South Coast Wilderness Trail - Toleak Point — Friday, Aug. 22, 2025

Timing

Two day (one night) trip from Friday 8/22 to Saturday 8/23. My friend and I started at the Oil City Trailhead, and hiked north to the Third Beach Trailhead. This means we left a car on both ends (first both drove to Third Beach, then drove one car back to the Oil City Trailhead). We preferred this route as we got the difficult portion of the hike out of the way sooner.

Day 1

• Start: 4:30am, Oil City Trailhead
• We stopped for a bit at the Mosquito Creek campsite. The trail got much easier after crossing this stream - lots of easy sandy beach.
• End: 1:15pm, Toleak Point Campsite
• CalTopo Route Stats: +1436 ft, -1451 ft, 9.78 miles
• Notes:
  • Started early to catch the low tide. Beautiful views of the beach as the sunrise illuminated everything from over the tree line.
  • The rocks on the beach in the first part of the hike, before Jefferson Cove / Diamond Point, were wet from the recently receded tide, and some were slippery. I'd suggest taking your time here - this is the toughest part of the hike.
  • The Mosquito, Goodman, and Falls Creeks all require water crossings depending on the tide. (Goodman and Falls Creeks are on the overland trail, but can still require water crossings.) I'd recommend bringing water shoes in case (or just walking across barefoot, if you're OK with that).
  • Toleak Point is absolutely beautiful! Much to explore at low tide as well, and the campsites were wonderful.

Day 2

• Start: 5:15am, Toleak Point Campsite
• End: 9am, Third Beach Trailhead
• CalTopo Route Stats: +849 ft, -593 ft, 5.81 miles
• Notes:
  • Much easier compared to the first day.
  • At Scott's Creek, we did not use the overland trail, so I'm not sure what the conditions of that are at the moment. Passing Scott's Creek for us required low tide (we passed at around -1ft). See this useful trip report that shows some tide passing information.

This was the most unique hike I've done to date. Many different environments and trail types: sandy and rocky beaches, ladders and ropes towards overland trails, forest trails, and stream crossings.

We actually attempted to start this on 8/21 at around 2-4pm, when the tides were decreasing but still above 2.5ft, but turned back as we did not anticipate how much the tides would affect the difficulty of the hike. Somebody else was able to pass Diamond Point, but the trip to Toleak Point would've been a long walk at that time. Pay attention to the tides. We recommend going at the lowest tide of that day - we were the earliest ones hiking on 8/22 and 8/23, but it made the hike much easier.

Tides

See the areas with tide restrictions and overland trails for impassible headlands at nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/upload/OLYM-Wilderness-Trip-Planner.jpg, from nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/upload/OLYM-Wilderness-Trip-Planner.jpg.

• We knew that multiple points would be impassable at high tide, but we were unfamiliar with how much that would affect the trek from Oil City Trailhead to Jefferson Cove. If you go at the wrong time, even as the tide is decreasing, that section becomes much more difficult. It essentially involves lots of bouldering across the ocean rocks, or trying to climb up rocks closer to the land.
• The low tide and high tide points vary not only in height, but also time-of-day. Currently, the lowest tide is early in the morning. Leaving gave us peace-of-mind, let us go at our own pace, and had the added benefit of some very beautiful, peaceful views.
• This weekend, the lowest tide was around -1ft at 6-7am, according to tides.willyweather.com/wa/jefferson-county/toleak-point. These stats will vary throughout the year, so I recommend checking the site above and planning for your trip accordingly. (Different sites may have slightly different predictions; see rei.com/learn/expert-advice/how-to-read-a-tide-table for details.)

Water

• There are multiple water sources along the trail. I carried two liters the full way, and refilled at the next stop whenever I finished one liter. Important note for the uninformed like myself: water filters like the Sawyer Mini can't desalinate salt water or brackish water (mix of salt + freshwater).
• Some sources like the estuary of Mosquito Creek can be brackish, though at campsites there are better freshwater sources nearby away from the ocean. (Estuary = the tidal mouth of a large river, where the tide meets the stream.)

Backpacking

• An Olympic National Park Wilderness Permit (South Coast) is required for camping at Toleak Point, or at some of the other spots along this trail (e.g., Mosquito Creek, Strawberry Point, etc). When we went, there was plenty of room available.
• When I obtained the wilderness permit, I received an email from nps.gov with very useful information regarding "Notable tidal restrictions on the South Coast." Bear canisters are required (nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/backpacking-faq, and the email I received).
• Plenty of campsites are available at Toleak Point, including many located slightly inland.
• There is an outdoor privy available (bring toilet paper).

Parking

• The parking lot was slightly busier at the Third Beach Trailhead (somebody was waiting for our spot once we returned).
• There are toilets available at both Third Beach Trailhead and the Oil City Trailhead.
• Road to the Oil City Trailhead is unpaved and in good condition.

Berries

• Plenty of salal berries.

NPS.gov Email Info

Copied from the nps.gov email when I reserved the Toleak Point campsite.

1. Certain sections of this route are physically impassable at higher tides. Most notable is the 2’ restriction at Diamond Rock which can sometimes be impassable for numerous days in a row

2. Carry a tide chart and topographic map on your trip and reference them before you head out

• The Custom Correct South Olympic Coast Map has tidal restrictions marked. These maps can be found at the Port Angeles Visitor Center, online, or possibly at local gear shops.

3. Notable tidal restrictions on the South Coast: 

4. Goodman Creek can be tidally influenced at the trail ford location

5. Check the Marine Forecast to avoid hazardous swells and waves; rolling beach logs can be fatal

6. Camp in established campsites or on the beach above the high tide line