Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books Second Beach
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula,
by Craig Romano.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. Well-constructed and well-maintained, the trail starts on the Quileute Indian Reservation. Immediately cross a small creek lined with imposing Sitka spruce before beginning a short climb. At the height of the land enter Olympic National Park, and then begin a short, steep descent to the beach, the distant surf growing louder with each step you take. Soon, start catching glimpses of offshore sea stacks through the surrounding towering spruce. Before you know it, emerge on the log-lined shore. Take a deep breath. The beauty of this place just may leave you short of breath. You can hike a short distance along the beach northward. Do it, for it'll lead you to a natural arch. But to really stretch your legs and get the most out of Second Beach, head south. Over 1 mile of sandy beach awaits your footprints. Immediately offshore is a consortium of battered islets and sea stacks known as the Quillayute Needles. Crying Lady Rock is the largest of the batch. These forbidding landmarks are part of the Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge. Inhospitable to humans, they're productive breeding grounds to thousands of seabirds, oystercatchers, murres, gulls, petrels, cormorants, and auklets among them. Continue wandering. Taste the salty spray coming off the crashing breakers. Eventually you'll come to an impasse, the headland named Teahwhit Head. But before you turn around and retrace your steps, scan the rugged bluff. Teahwhit Head is also graced with a natural arch. In retrospect you may conclude that with two arches, an awesome seascape, scores of pelagic birds, and an inviting sandy shoreline, Second Beach is second to none.
Driving Directions:
From Port Angeles follow US 101 west for 55 miles to the junction with State Route 110 (signed "Mora-La Push"). (From Forks the junction is 2 miles north.) Continue west on SR 110. In 7.7 miles at Quillayute Prairie, SR 110 splits. Take the left fork (La Push Road), and drive 5.2 miles to the trailhead, located on the south side of the road (you'll pass the Third Beach/Hike 120 trailhead and the Quileute tribal office). Recent Trip Reports
Hiked here recently?
Submit a trip report!
There are
9
trip reports for this hike.
See all trip reports for this hike.
Day hike
Issues:
Water on trail
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
There are three beaches in close proximity near La Push - First, Second and Third beaches. We chose to hike...
There are three beaches in close proximity near La Push - First, Second and Third beaches. We chose to hike Second Beach -- a short hike, but a hike nonetheless.
Winters are often stormy on the coast, and this past week was no exception, so we timed our hike just right when the wind died down and the sun broke for a spell. Much of this trail is lengths of boardwalk or constructed trail steps. Still, after the rainy days we'd just had, there was water on the trail in places. My three year old can't resist a puddle, so I made sure he had waterproof shoes on. There were only a few spots where we had to assist him down steps that were too big for him--otherwise I'd say this trail is entirely kid-friendly. Once the trail spills out onto the beach, a huge pile of driftwood separates you from the sand and water. We chose not to climb over it with the 3-year old because the tide was pretty high anyway. Even though we were trapped from the beach itself by the huge driftlogs, we had a good view and driftwood to sit on and some open sand to play in. Day hike
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
Last time we hiked this was 4 years ago, looked it up. Time goes by fast. With that said this...
Last time we hiked this was 4 years ago, looked it up. Time goes by fast. With that said this is a great bech hike. Lots of people camping out here, the views are great, sunny today but windy should have brought a jacket.
Second Beach
— Jul 09, 2011
— TripleHHikers
Day hike
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
Great beach! Easy .7 miles down and loads of beach to walk once you get down there. One...
Great beach! Easy .7 miles down and loads of beach to walk once you get down there. One of our party was smart and pack a pair of flip flops and changed out of her boots for walking on the beach. The rest of us just went bare foot...although both options were great! It was a sunny warm day and we fully enjoyed our time! Loads of tide pools to search and is an amazing place to have lunch. No dogs allowed, FYI. Also no bathrooms. There is a 'privy' down there....but let's hope you don't need it! Check out our blog for pictures!
http://triplehhikers.blogspot.com/2011/07/second-beach.html Day hike
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
We left First Beach to come watch the sunset here, on Second Beach. The trail was a bit longer than...
We left First Beach to come watch the sunset here, on Second Beach. The trail was a bit longer than we expected so we practically jogged the length of the trail, but boy was it worth it. The trail seemed fine in the dark, only slightly muddy in some places - nothing my hiking boots couldn't handle!
Day hike
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
Our second toddler/grandparent-friendly hike of the Labor Day weekend. The morning's destination: Second Beach.
The day started out sunny, but then...
Our second toddler/grandparent-friendly hike of the Labor Day weekend. The morning's destination: Second Beach.
The day started out sunny, but then a cool fog blew in from the Pacific. It made the short forest hike particularly spooky. The kids didn't notice this, but I did. The trees are all Hobbity - shortish, distorted and covered in moss. It's the kind of forest that inspired the fearful forest tales of yore. Or maybe Twilight, but I've not read it. The trail is easy to travel, but it's difficult to reach the beach right now because of all of the driftwood. Young children will definitely need help here. Of First, Second, Third and Rialto beaches, I believe this is the most beautiful. It's intimate and expansive at the same time, with fabulous sea stacks and impenetratable headlands. This was not a good weekend for tides (with the best tides at 1am or so), but I was able to spot a few sea stars. We spent our time running on the foggy beach instead, with my son Aidan scaring off a flock of seagulls. On our return, Aidan had collected a few items to decorate the giving tree we had noticed on our way down. People have poked feathers, rocks, driftwood and other natural items into an old tree. It's really fabulous - check out the photo below. |
Second Beach, by Galiwalker.
|
Document Actions
- Email this page
- Print this
- Share
Forgot your
New user?
