The Pacific Northwest is home to breathtaking mountains, cascading waterfalls, and incredible wildlife. However, what I would consider the crown jewel of it all is Olympic National Park. Located on the Olympic Peninsula, this National Park is home to old-growth forests, temperate rainforests, impressive mountain ranges, and some of the best beaches. After hiking in every corner of Olympic, I am here to share my favorite beach hikes in Olympic National Park.

Beach Hikes in the Olympics are otherworldly. They connect you from the forest to the sea. Some of the hikes are rather easy, just a quick jaunt from your car down to the shoreline. While others take you on an adventure-filled trek over rocks, through forests, and along the expansive coast. 

If you’re looking for an easy hike on the beach, Olympic National Park has trails for that. If you’re looking for a quest along the rocky shore, Olympic National Park has it. 

Some of my favorite easy beach hikes in Olympic National Park include Ruby Beach, Rialto Beach, and Cape Flattery. Some of my favorite beach backpacking trips in the Olympics include Toleak Point and Shi-Shi Beach. 

Let’s get into it!

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Guide to the Best Beach Hikes and Backpacking Trails in Olympic National Park

Female Hiker walking along Shi Shi beach on the Olympic Penninsula

Olympic National Park is one of my favorite places to hike in, because many areas of the park are accessible year-round. If you wanted to go backpacking in Washington in January, you could head over to the coastal area of Olympic National Park

Whether you’re looking to spend a full day, early morning, or long weekend hiking in Olympic National Park, there are some spectacular trails to conquer. This guide hopes to share everything you need to know about the best beach hikes in Olympic, from how to access Olympic National Park, trail fees, reading tide charts, and, of course, a list of my favorite trails in Olympic. 

If you have a question when it comes to planning your own hiking trip to Olympic National Park, feel free to leave a question in the comments. I would love to help!

Where is Olympic National Park?

Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula in the Northwest portion of Washington. The National Park is centrally located on the peninsula, with visitor centers dispersed around the park. 

The visitors center in Port Angeles gives visitors access to Hurricane Ridge, where popular hikes like Hurricane Hill, Grand Ridge, and Grand Valley are located. 

The Hoh Rainforest Visitors Center is located in Forks, WA, which is the access center to the Hoh River Trail, Hall of Mosses, and Blue Glacier. 

Most of the beach hikes are accessed on the west side of Olympic National Park.

Permits and Passes for Hiking in Olympic National Park

To access most of the hikes in Olympic National Park you will need an America the Beautiful Pass. The America the Beautiful Pass is an annual pass that provides access to all National Parks and Forests. It does have an annual cost of $80 which is rather steep, but when a day pass at National Parks is anywhere from $20 to $30 per day, it ends up being worth it in three visits.

For backpacking in Olympic National Park, you will additionally need a wilderness permit. Wilderness Permits can be purchased at Recreation.gov and picked up at the Wilderness Information Center in Port Angeles. Backpacking permits for the summer months are released for the entire year in April of that year. 

For hiking in Neah Bay, Shi-Shi Beach, and Cape Flattery, you will need a special permit from the Makah Indian Reservation. These Makah Recreation Permits can be purchased at several different stores on the reservation when you reach Neah Bay.

Beach Hiking Safety

Hiker walking along a beach

There are two major things to consider when it comes to your safety when completing beach hikes in Olympic National Park: bears and tides. 

Tides

It goes without saying that when hiking on a beach, you will have to pay attention to the tide. Many of the trails along the coast will have a tide chart posted, but it doesn’t always have the most accurate, up-to-date tide chart. This is why I would recommend printing out your own tide chart or having digital tide tables before reaching the trailhead. 

Otherwise, you can always stop into one of the visitor centers, where they will be able to tell you when high tide and low tide will occur on the trails you’re on. 

If you get caught on a trail during high tide, it is possible that you will need to wait out the tide until it goes back down. Some trails have overland options where you can climb up ropes to avoid being stranded on the beach during high tide. Trails like Toleak Point have ropes to help climbers ascend steep cliffs and avoid the high tide.

Bears & Wildlife

Black bears in Olympic National Park are rather prevalent. Whether you’re hiking or backpacking on beach trails in Olympic, you should take some precautions. Mostly, don’t leave any food unattended. If you’re backpacking, bring a bear can to store your food in. 

