Point of Arches, Shi Shi Beach, Makah Nation
Jul 10, 1999
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches
- Region: Olympics -- Coast
- Agency: Olympic National Park; Makah Nation
- Avg Rating: 4.32
- Be Aware Of
- Blowdowns
- Mudholes
The road to Neah Bay is long, but the crowds do thin as the distance grows greater. Expect around four hours to the trailhead from Seattle. The road gets rougher and slower as it nears the end. We arrived at around 9:30AM, and tried to park at the last house from the trailhead. No one answered the door, so we went down to the next house and walked even further. The normal policy is just to drive right up on their lawn, and if they're not there, find an envelope and pay the proper amount. The trail starts through a clear cut along an old forest road, and quickly turns very muddy. Wear your lawn mowing shoes. At one point my husband (burdened by a heavy pack) fell face first in mud. At about two miles, we filled out a permit, entered the park, and descended steeply to the beach. Campsites are numerous along the beach and just above it, most dense around petroluem creek (the only source of water, bring a stove or filter). Wildlife included numerous sea lions, a flirtatious fawn on the beach, and a whale (presumably grey) that sent a huge flock of seagulls out of the water. Some tribal fisherman drove us back to our car from the trailhead, and on the way out, we stopped at the Makah museum, where we found out that the women who let us park in her yard, Isabelle Ides, is a tribal elder who turns 99 in November. Nice trip!
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