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The walk to the beach is 0.8 miles with some uphill and downhill terrain. The trail was in very good shape with only a few muddy spots. We went for the sunset views which was a little disappointing due to the orientation of the beach relative to the setting sun in June. Still, it was a beautiful spot and well worth the effort.
This is one of the most famous beaches in Olympic National Park, and with pretty good reason. There's a large beachline to walk up and down. Camping is allowed, with permit. (bear cans required!) It's a short (1/4 mile, maybe 1/2 mile?) hike to get down to it. This is good because it deters some folks. But it doesn't deter everyone! I hiked in on a sunny day and was shocked by how many people were here. It felt more "beach party" than "National Park". But, maybe that was just because of the great weather and the fact that nearby Rialto Beach (which doesn't require a hike to reach) was closed. Anyway, it's still an impressively wild beach. I like it more than any beach on the Oregon or Southern Washington coast. No buildings, no yurts, just the raw Pacific. You know the beach landing level in the first Halo game? It must have been inspired by this area. Definitely stop in if you're doing the Olympic NP thing!
One of my favorite beach! What makes this more special is the fact that the only way to visit the beach is by doing the hike. The hike is easy to moderate. I went there with my husband and parents and they comfortably did the hike. Also climbing over the drift wood logs is easy, you just need a little patience to see where to place your foot. When we visited there were only a handful people, so we had the beach pretty much to ourselves. We complete the hike back and forth in 2 hours; however we spent about 30-40 minutes at the beach itself and also stopped a lot on the way to take pictures. The parking lot is right next to the trail and also has a porta potty. If you are in the Olympic Peninsula, I would highly recommend visiting this beach!!
Basically, this is perfection. Yeah, there's a little bit of a hike -- more than a half mile, including a huge staircase, and climbing over a metric buttload of driftwood -- to get down to the beach but don't let that deter you: the scenes are breathtaking. There is limited parking along 101, about 10 spaces, and Second Beach is conveniently located between "Third Beach" and "First Beach," if you're headed towards La Push proper. Even today, at 60* around noon on a weekday, we got the last parking spot: phew! It is considerably easier to access First Beach, but Second Beach is more enclosed so it's a bit warmer. If you're a Twilight geek, imagine stumbling off the path and running into Jacob and the boys having a pack meeting! Oh yeah! Nerd points galore.
I am from Florida originally. With that said, it is very difficult to impress me with a beach. This beach was stunning! I like the fact that there is a small hike to get to the ocean. Granted, the hike is short, but there were many people who turned around. There are some step steps and multiple extremely muddy places. Be prepared to get your tennis shoes dirty, or wear hiking shoes. (We came prepared for once!) :) When you make it about a half mile into the hike you begin to hear the waves crashing and the anticipation is well worth it. Coming out of the tree line and onto the sand is breath taking. There is a large stretch of flat, undisturbed sand with endless ocean that greats you. There are many rock formations to view and a lot of tide pools to scope out. We even had the luxury of seeing a bald eagle soaring above the beach and into the tree line. Be sure to dress warm as there is a lot of wind. We were extremely lucky to have the sun on our side mid-February, but I am sure this is not common during the winter months. Enjoy!!!!
Excellent! There was almost no one at the beach when we got there. It's about a 15 minute hike through the forest before you reach the beach, pretty much secluded. Apparently, you can camp here - we saw people carrying camping gear. Seems like a fun idea! PHOTO: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/JstOJkny60h4mxJwBCWKog?select=CpMu_Eo9019dxhutEpQDjQ
This place is awesome! There is a nice trail to get down to the beach. It is quite a little bit of a hike though with a elevation change of about 200 feet or so. But once you get to the bottom it is amazing. There is a ton of Giant logs that are between you and the trail so you have to make your way over them but once you do the beach is amazing. Sadly on the day me and my girlfriend went it was very foggy and a bit chilly but it was still spectacular. Make sure you look at the weather before you go because it was sunny everywhere else we went this day expect for the beach.
