Shi Shi Beach

As there's been no report since December, 2003, here's a current one: There are a few things to be prepared for...first, it's a long drive from Seattle...including the ferry, it took us about 5 hours to get to Neah Bay. I would not daytrip this one. From the 113 junction, there are sharply-curved sections of road which slow your speed down to at least 20 MPH on many sections in daylight...I wouldn't enjoy this at night or in rain. Close to Neah Bay, a section of road was washed out...it is a now a single-lane section with a stop-sign - you take turns if you encounter traffic from the other direction.

You need to purchase a Makah Recreation Permit in Neah Bay for $7 at present...at the Museum on your left as you enter town (which contains an impressive, full-sized replica Longhouse which you can walk into...feel like you were there, and Longboats) or at Washburn's General Store, and other stores in town. There are only 3 eateries in Neah Bay with limited menus and hours. If you want to stay in a place with bed, bathroom and shower, I'd suggest staying in Sekiu as we did, where there are a half-dozen options, 15 miles before Neah Bay and the Cove Restaurant. There's also the Breakwater Restaurant before Neah Bay.

It's sad to drive through Neah Bay to get to the signed road to Cape Flattery and ""Beaches""...a sad-looking town surrounded by the priceless beauty of nature....follow road signs at the end of town, and take a left out as signed. Drive past Waatch and Hobuck Beaches...beautiful in their own rights...If you plan on camping overnight and want to gain some security for your car, as you near the Shi Beach Trailhead there's ""Donna's"" place, signed on your left...with a private parking lot for I believe $10...some insurance and better peace of mind. Continue on the road (paved all the way) to the Shi Shi Beach Trailhead parking lot with room for perhaps 15 cars, and a couple of porta-potties but no garbage cans.

Starting out on the trail for the first mile or so is a pleasant, seductive experience...the Makahs have put alot of work in to build gravel trails and boardwalks...but then as I think you cross into the National Park / Forest Service land, you enter sections of Mud Hell. We encounted 3 blowdowns, the first of which was easy, the 2nd was muddy, the 3rd was a slippery, muddy obstacle course. At first, we tried to avoid getting too muddy...but as experience grew after awhile we just gave up and accepted the reality of getting through each muddy morass...several, literally over ankle-deep...the kind that sucks your boots off when you try to step forward...and needless to say, the mud cakes up on your pants legs a few more inches...if you look around at the muddy morasses, there may be some side-trails that wind up and down, but these are slippery with mud also, and have root tangles...watching your step is the order of the day.

So although it's a relatively flat trail, with only small inclines here and there, and rated at 3.3 miles, because of the muddy conditions, it slows you down quite a bit...it took us over an hour just to get to the trail leading down to the beach...we ran out of time and didn't go farther as sunset hour approached and we weren't ready to camp. But we charged back through many of those muddy morasses, (who cared at that point) and made it back in about 45 minutes.

Strategies for dealing with the mud: - Accept the mental attitude to ""Just Do It; Get Over It"", - Ankle-high or higher, waterproof hiking boots with gaiters, - Sturdy, secure, rubber-soled sandals and shorts (just clean off when you get down to the beach, and water-down when you get back to the parking lot).

One last comment...I've read elsewhere the Forest Service / National Park Service may not have agreed to encourage more visitors to Shi Shi Beach, therefore the more difficult trail conditions on Forest Service / National Park land. There are 2 minds on this...those who think it should be kept this way to keep nature pristine as possible, or those who think it is our land to both enjoy and care for. Unfortunately, the few who do not care for the land spoil it for the rest of us...witness littering! Because I feel this is a unique, priceless asset, I hope WTA will organize trail crews to improve trail conditions and organize to encourage visitors in keeping Shi Shi Beach pristine for posterity.