Cell Phone Coverage in Olympic National Park and Beaches?

Submitted by frightened_octopus t3_1064sc4 in Washington

How has people's cell reception been in Olympic National Park, specifically in Hoh Rainforest and along Upper Hoh Road, and the various trails along here? I've checked the coverage maps for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, and it seems like Verizon is the best, but I wanted to know what people's real world experience has been using them along the trails. Also what has been people's experience using a cell signal booster in here? I'd immensely like to be able to call and possibly text in here if possible. If I could accomplish anything it'd be to be able to make and receive consistent calls and possibly also texts while on the trails. Data in any form I don't have to have, though obviously it would be nice if I could achieve that to. The same questions go for the various beaches, such as Ruby, Rialto, Second, etc.

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Icy-Book2999 t1_j3en0s9 wrote

The beauty is that a lot of these areas don't have coverage.

Enjoy that.

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MystikxHaze t1_j3emfud wrote

Don't plan on using your phone a lot. I have Verizon and it was really hit and miss. Mostly miss. My girlfriend has T-Mobile and hers was worse. We visited the past September and were all over the park.

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Nearly_Pointless t1_j3er30q wrote

Cellular coverage has always been and will always be location dependent. And by that I mean exactly where you are standing at the moment you place a call. A few steps either direction in some remote places is the difference between some signal and absolutely none.

If you absolutely need coverage, buy a sat phone.

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Row30 t1_j3eu1pu wrote

Check out and enjoy your hike…

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ChampagneStain t1_j3f3jit wrote

I have AT&T and service is basically non-existent unless in Forks. I camp solo out that way frequently and personally find it refreshing to disconnect. It’s part of the experience. My phone is only used as a camera and if I need to check in I just go to Forks. I also fish solo on the rivers and have a Garmin satellite device for emergencies. It’s tiny and lets me send/receive simple text messages if needed (at five cents apiece on top of a monthly subscription plan) and has an SOS button if I ever need serious immediate help. If you’re worried about safety, I’d recommend something like that. Otherwise, try disconnecting! Even if service was an option, please don’t make audio calls while hiking trails. You’d be intruding on the solitude others went out there to find.

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frightened_octopus OP t1_j3gm6rq wrote

I do really like that point on intruding on the solitude others went out there to find. Something I didn't mention was I would be going there in a January and at latest a February specifically because it's least busy around that time of year. I know it will be cold, muddy, rainy, and some roads will probably be closed due to weather hazards. Don't care, I LOVE the rain, the mist, the clouds, and the fog, and love the isolation/emptiness of places. When I drove through Olympic National Park three years ago in February, stopping in Forks and going to Ruby and Rialto Beach all in one day, although the cold, soggy ground, and road closures weren't nice, I still loved it so much I'd go back there around the same time. And I didn't even get to see Hoh because road closures and was just walking on the basically empty beaches in my vans. And I didn't plan on hiking the whole time while talking on the phone or just looking at my phone screen. I was interested in where coverage spots might be so I could hike and see everything first, then explore around those coverage spots, and if I happen to find a spot that I particularly think is beautiful, I planned to rest there in a beautiful spot to make a phone call or two surrounded by nature and an environment I truly loved, all while nobody or basically nobody is around for miles. I loved that part when I also went to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in northern California later in this same trip and hiked, found the most gorgeous places on the planet and encountered at absolute most four, if not more like two or three other people over a near seven mile hiking trail. Zero phone coverage as well, just this time when I go back I was thinking I'd truly like the option to be able to call should I want, otherwise the environment of these places always outshines anything you could see on your phone.

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Obvious_copout t1_j3f728w wrote

Not just in the park, but a lot of highway 101 in that area you won't have cell service.

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renownbrewer t1_j3iwnah wrote

Depending on carrier and phone settings you may even experience roaming to a Canadian carrier along the straights and San Juan islands.

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FullSpecial t1_j3fgb7m wrote

The opensignal app has a map that shows crowdsourced coverage by carrier. Coverage for most is ok near the major highways. Not much coverage (or not much crowdsourcing) in the park at all.

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idontlikeseaweed t1_j3evuvw wrote

I didn’t have coverage really at all over there. AT&T

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Wall_clinger t1_j3f353m wrote

Forks had some, but once you’re in the park pretty much expect no service anywhere

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cmotdibblersdelights t1_j3fnvjv wrote

Not much coverage when I went last summer, used Verizon. On some of the beaches on the north side, your phone starts picking up signal from Canada and you get a text about international data usage.

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GingrrAsh t1_j3g3536 wrote

I have T-Mobile, and no coverage in the Hoh. I have to get back to 101 before I have coverage again. Also no coverage in La Push. Again once I get back on the 101 from La Push, it picks back up. Forks is the only are with signal. I personally really enjoy going off the grid when I go out there. I just take a good book and also enjoy nature.

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DeepSi6 t1_j3g3vb0 wrote

Yup just toss it in your backpack for a few days. It’s refreshing.

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magical_seal t1_j3h814u wrote

I have Verizon & did not have much coverage. I stayed at kalaloch lodge and did not have any service while I was there

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BarnabyWoods t1_j3eu47f wrote

Verizon has the best coverage in the Olympics, but that's still not very good. You can find service on some high ridges, like High Divide and Klahhane Ridge, and in the Elwha Valley near Elwha Ranger Station, but in general you won't have service in river valleys like the Hoh. Haven't tried on the beaches, but I doubt you'd find much service.

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