Here's the deal with camping on La Push's Second Beach (also known simply as Second Beach, Forks in Clallam County): You park at the trailhead, which is always crowded on weekends, yet always has people leaving as well as coming. There is overflow parking, rarely needed. You don't need to get there early, just an hour before dark. There's a single Honey Bucket at the trailhead. Walk down the path a little and you'll find a bulletin board displaying rules for the beach. Here, there will be a box that should have permit slips in it. Have a pen to fill it out, tear off the first page, fold and slip that into the slot, and attach the other carbon slips to your backpack. Since camping is technically $5 per night here, you're supposed to mail the fee in once you get home. Now, I doubt many people bother with the permit slips or fee at all, but why risk a ranger walking through and citing you? Contribute to trail and beach maintainence. Get the permit, pay the fee. Also, it sounds scary to hear that bear canisters are required for all food and scented toiletries, but let me tell you right now: on weekends, there are people hiking to the beach with grocery bags full of food, cases of beer, all that. Not saying you should chance ignoring the rule, just that there's little point in having a bear canister if your neighbors don't. Practically speaking. To the beach, there's a 0.7-mile trail (it feels longer, not gonna lie). It took me about 20 minutes to hike at a brisk pace. The trail itself inclines for about a third of the way, become flat for a little bit, and declines for perhaps a little more than a third of the way. There are sturdy steps where it's it's sort of steep, as well as really steep shortcuts. There are plenty of giant trees to get behind if you need "to go," but my biggest complaint or pet peeve about the trail (rather, the people "going") are all the wads of toilet paper lining the trail. First of all, get off the trail a little. Secondly, bury it or pack it out in doggy waste bags. People should never be able to see your toilet paper. Once you reach the end of the trail, you'll hit the beach, but you'll have a bit of a driftwood obstacle course to reach the sand. Driftwood as large as fallen trees, for about fifty feet. Don't twist an ankle. Dry sand makes it slippery. Looking back at the forest, you should see where you exited the trail by a high marker on a tree. Next, pick a spot on the beach behind the high tide line or even further back. There are no markers, so personally, I recommend setting up camp at the edge of the driftwood. You'll still be pretty close to the water. It seems to be where everyone sets up camp anyway. Don't make my mistake. Don't set up within sight of a group if you can help it. Sometimes they blare music and leave their fire unattended. Things like that. Walk until you find someplace quieter. Try to choose a relatively private area, perhaps where there's an old firepit and/or a place to discretely "go" at 2am without climbing over a ton of driftwood to reach the forest. But not too far from the trail, in case you need something from the car. Be aware that the beach can be sweltering in the summer. I tried to take shelter in my tent, but even with the flap open, it felt like an oven. Taking a dip in the water would have helped. Don't be afraid to pack in too much stuff. Two trips for comfort would have been worth it for me. Overall, it's a great beach, a great place to camp, but you need to realize there's not a ton of privacy and some groups might bring a boom box. It's inconsiderate, but it's the way it is. Kids and older folks can hike the trail, but might need a little help over the driftwood. I'd recommend going during the week and when there's cloud cover. It might be a little cold in the forest, but remember it's probably a good 15 degrees warmer on the beach. Bring a trowel to bury toilet paper. Pack out trash. And bring a camera. It's a beautiful area. Bring stuff to do. Frisbee and the like. That's about it. Have a great trip.
Apart from all of the twilight advertisements, La Push is amazing. This beach is beautiful and quintessential Washington- cold, wet, and foggy. The rainforest walk to the beach is somewhat challenging, and not recommended for kids or elderly people necessarily. However, once you're down to the beach, it's easy to navigate. Go for a day visit when the tides are low to explore the tide pools or just camp on the beach overnight. And bring close-toed shoes and warm clothes!
If you are ever in the Olympic Peninsula area, check out the La Push beaches as they definitely have a unique beauty to them. To get to Second Beach, you have to take a little trail through the woods. It's fairly short, so maybe about a 10-15min walk. And you'll know when you're close when you reach the staircase steps and hear the crashing of the waves from the other side of the trees. Once you get to the bottom of the trail, the last challenge is getting over all the drift wood logs. I say it's a challenge only because I have short legs and climbing over things makes me scared haha. With the help of all the boys, I successfully made it to Second Beach and was in awe with all the black sand and the amazing view of the tiny islands off the ocean. It's a secluded beach, so that's always a plus. We unfortunately came on a windy, rainy day so it was super cold, but then again, that's Washington for yeah lol. The boys were definitely enjoying themselves as they were running around regardless of the wind and rain blowing in our faces. Note: Beware of your cars. Before we started our little hike into the woods, one of the cars parked near us had all 4 tires slashed. Not sure who did it and what their intentions were, but always be on the lookout and make sure you have car insurance! I felt really bad for the couple as they were getting their car towed right when we were returning from the hike. They mentioned it was actually the night before when it happened, but they couldn't get a tow truck out there until the next morning.
