Great American Beach Adventure

More things to do at Olympic

Clamming (in season), beach combing, wildlife viewing (eagles, shore birds, seals, tidal pools, whales)

In this era of overdeveloped beaches lined with houses and cutesy resort towns, wild coastlines are a rare treasure. Washington's Olympic National Park delivers that treasure—in spades—with the longest wilderness coastline in the lower 48. Far from a flat stretch of sand, this is a moody, rugged coastline, constantly reshaped by pounding surf. Numerous "sea stacks," craggy rock outcroppings, emerge just offshore. The beaches range in texture from boulders and rocks to glistening sand. One stretch, Ruby Beach, even has a distinct pinkish cast, created from tiny grains of garnet.

Besides geology, the wildlife is another source of fascination at Olympic. In the air, bald eagles, osprey, gulls, and mergansers ride the coastal winds. Oystercatchers and sandpipers prance along sand and rocks. Tidal pools teem with sea anemones, star fish, hermit crabs, and a host of other invertebrates. If you're in luck, you can train your binoculars on offshore gray whales, orcas, sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals.

Hiking options range from short excursions to multi-day backpacks. The Kalaloch Beaches, along the southern coast, are a good pick for day hikes. U.S. Highway 101 hugs the coast, and the beaches can be reached along wooden causeways leading down from the bluffs. Don't miss Destruction Island off Ruby Beach, the scene of several major shipwrecks.

Another ominously-named spot, the Shipwreck Coast, is a favorite multi-day backpacking trip. It extends from Rialto Beach north to Sand Point for a total of 20 miles, usually taken in three days. The coastline here is typically boulder-strewn coves and rocky headlands, rather than the sandy beaches found further south. A tide-table is essential—otherwise you run the risk of being trapped against headlands by tides that rise as much as six feet. This hike can be extended even farther by following the Ozette Loop, which picks up at the end of the trail.

Be sure to get your permits before you go. The park requires reservations for wilderness backpacking from Yellow Bank north to Duck Point, Ozack River south to Rialto, and Second Beach to Strawberry Point. The park also requires overnight hikers to use hardsided food containers to prevent robbing by raccoons.

Check out more info on Olympic National Park.