For more information on bears in Olympic National Park, read this article about everything you need to know about the Bears of Olympic.

Read Next: Safety Guide to Bears in Olympic National Park

Best Time to Hike in Olympic National Park

One of the big draws to hiking in Olympic National Park is that many areas of the park are accessible year-round. The time of year that you visit will impact the type of hike that you have, wet, snowy, dry, etc. However, trails along the coast and in the Hoh Rainforest are widely accessible every month of the year. 

While the best time to hike in Olympic National Park, in my opinion, is the fall. I love that I can visit Olympic National Park in winter and still find a beautiful snow-free hike.

If you’re hiking in the Olympics during the winter months, make sure you have waterproof layers including waterproof boots. 

The best time to do beach hikes in Olympic National Park is the late spring and early summer. The months are slightly warmer and there is less chance of rain. Since swimming at the beaches of Olympic National Park is extremely cold year-round, you can beat the crowds by hiking there during that time. It is also a great way to start getting back into the backpacking season by doing an early season overnight on the coast.

Easy Beach Hikes in Olympic National Park

Easy beach hikes in Olympic National Park should absolutely make it onto your itinerary. Many of the beach hikes in Olympic are accessible from Highway 101 making it really easy to hit many of the hikes on this list. Some of the included beach hikes are quick pull-offs with a walk down the beach while some might take an entire morning or afternoon. 

Enjoy!

Cape Flattery

Rocky coast with fall colors

Cape Flattery is an iconic trail on the Olympic Coast. This short hike brings you through coastal forest on a boardwalk trail to the Cape Flattery Observation Deck with beautiful views of Cape Flattery Lighthouse. This is a popular trail for good reason. The most effort for this trial comes at the end when you gain the elevation you lost to get back to your car. If you can, add this hike to your itinerary, do it!

This trail is extremely close to Shi-Shi Beach, so if you’re headed out to Shi-Shi, consider stopping at Cape Flattery too.

Cape Alava

Swing along Ozette Triangle hike in Olympic National Park

Cape Alava is part of a large trail system, Ozette Triangle. However, if you’re not up for a 9-mile hike and 3 miles along a beach, you can just hike to Cape Alava. The Cape Alava trail takes you predominantly along a boardwalk trail through coastal forest, but ends at a beautiful cape. You can spend a relaxing afternoon here, and if you’re up to it, brave the cold and get in the water! There is a large parking lot, but it does fill up by late morning.

If doing the Ozette Triangle is just a little too long for a day hike, then turning around after reaching Cape Alava is a fantastic option.

Sand Point Trail

Sand Point

Sand Point is the other side of the Ozette Triangle Hike. Sand Point has plenty of nesting Bald Eagles and beautiful views of the Puget Sound. Just like Cape Alava, the trail is along a boardwalk for most of the trip. This side of the trail was under construction when I completed it in 2022, but it should be good to go now! This trail is the easier of the two sides of Ozette Triangle.

There is a large, beautiful campground at Sand Point. If you’re new to backpacking or hiking with small children, this would be a fun overnight.

Read Next: Ozette Triangle Day Hike in Olympic National Park

Rialto Beach & Hole-in-The-Wall

Rocks stacked on a piece of driftwood

Another epic, easy beach hike in Olympic National Park is Rialto Beach. Known for the Hole in the Wall, this spectacular hike is iconic for beach photography. The hike to the hold in the wall is about 1 mile, and while the hike is generally very flat, the overland sections are pretty steep when needing to avoid high tide.

Many people will do a short overnight here to catch the gorgeous sunset that happens here in the summer.

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach was one of my first beach hikes when I moved to Washington. The driftwood is just a beautiful sight. You are allowed to stay overnight at Ruby Beach, but you will need a permit and a bear can. The sea stacks at Ruby Beach are magnificent, and whether you’re staying for an hour or a night, put it on the list!

Dogs are allowed here on leash, so when you stop here, you’ll typically find plenty of dogs roaming around!

Second Beach

Just outside of La Push, Second Beach is a less than a two-mile stroll down to the beach. There are some gains and losses in elevation gain and a short set of switchbacks down to the beach. The large sea stack at Second Beach reminds me a little bit of Cannon Beach in Oregon. I will say that the parking lot is pretty small for this hike, but there is overflow parking a little further up the road. 

