Shore Activities in Olympic National Park

Perched in the northernmost corner of western Washington, Olympic National Park offers breathtaking coastal experiences. A place of beauty and variety, Olympic National Park boasts not only mountains and meadows, but also stunning coastlines, tidepools, and cliffs. Try hiking or walking along the coast, and you will find that no two miles of Olympic's 73 mile shoreline are alike. Some beaches are near campgrounds – Kalaloch Beach offers two campgrounds and concession-operated lodging. Beach camping gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in this coastal environment, and experience it past normal visiting hours.

Another way to explore Olympic National Park’s shore is through its magnificent tidepools. Either on your own or with a ranger, you can view this diverse, colorful, and strange world of animals, plants, and rocks that are battered by winds and waves. Many of the park’s coastal wilderness areas provide excellent tidepooling opportunities, such as “Hole in the Wall” at Rialto Beach. This intriguing geological structure is a rock arch that stands several feet above a particularly beautiful tidepool. At this site and at others, you can learn about the mysterious world of the intertidal zone by getting your feet wet – safely, of course.

https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/exploring-the-coast.htm

https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/tidepool-activities.htm

https://www.nps.gov/olym/day-hiking.htm