LaPush and a Hike on Rialto Beach

Elwha Dam RV park
Port Angeles, WA
July 2018


No, we are not back in Washington, but I do have pictures that I haven't posted from our wonderful time on the Olympic Peninsula.   

My very favorite day during our stay was the visit we made to LaPush and Rialto Beach.  LaPush is the largest community within the Quileute Indian Reservation.  It is situated on the south side of the mouth of the Quillayute River on the west coast.  In fact, it has the westernmost zip code in the contiguous U.S. 

The climate in LaPush is wet, wet and more wet with an average of over 100 inches of rain a year.  Even though July has the lowest amount of recorded rainfall, it was foggy and damp when we were there. 

Tsunami evacuation-route signs were a constant reminder of how vulnerable these small communities are. 

Rialto Beach offers one of the three distinct ecosystems visitors are able to explore as part of Olympic National Park...a rugged Pacific shore.  



It is located on the northern side of the Quillayute River.

    


This was our first visit to the Northern Olympic Peninsula coastline.  I was immediately captivated by the rocky beaches...





enormous drift logs...

pounding waves...

the ocean forest... 

and views of rock islands called sea stacks.    




There is nothing quite like hiking on the scenic Olympic Coast.  We chose to take the 4 mile (round trip) hike to Hole-in-the-Wall.  The trail is the beach itself...walking over sand, rock, driftwood and even a creek.  When we reached Hole-in-the-Wall, the tide was coming in so we couldn't walk through the rocky arch.  Instead we climbed an overland trail above the arch and enjoyed sweeping views.

The trail back to the parking lot from Hole-in-the-Wall...

I'll close with a few more of my favorite pictures from the day.

One of nature's planters at the marina in LaPush'

Tent camping is a big thing at Rialto Beach...

Hole-in-the-Wall

Misty droplets on the flowers at the Lonesome Creek Store in LaPush

The ocean forest at the kiosk where we began our hike on Rialto Beach

Rialto Beach

Sea stacks as we hiked along Rialto Beach

The first view of Hole-in-the-Wall

 Until next time...

HAPPY TRAILS!