We were just here last week. It was hailing and raining on our little trek through the forrest trail. It takes about 15 minutes to get down and 15 back up, and we were moving pretty quickly. Some other people beat us down, but going back up, took longer than us, so it just depends on your pace. It was very muddy since it was raining so make sure you are wearing the proper foot wear. I've seen photos my friend has taken here on a clear day and they were gorgeous. It wasn't as amazing when I was there because of the weather, but still worth it. I would love to do this again perhaps in the summer. There are a bit of stairs towards the bottom of the trail and you need to climb over a ton of drift wood blocking the path to the beach. But once you get over that, you're there to enjoy. We spent about 40 mins to an hour going down, hanging out and coming back up. Might be difficult for small children with all the drift wood, and for older adults.
This beach has some really beautiful sea stacks. These sea stacks rise straight out of the water. It is a pity that it doesn't have a proper name other than Second Beach. The hike to the beach is around 0.7 miles one way. There are a lot of switch back stairs through a forest that lead down to a coastline. There are three parking lots that you can park at just outside of the town of La Push. The closest lot doesn't hold a lot of cars, but the overflow lots have more room to park if you don't mind walking a little ways to the beach. Second Beach is usually partially enshrouded with fog. It was also a little chilly at the beach for late summer. But overall I enjoyed my stroll to this beautiful beach. read more
Highlight of our trip! Try to visit during low tide so you can see all the tide pools and marine life. Also the earlier you get there the easier it is to park. The parking lot starts about a mile trail through picturesque forests to the beach. The trail is beautiful with lots of ferns and other plants to see. When you pop out on the beach you are amazed by the view. The beach is large with so much to explore. You can easily spend an afternoon here so bring a lunch and stay awhile. read more
Second Beach is one of four major beaches lined up along the west coast of Washington right next to each other. Tons of driftwood everywhere, smooth clean sand (still wear protective shoes) and natural beauty. If you're new to a beach north of Cali, letting you know it gets really cold really fast here. It can rain anytime and once it gets about 90 minutes before sunset, it will get even colder. Right off of Hwy 101. read more
The walk to the beach is 0.8 miles with some uphill and downhill terrain. The trail was in very good shape with only a few muddy spots. We went for the sunset views which was a little disappointing due to the orientation of the beach relative to the setting sun in June. Still, it was a beautiful spot and well worth the effort. read more
This is one of the most famous beaches in Olympic National Park, and with pretty good reason. There's a large beachline to walk up and down. Camping is allowed, with permit. (bear cans required!) It's a short (1/4 mile, maybe 1/2 mile?) hike to get down to it. This is good because it deters some folks. But it doesn't deter everyone! I hiked in on a sunny day and was shocked by how many people were here. It felt more "beach party" than "National Park". But, maybe that was just because of the great weather and the fact that nearby Rialto Beach (which doesn't require a hike to reach) was closed. Anyway, it's still an impressively wild beach. I like it more than any beach on the Oregon or Southern Washington coast. No buildings, no yurts, just the raw Pacific. You know the beach landing level in the first Halo game? It must have been inspired by this area. Definitely stop in if you're doing the Olympic NP thing! read more
9 years ago
One of my favorite beach! What makes this more special is the fact that the only way to visit the beach is by doing the hike. The hike is easy to moderate. I went there with my husband and parents and they comfortably did the hike. Also climbing over the drift wood logs is easy, you just need a little patience to see where to place your foot. When we visited there were only a handful people, so we had the beach pretty much to ourselves. We complete the hike back and forth in 2 hours; however we spent about 30-40 minutes at the beach itself and also stopped a lot on the way to take pictures. The parking lot is right next to the trail and also has a porta potty. If you are in the Olympic Peninsula, I would highly recommend visiting this beach!! read more
Basically, this is perfection. Yeah, there's a little bit of a hike -- more than a half mile, including a huge staircase, and climbing over a metric buttload of driftwood -- to get down to the beach but don't let that deter you: the scenes are breathtaking. There is limited parking along 101, about 10 spaces, and Second Beach is conveniently located between "Third Beach" and "First Beach," if you're headed towards La Push proper. Even today, at 60* around noon on a weekday, we got the last parking spot: phew! It is considerably easier to access First Beach, but Second Beach is more enclosed so it's a bit warmer. If you're a Twilight geek, imagine stumbling off the path and running into Jacob and the boys having a pack meeting! Oh yeah! Nerd points galore. read more
13 years ago
