• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

  • Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

    The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.

Tidepool Activities

Green Sea Anemone, Photographer Shawn Sheltren

Shawn Sheltren, NPS Photo

Though not a flower, the Giant Green Anemone opens its tentacles like flower petals in the tidal waters. It is surrounded by pink Coralline Algae.

Kalaloch's Beach 4 and Mora's Hole in the Wall are the most popular tidepool areas in the park. During summer low tides, rangers offer programs at both locations. A list of Summer 2011 Tidepool Programs and information is available on this page.

Second Beach, Third Beach, Ruby Beach and many other coastal wilderness locations are excellent places to view intertidal life in the park. Please review tidepool etiquette and safety tips below if you are planning on visiting the tidepools whether participating in a a ranger-led program or on your own.

Watch Working Between The Tides (05:43 video on Tidepools)
Scientists at Olympic National Park have only a small window of time to study intertidal communities, the turbulent meeting place between land and sea. In order to work at the lowest summer tides, they often wake at 2AM and hike in the dark to the Pacific coast. This is a place of rich biological diversity, fierce competition, and strong indicators of a changing climate. More...

Tidepool Etiquette: Learn a few tips about Tidepool Etiquette from the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. More... 

Safety in the Tidepools:

  • Watch closely for the returning tide and "sneaker waves." 
  • Algae and seaweed make the surface rocks extremely slippery. Use caution and test rocks before committing to stepping on new surfaces. 
  • Wear sturdy shoes that you don't mind getting wet.
  • Do not leap from rock to rock. Always keep at least one foot on the ground.
 
View looking south from Hole int he Wall at James Island and Rialto Beach.

Hole in the Wall is 1.5 miles north of the Rialto Beach Trailhead. During low tides, it is an excellent location for exploring tidepools.

Contact Mora Ranger Station 360-374-5460 or for more information about Rialto Beach. More...

Download a Mora and Rialto Site Guide.

Special Safety Tips for Hole in the Wall:

  • Do not cross through Hole in the Wall when the tide begins to cover the floor of the arch.
  • Hole in the Wall is constantly battered by waves. Falling rocks can be a significant hazard, so avoid lengthy visits right next to and under the arch. If you hear rock falling, cover your head and move away from the arch.  
Exploring Tidepools at Hole in the Wall on Your Own: If you would like to explore the tide pools at Hole in the Wall with family and friends, download a calendar of low tide times. While you can see tide pools during positive tides (up to +1.5), the best low times are minus tides. Plan to arrive at Hole in the Wall at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide. Remember to include the 1.5 mile (1 hour) hike to the Hole in the Wall. More....
 
Hole in the Wall Summer 2011 Tidepool Program List

Date

Meet Ranger at Rialto Beach Bulletin Board for 1.5 mile hike north to Hole in the Wall

Meet Ranger at Hole in the Wall for 1-2 hour program on Tide Pools.

Fri, 07/01

6:00 AM

7:00 AM

Sat, 07/02

6:30 AM

7:30 AM

Sun, 07/03

7:30 AM

8:30 AM

Tue, 07/05

8:30 AM

9:30 AM

Fri, 07/15

6:00 AM

7:00 AM

Sat, 07/16

6:30 AM

7:30 AM

Sun, 07/17

7:30 AM

8:30 AM

Sun, 07/31

6:30 AM

7:30 AM

Tue, 08/02

7:30 AM

8:30 AM

Tue, 08/30

6:30 AM Program Cancelled- Due to Ellen Creek Crossing

7:30 AM


 


 
View of Beach 4 looking North from overlook.

Shawn Sheltren, NPSPhoto

Flat and creviced rocks under waves surface at Beach 4 are unveiled at low tide to display a diverse population of tidepool creatures.

Contact Kalaloch Ranger Station 360-962-2283 for more information about Beach 4, Ruby Beach and other locations in Kalaloch. More...

Download a Kalaloch Site Guide.

Exploring Tidepools at Beach 4 and Ruby Beach at Kalaloch on Your Own: If you would like to explore the tidepools in the Kalaloch area with family and friends download a calendar of low tide times. While you can see tidepools during positive tide times (up to 1.5), the best low tide times are below 0 tide. Plan to arrive at the beach trail head at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide. Calendar of Tides...

 

Kalaloch’s Beach 4 Summer 2011 Tidepool Program List Meet at Beach 4 Parking Area, 2hrs.

Date

Time

Fri, 7/1

7:30 AM

Sat, 7/2

7:30 AM

Sun, 7/3

8:00 AM

Mon, 7/4

8:30 AM

Tue, 7/5

9:30 AM

Wed, 7/6

10:00 AM

Thu, 7/7

10:30 AM

Thu, 7/14

7:30 AM

Fri, 7/15

7:30 AM

Sat, 7/16

7:30 AM

Sun, 7/17

8:00 AM

Mon, 7/18

8:30 AM

Tue, 7/19

9:00 AM

Wed, 7/20

9:30 AM

Fri, 7/29

7:30 AM

Sat, 7/30

7:30 AM

Sun, 7/31

7:30 AM

Mon, 8/1

7:30 AM

Tue, 8/2

8:00 AM

Wed, 8/3

8:30 AM

Thu, 8/4

9:30 AM

Fri, 8/5

10:30 AM

Fri, 8/12

7:30 AM

Sat, 8/13

7:30 AM

Sun, 8/14

7:30 AM

Mon, 8/15

7:30 AM

Tue, 8/16

8:00 AM

Wed, 8/17

8:30 AM

Sun, 8/28

7:30 AM

Mon, 8/29

7:30 AM

Tue, 8/30

7:30 AM

Wed, 8/31

8:00 AM

Thu, 9/1

8:30 AM

Fri, 9/2

9:00 AM

Did You Know?

closeup of cow elk face

Olympic National Park protects the largest unmanaged herd of Roosevelt elk in the world. Olympic was almost named "Elk National Park" and was established in part to protect these stately animals.