out more and see all our great photos on social media
We are expanding our tours in Asia, Africa and Europe
2020
Argentina Birding, Butterflies, Waterfalls and Tango! (10 days) Jan 15 – 24, $3,850
Nepal Birding, Culture and Wonderful Easy Mountain Walks (10 days) Feb 19 – 28, $3,750
Sri Lanka Birding, Relaxing and Tranquility (10 days) March 5 – 14, $3,650
India Birding and Wildlife Viewing for Vegetarians (10 days) March 18 – 27, $3,650
Chicago Lyric Opera Ring Cycle and Urban Birding (8 days) April 12 – 19, $5,350
Iceland Southwest Birds, Waterfalls, Glaciers and Volcanoes (9 days) May 2 - 10, $4,150
Iceland Westfjords Birding Seabird Cliff Colonies (9 days) May 12 - 20, $4,150
Iceland Northeast Birds, More Birds, Sheep and Reindeer (9 days) May 22 - 30, $4,150
Santa Fe, New Mexico Opera Festival and New Mexico Birding (7 days) Aug 16 – 22, $3,950
Mongolia Birding, Wildlife Viewing and Culture (10 days) Sept 19– 28 $4,150
Sarawak, Borneo: Birding and Jungle Trekking (10 days) October 3 – 12, $3,650
Taiwan Birding and Culture Tour (10 days) Nov 1 – 10 $3,650
Taiwan Taroko Gorge Birding and Sightseeing (4 days) Nov 10 – 13, $1,050
Colombia Amazing Amazon Birding (10 days) Dec 1 - 10, $3,850
Stockholm Christmas, Winter Birding, Glögg and Julbord (8 days) Dec 21 – 27, $3,650
Estonia New Year's Eve in Tallinn (7 days) Dec 30 – Jan 5, $3,450

2021
Nicaragua Cloud Forest Birding and Coffee Tour (10 days) Jan 15 – 24, $3,450
El Salvador Birding and Culture Tour (6 days) Jan 26 – 31, $2,350
Nepal Birding, Culture and Wonderful Easy Mountain Walks  (10 days) Feb 10 – 19, $3,750
Sri Lanka Birding, Relaxing and Tranquility (10 days) Feb 23 – March 4, $3,650
India  Birding and Wildlife Viewing for Vegetarians  (10 days) March 8 – 17, $3,650
France, Birding the Camargue and Paris (10 days) March 26 – April 4, $3,850
France, Birding Brittany and Paris (10 days) April 6 – 15, $3,850
Chicago Urban Birding and Performing Arts Events (8 days) April 18 – 25, $3,250
Iceland Southwest Birds, Waterfalls, Glaciers and Volcanoes (9 days) May 2 - 10, $4,150
Iceland Westfjords Birding Seabird Cliff Colonies (9 days) May 12 - 20, $4,150
Iceland Northeast Birds, More Birds, Sheep and Reindeer (9 days) May 22 - 30, $4,150
Uganda Birding, Wildlife, Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees (10 days) June 3 - 12, $6,250
Sweden, Southwest Birding and Midsummer Celebration (10 days) June 16 – 25, $4,150
Åland Islands, Birds, Boats and Culture Tour (10 days) June 27 – July 6, $4,150
Santa Fe, New Mexico Opera Festival and New Mexico Birding (7 days) Aug 16 – 22, $3,950
Mongolia  Birding, Wildlife Viewing and Culture  (10 days) Sept 19– 28 $4,150
Sarawak, Borneo: Birding and Jungle Trekking  (10 days) October 3 – 12, $3,650
Taiwan Birding and Culture Tour  (10 days) Nov 1 – 10 $3,650
Taiwan Taroko Gorge Birding and Sightseeing (4 days) Nov 10 – 13, $1,050
Colombia Amazing Amazon Birding  (10 days) Nov 21 - 30, $3,850
Colombia Andes Birding (10 days) Dec 1 - 10, $3,850
Stockholm Christmas, Winter Birding, Glögg and Julbord (8 days) Dec 21 – 27, $3,650
Estonia New Year's Eve in Tallinn (7 days) Dec 30 – Jan 5, $3,450
Your Dedicated Guides
Kaiyote & Ed
Photo: Here we are at Damai Beach, Sarawak, Borneo Malaysia. We look forward to meeting and showing you all the great birds and wildlife and adventures that can be found around the world, the United States and in Washington state. Call us anytime! See you soon!
Kaiyote Tours www.KaiyoteTours.com +1 970-556-6103