I am from Florida originally. With that said, it is very difficult to impress me with a beach. This beach was stunning! I like the fact that there is a small hike to get to the ocean. Granted, the hike is short, but there were many people who turned around. There are some step steps and multiple extremely muddy places. Be prepared to get your tennis shoes dirty, or wear hiking shoes. (We came prepared for once!) :) When you make it about a half mile into the hike you begin to hear the waves crashing and the anticipation is well worth it. Coming out of the tree line and onto the sand is breath taking. There is a large stretch of flat, undisturbed sand with endless ocean that greats you. There are many rock formations to view and a lot of tide pools to scope out. We even had the luxury of seeing a bald eagle soaring above the beach and into the tree line. Be sure to dress warm as there is a lot of wind. We were extremely lucky to have the sun on our side mid-February, but I am sure this is not common during the winter months. Enjoy!!!! read more
Excellent! There was almost no one at the beach when we got there. It's about a 15 minute hike through the forest before you reach the beach, pretty much secluded. Apparently, you can camp here - we saw people carrying camping gear. Seems like a fun idea! PHOTO: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/JstOJkny60h4mxJwBCWKog?select=CpMu_Eo9019dxhutEpQDjQ read more
8 years ago
Another picture perfect place to go for early morning walks with your camera. I really enjoy the seclusion and wild beauty ! read more
8 years ago
This place is awesome! There is a nice trail to get down to the beach. It is quite a little bit of a hike though with a elevation change of about 200 feet or so. But once you get to the bottom it is amazing. There is a ton of Giant logs that are between you and the trail so you have to make your way over them but once you do the beach is amazing. Sadly on the day me and my girlfriend went it was very foggy and a bit chilly but it was still spectacular. Make sure you look at the weather before you go because it was sunny everywhere else we went this day expect for the beach. read more
8 years ago
So pretty. But what you need to know is at the end of the trail you have to travel over several timber logs easy for most adults but a no go for younger children. read more
10 years ago
Here's the deal with camping on La Push's Second Beach (also known simply as Second Beach, Forks in Clallam County): You park at the trailhead, which is always crowded on weekends, yet always has people leaving as well as coming. There is overflow parking, rarely needed. You don't need to get there early, just an hour before dark. There's a single Honey Bucket at the trailhead. Walk down the path a little and you'll find a bulletin board displaying rules for the beach. Here, there will be a box that should have permit slips in it. Have a pen to fill it out, tear off the first page, fold and slip that into the slot, and attach the other carbon slips to your backpack. Since camping is technically $5 per night here, you're supposed to mail the fee in once you get home. Now, I doubt many people bother with the permit slips or fee at all, but why risk a ranger walking through and citing you? Contribute to trail and beach maintainence. Get the permit, pay the fee. Also, it sounds scary to hear that bear canisters are required for all food and scented toiletries, but let me tell you right now: on weekends, there are people hiking to the beach with grocery bags full of food, cases of beer, all that. Not saying you should chance ignoring the rule, just that there's little point in having a bear canister if your neighbors don't. Practically speaking. To the beach, there's a 0.7-mile trail (it feels longer, not gonna lie). It took me about 20 minutes to hike at a brisk pace. The trail itself inclines for about a third of the way, become flat for a little bit, and declines for perhaps a little more than a third of the way. There are sturdy steps where it's it's sort of steep, as well as really steep shortcuts. There are plenty of giant trees to get behind if you need "to go," but my biggest complaint or pet peeve about the trail (rather, the people "going") are all the wads of toilet paper lining the trail. First of all, get off the trail a little. Secondly, bury it or pack it out in doggy waste bags. People should never be able to see your toilet paper. Once you reach the end of the trail, you'll hit the beach, but you'll have a bit of a driftwood obstacle course to reach the sand. Driftwood as large as fallen trees, for about fifty feet. Don't twist an ankle. Dry sand makes it slippery. Looking back at the forest, you should see where you exited the trail by a high marker on a tree. Next, pick a spot on the beach behind the high tide line or even further back. There are no markers, so personally, I recommend setting up camp at the edge of the driftwood. You'll still be pretty close to the water. It seems to be where everyone sets up camp anyway. Don't make my mistake. Don't set up within sight of a group if you can help it. Sometimes they blare music and leave their fire unattended. Things like that. Walk until you find someplace quieter. Try to choose a relatively private area, perhaps where there's an old firepit and/or a place to discretely "go" at 2am without climbing over a ton of driftwood to reach the forest. But not too far from the trail, in