Sarah Bouska, NPS

Tents along Shi Shi Beach

Notices
Description
Trail Conditions
Camping
Special Concerns
Safety
Map
Photos

Notices:

• Hard-sided food containers like bear canisters are required to store all food, garbage and scented items.
• Pets, weapons, and wheeled devices are prohibited on coastal beaches and trails.
• A Makah Recreation Pass must be purchased in Neah Bay prior to arriving at any trailheads on the Makah Indian Reservation.
• Overnight parking for Shi Shi is only allowed at designated private parking lots.
• Build campfires on the beach and use driftwood only to protect tree roots in forested areas.
• Expect large crowds at Shi Shi Beach during summer months. There can be 50 to 250 campers along Shi Shi Beach on busy weekends.

Description:

Ecosystem type: Coastal Forest and Ocean Beach   
Trail tread types: Part well maintained boardwalk, part muddy road bed then sandy beach
General elevation trend: Flat
River crossings: Petroleum Creek can be difficult to cross in winter during heavy rains.
Unique features: wilderness coast, bald eagle viewing.
Level of difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.0 to 4.5 miles
Elevation change: 200 ft. to sea level
Best Season: April through October

Camping

Permits/Reservations: Obtain permits in person at the Wilderness Information Center (WIC) in Port Angeles or at the Forks Recreation and Information Center. Call for hours. Before your trip, contact the WIC at (360) 565-3100.
Food Storage Method: Hard-sided food containers are required to store all food, garbage and scented items. Hanging food is prohibited because raccoons climb trees and jump onto food bags and tear them apart.
Location and sites: Sites are scattered along Shi Shi Beach
Toilet Facilities: 3 Pit toilets are available at Shi Shi Beach. 1 at the north end, one bear Petroleum Creek and one near Willoughby Creek. Always use toilets!
Water Sources: Petroleum Creek and Willoughby Creek. Most coastal water sources have a tea-stained appearance. The light tan color originates from tannin leached from leaves. Boil, filter or treat your water. Giardia is known to exist in coastal streams.    
Stock: Prohibited on all park beaches and beach trails.

Special Concerns:

Leave No Trace of your stay to protect vegetation and prevent further camping regulations. Camp in preexisting sites or on sand to prevent damage to vegetation. Do not build driftwood furniture. Leave the wilderness wild.

Campfires:  At Shi Shi Beach, protect coastal forest by burning driftwood only. Build fires on the beach to protect tree roots in forested sites.

In the Ozette area, wood burning fires are prohibited between the headland north of Yellow Banks and the headland at Wedding Rocks. This includes the Sand Point area.

Wildlife Precautions: Due to raccoon problems and bears on the coast, all food, garbage and scented items must be secured in hard-sided containers such as bear canisters 24 hours a day.  Bear canisters can be borrowed from the WIC in Port Angeles.

NPS

Target marking headland overland trail access

Safety:

• When traveling along the coast, know the tides.
• Bring a map and tide chart to plan your route.
• Be prepared to hike over headland trails during high tides. Some headlands cannot be rounded during the lowest of tides.
• When camping on the beach, camp above high tide water line.