• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

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  • Changes to Visitor Services Due to Sequestration

    Due to mandatory, across the board budget cuts, some visitor services at Olympic National Park have changed. See the Plan Your Visit section for more information.

  • Hurricane Ridge Road Closure for guard-rail work

    Tueday, June 18 (6:00 AM - 11:00 AM)

  • 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.

  • Elwha River Closures

    Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River between Upper Lake Mills Trail and Altair Campground.

Visiting Mora and Rialto Beach

Sea stack and beach at La Push

Tall sea stacks dot the Pacific coast of the north Olympic Peninsula.

Overview:

Rocky beaches, giant drift logs, pounding waves and views of offshore islands known as 'seastacks' are features that define Rialto Beach.

Just inland is the Mora area, characterized by towering trees, lush undergrowth and the omnipresent roar of the Pacific Ocean in the background.

Rialto Beach is accessible by Mora Road, off of La Push Road. Rialto Beach is about 36 miles southwest of Lake Crescent, and about 75 miles from Port Angeles (directions).

A general map and information regarding facilities, picnic areas, camping, and regulations can be found on the park's Mora brochure (pdf).

 

Places to Stay:

The 94-site Mora campground is about three miles from Rialto Beach. The town of Forks is nearby and lodging can be found through the Forks Chamber of Commerce website.

Recreation:

Hole-in-the-Wall is a sea-carved arch about 1.5 mile north of Rialto Beach, within the Olympic wilderness.

The Quillayute River blocks access from Rialto Beach to First, Second, and Third Beaches. First Beach is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation (Quileute Indian Nation); Second and Third Beaches just to the south are located within Olympic National Park and are part of the Olympic Wilderness Coast.

Always check the tides! It's possible to get stranded when certain areas of the coast become impassable when high tide rolls in.

Nearby Areas:

The town of Forks can be reached in less than 30 minutes by car. The Hoh Rain Forest and the southern coast, such as Ruby Beach and Kalaloch, are within a one-hour drive from Rialto. Consult the Getting Around page for mileages to and from different park destinations.

 
Three kids playing in surf
Kids play in the surf at Rialto Beach during sunset.
  • Park Brochures Park Brochures

    Maps and general info about camping, picnic areas, trails, and facilities in park destinations. Read More

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.