My wife and I went on a four day, three night backpacking trip of Ozette Ranger Station to Rialto Beach. Below are the high-level trail conditions
Day 1 - Ozette Ranger Station, via Cape Alava, to Yellow Banks: Cruising beach terrain with a few down trees to maneuver around near Cape Alava. Did not pay attention for water sources until we got to Yellow Banks. The main source had a slight trickle and had a dead seal near the mouth. If you travel about .5 miles from the southern most campsite (past a down log and start walking on the rocks), you will find two small streams that have good flow rates.
Day 2 - Yellow Banks to Norwegian Memorial: It was rocky and most difficult, but it was already known ahead of time. Helps to have hiking poles or hiking sticks to help maintain balance. The Norwegian Memorial is about 50-100 feet off the trail near where the rocks/sand meet. There is a large log that has graffiti on it and that is where you should head back into the trees.
Day 3 - Norwegian Memorial to Hole-in-the-Wall: Great terrain from Norwegian until the headland near Jagged Island. Rocky terrain from that point until Hole-in-the-Wall, with a few downed trees to maneuver around. Not as difficult as Yellow Banks to Norwegian, but still demanding. There are a few flowing streams about 1 mile prior to Hole-in-the-Wall. If you don't grab water there, then you will have filter water at Ellen's Creek, which is not flowing and has standing water. Side-Note: Chilean Memorial had a few running streams south of the campsite/memorial if water is needed. We did not notice/were looking for water north of the campsite.
Day 4 - Hole-in-the-Wall to Rialto Beach: Great beach terrain.
We found that the Custom Correct North Olympic Map, which can be purchased at Swain's in Port Angeles for $6, helps show the maximum tide height that can be crossed at most of the headlands and helped provide a piece of mind that we are crossing the headlands at the proper time.
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