Olympic National Park, Washington

Explore the rugged birth of the Olympic Mountains in this concise natural‑history guide. Listeners will travel back 12‑20 million years to witness how ancient seas, volcanic eruptions, and relentless uplift forged the towering peaks and deep valleys that define the park today. The narrative paints vivid pictures of sediment turning to slate, basaltic ridges outlining a horseshoe‑shaped rim, and the rare fossils that whisper of marine life from tens of millions of years ago.

The story then shifts to the more recent forces that reshaped the landscape: massive ice sheets and piedmont glaciers that carved valleys, scoured cliffs, and left behind a legacy of dramatic glacial features. Interwoven with this geological tale is a glimpse into the park’s stewardship, detailing how the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior protect this unique environment for future generations. Listeners gain a clear, engaging understanding of the natural forces that created one of America’s most spectacular wildernesses.