If you’re backpacking to Toleak Point, you’ll walk through Second Beach. You’ll typically see a lot of people tide pooling in this area.

Third Beach

Third Beach on the Third Beach Trail to Toleak Point
First Views of Third Beach

Similar to the second beach hike, the Third Beach trail is just under two miles down to the beach. The trail is relatively flat and easy to follow. Third Beach does connect to Second Beach if you would like to combine the two trails to hit both beaches without moving your car, you just follow the beach north.

Getting to Third Beach does require a little bit of extra effort than Second Beach, because you will have to use an overland trail with ropes to access the otherside. It can seem a little daunting at first, but it is pretty fun!

Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail

Board walk in the temperate rainforest

If you’re hoping to do a hike but the tide is high, the Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail is a beautiful short trail through the coastal forest in the Olympic Wilderness. It is an easy trail that is great for children or anyone who doesn’t have time to visit the Hoh Rainforest. 

Related: Leadbetter Point Trail (Southern Washington Coast)

Best Beach Backpacking Trips in Olympic National Park

A beach backpacking trip in Olympic National Park is ideal for anyone looking for a shorter trip or who just wants to spend a night on the coast. I’ve taken friends on some of these backpacking trips who have never backpacked before, and they found them to be accessible and a great intro to backpacking trips!

Shi Shi Beach and Point of Arches

  • Distance: 8.8 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 560 ft
  • Pass: Makah Recreation Permit & Wilderness Permit
  • Difficulty: Moderate
Sea Stacks at Point of Arches

Shi Shi Beach is a great single-night backpacking trip or a longer day hike! For most of the hike, the trail is level and only the switchbacks down to the beach have significant elevation change. On the way down, it isn’t too bad, but the short trek back up to the trail is STEEP. You walk along the beach for a while, where you can spot bald eagles and, if you’re lucky, an orca! It is also a great area to visit the coastal tide pools. You will need to be cautious of the incoming tides when setting up your tent. Many people will camp near the sea stacks close to Point of Arches. 

Pay attention to the sign prior to the switchbacks down to the beach; there are some streams that are not palatable to drink due to cryptosporidium caused by the incorrect disposal of solid human waste.

Read All About Shi Shi Beach Here!

Ozette Triangle

low tide on the Ozette Triangle Trail

Ozette Triangle combines Cape Alava and the Sand Point Trail by hiking along the beach. Many people, when backpacking Ozette Triangle, will stay at Sand Point or Cape Alava just based on how much they want to hike on the first or second day, three or six miles. One of the best things about Ozette Triangle is that you can see Petroglyphs along the trail. When taking in these Petroglys please do not touch or disturb them!

There is fresh water at both Cape Alava and Sand Point, but it becomes scarce to nonexistent along the beach.

Toleak Point

  • Distance: 17.0 miles, One-Way
  • Elevation Gain: 2,000 ft
  • Pass: Wilderness Permits
  • Difficulty: Hard
Female Hiker standing on the Toleak Point Beach

Toleak Point is one of my favorite hiking trails along the Olympic Coast. You must use at least one overland trail to avoid high tide. On this trail, I saw an orca and an orca calf hunting off of Strawberry Point. There are so many amazing stops along the way to Toleak Point where you can set up camp, but I would suggest trying to get as close to Toleak as possible since people have created some amazing camps out of washed-up ocean trash…trust me, it is really cool! I stayed at a camp where people made chairs and tables out of washed-up driftwood and palettes.

There are plenty of different streams that run along the beach to get fresh water, but you will need to double filter it for safe drinking.

Read Next: How to Backpack to Toleak Point

Other Epic (Non-Beach) Hikes & Backpacking Trips in Olympic NP

You really can’t go wrong with any hikes or backpacking trips on the Olympic Coast. But the diversity of the National Park lends itself to so much more than beach hikes. Here are some of my favorite non-beach hikes in Olympic National Park.

