The Washington Coast Official Visitor Guide

Home / Olympic National Park Coast

Olympic National Park Coast

Kalaloch, Ruby Beach, and the Hoh Rainforest. The stretch of coastline most people picture when they picture Washington.

Olympic National Park's coastal strip is a narrow, separate unit of the park running along US-101, distinct from the mountains in the park's interior. It is often called the longest stretch of wilderness coastline in the contiguous United States outside Alaska, and it packs an unusual amount of scenery into a short drive: sea stacks, driftwood-piled beaches, tide pools, and, just inland, one of the best-preserved temperate rainforests on Earth.

Entrance fee: A per-vehicle fee applies to enter this section of the park (Kalaloch, Ruby Beach, and Hoh are all inside park boundaries). Confirm current pricing, passes, and any fee-free days at nps.gov/olym before your trip.
Sunset over the beach and driftwood at Kalaloch, Olympic National Park

South End

Kalaloch

Kalaloch (pronounced CLAY-lock) is the southernmost section of the park's coastal strip and the easiest to reach. Numbered beach pullouts (Beach 1 through Beach 6) run off US-101, each with its own character; Beach 4 is the go-to for tide pooling at low tide. Kalaloch Lodge sits right on the bluff, and Kalaloch Campground is one of the most popular in the park. Look for the famous "Tree of Life," a cedar suspended over an eroded bank by not much more than its own roots.

Sea stacks and driftwood at Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park

Most Photographed

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach is the single most photographed beach on this coast, and it earns it: a short, steep trail drops you onto a driftwood-strewn beach facing a cluster of dramatic sea stacks, with sand that carries a faint reddish tint from garnet flecks (hence the name). It gets busy in summer; arrive early or late in the day for parking and for the light.

Moss-covered trees along a trail in the Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park

Inland, via Upper Hoh Road

Hoh Rainforest

Reached via the Upper Hoh Road off US-101, the Hoh Rainforest is one of the best examples of temperate rainforest left anywhere, with Sitka spruce and bigleaf maple draped in club moss. The Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail are short, flat, and suitable for nearly anyone; the Hoh River Trail continues much farther for backpackers heading toward Mount Olympus.

Road status: The Upper Hoh Road has been affected by washout damage in recent years and has seen temporary closures. Always check current road status at nps.gov/olym road conditions or call the park's road and weather hotline before you drive out.
Roosevelt elk in a meadow near the Olympic National Park coast

South of Forks

Lake Quinault

A glacially carved lake ringed by old-growth rainforest, with the historic 1926 Lake Quinault Lodge on its shore. The Quinault Loop Drive circles the lake with several short nature trails branching off it. Much of the surrounding land is Quinault Indian Nation territory; respect posted access points and tribal land boundaries.

Wildlife along this stretch

Roosevelt elk are a regular sight in and around the Hoh valley and the Quinault area, particularly early and late in the day. Bald eagles, seals, and sea lions are common along the beaches, and gray whales pass offshore during their spring and winter migrations.

Planning a park day, not just a drive-by?

The free Visitor Guide includes a suggested one-day and three-day itinerary for this stretch of the park.

Get the Free Guide