Olympic National Park's Best Beach Is A Hidden Paradise To Spot Wildlife With Serene Coastal Views

Though it shares a state with natural wonders as impressive as Mount Rainier and the North Cascades, Olympic National Park may be the most sublime attraction in Washington (and the Pacific Northwest in general). Olympic's exalted spot in the pantheon of American national parks stems from its complex allotment of pristine and complex ecoregions. The park protects a diverse range of areas around Washington's Pacific coastline, from towering coastal mountains to serene old-growth forests. Olympic National Park even protects the lush views of the ethereal Hoh Rainforest, one of the largest in the U.S. But it's Olympic's heavenly coastal areas that place it above other beautiful park destinations in the Pacific Northwest. Among the park's many picturesque beaches, the otherworldly Rialto Beach may be the best of them all. 

Rialto Beach offers a perfect sample of all of the natural features that make Olympic National Park so amazing. As a beach, the area has no shortage of exceptional views of Washington's Pacific coastline. But Rialto Beach also protects some of Olympic's loveliest coastal forests, rivaling even the rich greens of the Hoh Rainforest elsewhere in the park. Even better, Rialto Beach has arguably Olympic National Park's best beachside hike, a blissful path along the ocean that culminates with unforgettable views of a natural rocky corridor through intricate tidepools known, appropriately, as the Hole in the Wall.

Pacific Northwest beaches have a particular kind of beauty not found in many coastal areas. In contrast to Southern California's sunny surf and sand, Washington's beaches more often display deep evergreen forests, mythic fog covers, and intricate ecosystems forged by the region's wetter climate. While Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula as a whole have an excellent balance of scenic coastline and thick forests, Rialto Beach's location at the mouth of the Quillayute River provides it with some of the best contrasts of ocean and forest anywhere in Washington. 

As a beach getaway in Olympic National Park, Rialto Beach matches the seclusion, dramatic views, and rock formations of Washington's Second Beach, just a short distance away. One advantage that Rialto Beach has over others in the Olympic Peninsula is convenience. Despite its pristine appearance, Rialto Beach is easily accessed from the Mora Campground and parking area, with only a short and manageable distance between the parking lot and the water. Many experienced park-goers believe that Rialto is the most walkable beach around Olympic and is the national park's best destination for unforgettable beachside hikes. 

Although it is conveniently located next to parking and lodging areas, Rialto Beach is also one of the best places in Olympic to experience the Pacific Northwest's complex coastal beauty. Rialto Beach features abundant tide pools, where beachgoers and hikers can discover beautiful starfish, anemones, and other distinctive sea life indicative of this intricate tidal ecosystem. Farther out from shore, beachgoers have a great chance to observe impressive marine animals, including whales, orcas, sea lions, seals, otters, and sea turtles. Overhead, birdwatchers can also observe eagles, osprey, herons, and other types of seabirds. 

Rialto Beach has no shortage of breathtaking views, but for many hikers, its single biggest draw is its proximity to one of Washington's top coastal wonders: the magnificent natural arch called the Hole in the Wall. From a distance, the Hole in the Wall looks like the many prominent sea stacks that dot the Olympic coastline. But countless eons of erosion have carved this particular sea stack into a striking natural arch that provides beachgoers with a remarkable window view of the Pacific. 

As a prominent landmark, the Hole in the Wall serves as the terminus point for one of the most popular hiking routes from Rialto Beach. To get to the main Hole in the Wall viewing area, hikers can travel a little over a mile north of Rialto Beach while enjoying endless views of fantastic coastal forests on one side and the awe-inspiring Pacific shoreline on the other. The entire route from Rialto Beach to Hole in the Wall and back again covers about 3.3 miles and usually takes a little over an hour to complete (though you may want to give yourself a little extra time to stop and enjoy the scenery).

The closest camping option to Rialto Beach is Olympic National Park's Mora Campground, situated in a lovely forested area near the Quillayute River. Rialto Beach is also about a 1.5-hour drive from the small beach town and Olympic National Park gateway of Port Angeles and about four hours from Seattle. Whether you camp out in Olympic's primeval forests or get a hotel in the nearby civilization, Rialto Beach will provide you with enough natural splendor to take you to another world entirely.