Enchanted Valley

Enchanted Valley Chalet in the Quinault River Valley

This is an amazing backpacking trip for both new and long-time backpackers. Having backpacked this trail multiple times, I can safely say I will hike it again and again. Backpacking to the Enchanted Valley Chalet, you will be blown away by the Quinault River Valley. Each wooden bridge is beautifully crafted so you’ll never have to get your feet wet on a river crossing. I cannot recommend this hike enough!

Complete Guide to Backpacking to Enchanted Valley

Mount Storm King

  • Distance: 4.1 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 2,000 ft
  • Pass: America the Beautiful Pass
  • Difficulty: Hard

Marymere Falls

  • Distance: 1.7 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 300 ft
  • Pass: America the Beautiful Pass
  • Difficulty: Easy
Female Hiker in yellow jacket standing in front of a waterfall

Both Mount Storm King and Marymere Falls trailheads start from the Lake Quinault Visitor Center Parking Lot. Mount Storm King offers impressive panoramic views of Lake Quinault and is a great trail for anyone looking for a moderate challenge. Marymere Falls is a family-friendly, easy trail that brings hikers to the impressive falls.

Hoh River Trail to Blue Glacier

  • Distance: 35.1 miles
  • Elevation Gain: 6,000 ft
  • Pass: America the Beautiful Pass & Wilderness Permit
  • Difficulty: Hard
Hoh River to Blue Glacier

This spectacular backpacking trail is a beautiful walk along the Hoh River and eventually leads to the expansive Blue Glacier. Plan for this backpacking trip to be at least two nights, but more comfortably three. It is a steep trek up to Blue Glacier, and there is snow on the trail late into the season. Love it though!

I would recommend doing this trail in four days, three nights. However, it is do-able as a two night trail if you camp both nights near Elk Campground.

Hall of Mosses

  • Distance: 1.1 miles
  • Elevation Gain: >100 ft
  • Pass: America the Beautiful Pass
  • Difficulty: Easy
Hall of Mosses

Hall of Mosses is probably the trail that most people hike when they visit the Hoh Rainforest. It is short and sweet and provides visitors with a glimpse into how beautiful the temperate rainforest truly is.

Most people who visit the Hoh River Visitor Area complete this Hall of Mosses Trail!

Recommended Hiking Gear for Beach Hikes in Olympic

Backpack with a rain cover over it
Two women laying on the beach with their bear cans in Olympic National Park

As with any other trail, you should always carry the Ten Essentials, a comprehensive list of gear you would need in the event of an incident.

Here are my gear recommendations:

  1. Tide Chart/Table: You can either print out a tide chart for the area or use an online tide chart from NOAA.
  2. Water: You will need to drink plenty of water and will not be able to refill along the way. Bring an extra liter of water or two to ensure you have fresh water.
  3. Binoculars: The Olympic Coast is brimming with wildlife. Consider packing a pair of binoculars with you for wildlife spotting!
  4. Bear Can: If you are backpacking on the Olympic Coast, you will need a bear canister for proper food storage.
  5. Rain Jacket: Even in the summer, there is still a possibility for rain; it is a rainforest after all. Keep a rain jacket or poncho in your hiking bag.
  6. Sunshirt: UV can be high on the coast, so packing a sunshirt to protect your skin on the trail is recommended.
  7. Trail Map: I use AllTrails Pro to download the offline maps of trails. For hikes like Toleak Point, a trailmap is extremely helpful for navigation.
  8. Rain Cover: Just like you would wear a rain jacket, you should carry a backpack rain cover for your backpack so your gear stays dry in case of rain.

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Pack It Up

The Olympic Coast is truly magnificent. From standing under impressive sea stacks at Second Beach to spotting orcas off of Strawberry Point, I know you will be truly blown away by the beach hikes in Olympic National Park.

Hiking along the coast always poses some challenges. It is important to check tide charts before your trip to know when you should be hiking in the area, as well as have a tide chart available ot you throughout your trip so you know exactly when the tide will be coming in and out.

Due to the significant amount of rain that this area gets, trails and roads are often closed for flooding. You can check weather and road conditions on the park service website or call the ranger station.

For the most up to date trail conditions, I will typically look at trip reports on the Washington Trails Association website since people writing reviews there typically provide a good amount of detail.

Have quesitons about planning your hiking trip to Olympic National Park? Leave your question in the comments and I will get back to you!

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