Operator Sought For Kalaloch Lodge In Olympic National Park

The National Park Service is seeking an operator for the Kalaloch Lodge in Olympic National Park, a year-round lodging and restaurant operation, mercantile store, and group campsite in Washington state. 

The 10-year contract takes effect on October 1, 2027. The commercial complex is at a scenic location along a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Guests have access to the rugged and undeveloped beach.

Olympic National Park is a diverse park of nearly 1,500 square miles with snow-capped mountains, a Pacific Ocean coastline, an impressive rainforest, and more.  It is home to four lodging facilities, with Kalaloch being the only one directly on the Pacific Coast. The lodge property was acquired by the Park Service in 1978.  According to NPS statistics, the Kalaloch District of the park where the concession is located attracted approximately 800,000 visitors in 2025, a 17 percent increase from the prior year. Approximately a third of annual park visitation occurs during the months of September and October.

The Kalaloch Lodge concession includes 48 guest rooms in the main lodge, a motel building, and a series of cabins. The main lodge houses the registration area, a small gift shop, and a full-service restaurant that seats 106 guests. An adjacent 1,500-square-foot retail store along Highway 101 sells groceries, gifts, camper supplies, souvenirs, and firewood.

The group campsite .2 miles south of the lodge can accommodate up to three small RVs or eight tents.  A maximum of 30 guests is permitted at the campground that, like the lodge, overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

The main lodge was constructed in 1953 of milled logs washed up along the shoreline. The building has 10 guest rooms: eight modest-size rooms plus two suites, all on the second floor. 

Seacrest House, the motel building, houses 10 guest room, including four suites that accommodate up to six guests. All but four of 28 cabins consist of log-cabin style cabins with wood-burning stoves and kitchens. The remaining four cabins sit on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

Kalaloch had 20 Bluff Cabins until 2023, when coastal erosion caused the Park Service to begin removing these units until just four remain. The Park Service indicates the likelihood that another two Bluff Cabins will be removed in the near future.

The Park Service projects the concession will generate between $7.3 and $8.05 million in revenues during 2028, the first year of the contract.  A little over half of this will come from lodging. Food and beverage service is expected to produce approximately half the revenues generated from lodging. Gross receipts for 2022, 2023, and 2024 were reported at approximately $7.6 million annually.

The Park Service estimates a new concessionaire will face an initial investment of $2.23 million, largely for personal property such as furniture and equipment.  Other initial expenses will include inventory, working capital, and startup costs such as hiring and training employees. The operator will also be required to spend an estimated $623,000 for replacing sprinkler systems and constructing two new RV sites for employees. 

Current available housing can handle from 30 to 35 employees. RV sites supplement this, although, according to the prospectus, some employees are required to live outside the park.

The concessionaire will be required to pay a minimum franchise fee equal to 9 percent of the first $5 million in annual revenues, 13 percent of the next $4 million in annual revenues, and 16 percent of revenues over $9 million. An additional 1 3/4 percent of revenue will be utilized for a component renewal reserve designed to cover the expense of replacing worn components such as walkways and roofing.

The Park Service will offer a one-day site visit on May 21, 2026.  Interested parties must contact NPS Commercial Services Specialist Kimberley Gagliolo ([email protected]) by noon (PST) May 19, 2026, to participate in the visit.

For additional information visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/concessions/cc-olym001-27.htm

Important dates for parties interested in pursuing the concession

Site visit registration due                     May 19, 2026

         Site visit                                          May 21, 2026

         Questions due                                  May 28, 2026

         Notice of intent to propose due          July 8, 2026

         Proposals due                                  August 5, 2026

         Hard copy transmittal letter due         August 11, 226

David and Kay Scott live in Valdosta, Georgia, and are authors of “Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges” (Globe Pequot).  Visit them at blog.valdosta.edu/dlscott