case you need something from the car. Be aware that the beach can be sweltering in the summer. I tried to take shelter in my tent, but even with the flap open, it felt like an oven. Taking a dip in the water would have helped. Don't be afraid to pack in too much stuff. Two trips for comfort would have been worth it for me. Overall, it's a great beach, a great place to camp, but you need to realize there's not a ton of privacy and some groups might bring a boom box. It's inconsiderate, but it's the way it is. Kids and older folks can hike the trail, but might need a little help over the driftwood. I'd recommend going during the week and when there's cloud cover. It might be a little cold in the forest, but remember it's probably a good 15 degrees warmer on the beach. Bring a trowel to bury toilet paper. Pack out trash. And bring a camera. It's a beautiful area. Bring stuff to do. Frisbee and the like. That's about it. Have a great trip. read more
Apart from all of the twilight advertisements, La Push is amazing. This beach is beautiful and quintessential Washington- cold, wet, and foggy. The rainforest walk to the beach is somewhat challenging, and not recommended for kids or elderly people necessarily. However, once you're down to the beach, it's easy to navigate. Go for a day visit when the tides are low to explore the tide pools or just camp on the beach overnight. And bring close-toed shoes and warm clothes! read more
If you are ever in the Olympic Peninsula area, check out the La Push beaches as they definitely have a unique beauty to them. To get to Second Beach, you have to take a little trail through the woods. It's fairly short, so maybe about a 10-15min walk. And you'll know when you're close when you reach the staircase steps and hear the crashing of the waves from the other side of the trees. Once you get to the bottom of the trail, the last challenge is getting over all the drift wood logs. I say it's a challenge only because I have short legs and climbing over things makes me scared haha. With the help of all the boys, I successfully made it to Second Beach and was in awe with all the black sand and the amazing view of the tiny islands off the ocean. It's a secluded beach, so that's always a plus. We unfortunately came on a windy, rainy day so it was super cold, but then again, that's Washington for yeah lol. The boys were definitely enjoying themselves as they were running around regardless of the wind and rain blowing in our faces. Note: Beware of your cars. Before we started our little hike into the woods, one of the cars parked near us had all 4 tires slashed. Not sure who did it and what their intentions were, but always be on the lookout and make sure you have car insurance! I felt really bad for the couple as they were getting their car towed right when we were returning from the hike. They mentioned it was actually the night before when it happened, but they couldn't get a tow truck out there until the next morning. read more
12 years ago
13 years ago
15 years ago
We were just here last week. It was hailing and raining on our little trek through the forrest trail. It takes about 15 minutes to get down and 15 back up, and we were moving pretty quickly. Some other people beat us down, but going back up, took longer than us, so it just depends on your pace. It was very muddy since it was raining so make sure you are wearing the proper foot wear. I've seen photos my friend has taken here on a clear day and they were gorgeous. It wasn't as amazing when I was there because of the weather, but still worth it. I would love to do this again perhaps in the summer. There are a bit of stairs towards the bottom of the trail and you need to climb over a ton of drift wood blocking the path to the beach. But once you get over that, you're there to enjoy. We spent about 40 mins to an hour going down, hanging out and coming back up. Might be difficult for small children with all the drift wood, and for older adults. read more
10 years ago
The best camping spot in washington! I've been coming here for 10 years. Sadly it is really crowded now so I would suggest coming on a weekday. Weather is always unpredictable so make sure you are prepared for rain! read more
8 years ago
10 years ago
This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. This is my second time coming and it was just as magical as the first. The walk down the path through the dense forest is really peaceful and as you get closer you can hear the waves crashing and get little peeks of water through the trees. Once you get on the beach its like you reached the end of the world. It feels really remote and the only thing you can see is ocean and waves for miles. The hike back up is pretty rough but its completely worth it. read more
10 years ago
10 years ago
Super pretty and a nice little hike to the beach. I didn't notice any toilet paper on the trails mentioned in other reviews. It's a little challenging once you get to the beach because you have to walk on driftwood so watch your step and also the hike back to the lot is uphill. Overall, it is a very pretty beach and not crowded. read more
15 years ago
13 years ago
10 years ago
13 years ago
GREAT place... The hike down wasn't too bad and the people you meet on the trail are genuinely nice. I may have to come bac next summer and camp overnight. read more
14 years ago
9 years ago
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