Washington – Hole-in-the-Wall Beach Camping For the First Time
I’ve always wondered what it is like to camp on the beach. Would I get annoyed with the sand or would I love it? After my experience at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach on the Olympic Peninsula, I can say I am leaning toward loving it. It was incredible to hike over the enormous trees and driftwood on our way to Hole-in-the-Wall and figure out where to make camp. Then in the morning, we were able to explore the sea stacks, tide pools, and infamous Hole-in-the-Wall. Rather easy to see where the beach’s name comes from.
A couple of things to note about camping at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach before we get started: You will want to hike in during the low tide (I will come back to this later). You will also need to make a reservation (between May 1 and September 1) to camp as it part of Olympic National Park. And finally, you will need a bear canister, which you can borrow, if you do not have your own. You can get your wilderness permit and bear canisters at the Wilderness Information Center at Olympic National Park. Consider the logistics and which information center you visit because they are not anywhere near the trailhead. Enough of the boring stuff, let’s get into the hike.
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Hole-in-the-Wall Beach Hike In
One of the most striking things about this area and beaches is the insane amount of driftwood. Entire tree logs cover the higher sections of the beach from Rialto to Hole-in-the-Wall and beyond. Coming from California, where we do not have pine tree-lined beaches, this is quite incredible! Beginning at Rialto Beach, there are trashcans, flushing toilets, and bulletin boards to utilize starting the hike. Do a quick stretch, appreciating the flat pavement before beginning the hike/beach walk.
When we had started, the tide was rather high. At first, it was fun to climb on and over the large driftwood logs. We alternated walking on deep sand and climbing over driftwood. We didn’t think this would be an issue, but it definitely wore us down. There were times that we looked for a path that was under the trees without success. There is no formal inland path. Instead, we learned the next day that the “path” is the relatively flat, compacted sand that is available at low tide. Far easier! Hike at low tide!
We still had fun walking along the beach and driftwood, finding beautiful stones and shells along the way. Stopping often to discover and climb over things, the hike took us about 45 minutes. As soon as we started to see a campground, we started to look for our own.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, I would do this hike again, but am excited to explore more of Olympic National Park
- Intensity: Backpacking gear
- Location: Olympic National Park – Coastal Region
- Cost: National Parks Pass (Although I do not recall a kiosk, we might have put our pass in the window), plus Wilderness Permits which are $8.00/per person/per night
- Restrooms: Flushing toilets at trailhead, nature at camp
- Timing: You can walk from the Rialto Beach parking area to Hole-in-the-Wall as a there-and-back hike easily. We decided to try beach camping for the first time.
- Distance: 3-miles roundtrip
- Elevation Gain: less than 50 ft
Highlights:
- Exploring the tide pools and the actual Hole-in-the-Wall in the early morning
- Watching the sunset with a driftwood bonfire
- Experiencing beach camping for the first time (spoiler: we were not a sea level, but decided to camp further back in the low grasses and trees for wind protection)
Lowlights:
- Crawling over driftwood with our heavy backpacks because we hiked in at high tide
Finding a Place to Camp
When booking our wilderness permit on Recreation.gov, there were like 70 or 80 permits available but we didn’t know what to expect when camping on the beach. For Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, most people opt to get closer to the pointed boulders and the Hole-in-the-Wall and find a spot up from the beach in the trees. However, as you get closer to the Hole-in-the-Wall, the depth of the tree-lined area reduces and there is less space available. Instead, we opted to be further away and found a perfect little spot nestled in the grasses and trees with a sandy cleared area. This provided wind-protection and warmth. Our little campsite was not visible from the beach, so the most difficult part was remembering where to find it.
My friends and I found conflicting information about having fires on the beach. The bulletin board at the start of the hike was essential in finding out information – campfires were permitted beyond Ellen Creek during our visit. Double-check this on the bulletin board if you decide to go. We made a small fire to roast marshmallows as the sun was beginning to set.
It was a pretty spectacular beachy sunset. There was an island offshore, where the sunset behind the sea stacks. We ran out to the low tide and took a few photos with pastel colors of the sky reflecting on the wet sand and the ocean.
Morning at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach
Throughout the night, I could hear the waves crash onto the beach. At one point it seemed particularly loud and bright – we had a full moon and a high tide. In the early morning, it was clear, but the fog was just off shore and slowly coming toward the beach. That did not stop us from going out to explore the tide pools and Hole-in-the-Wall. While walking toward the large stones, we got to see where others had camped. During the low tide, you will be able to walk up and even between the giant sea stacks that are right on the beach. The sea stacks are a bit of an optical illusion as they become enormous as you get closer.
At the sea stacks, we first began to see tide pools come to life. There were starfish, sand dollars, sea anemones, clams, and more. After these exciting finds, we made our way over to the Hole-in-the-Wall, which is just as glorious up close as it is when you are far away. There seemed to be even more sea life in these tide pools and we spent quite a bit of time around here.
Be careful as you explore the tide pools! We had a few close calls with slips, but it luckily never happened. Also, be careful with the living creatures of the tide pools. One of my friends was very brave and gentle, so she became our designated toucher of things.
Photo Opportunities
Rialto and Hole-in-the-Wall Beach are very photogenic! Here are some suggestions to get great photos of your own:
- So many opportunities with driftwood and the mini forts that people have made along the beach
- Sunset beach-y photos with the sea stacks
- Bonfire at sunset, before you completely lose the light and the view
- A photo standing in the slot between the two sea stacks
- Standing in the Hole-in-the-Wall
- If clear, you can stand on the beach beyond Hole-in-the-Wall and capture the sea stacks through the hole. I didn’t think of this at the time… guess I will have to go back!
The Return Trip
After exploring the tide pools, we headed back to our camp to pack up. We could have spent another hour in the little sea worlds, but also knew that it was key to walk back at low tide. And boy did that make all the difference! Instead of slowly trudging through the deep sand and crawling over driftwood, we easily walked easily straight down the beach. It took us like 20 minutes instead of 45 minutes. Sure our packs were lighter and we were not as interested to investigate ever pretty rock, but wow, it felt speedy. We even stopped for a couple of minutes to watch a seal in the shallows and a fisherman reel in a fish. You’ll see the parking area get closer, but also keep an eye out for a reflective round disc as that marks the beach access pavement.
Overnight Beach Camping Recommendations
Since this is a short hike with minimal elevation gain, it is perfect to get into backpacking as a newb or test out new gear. The good news is that if you do not like something, you are only committing to a night or two. The bad news is that you still need everything you would need for multiple nights, except for fewer clothes and food.
Hiking-Related Items:
- Tent – Nemo Hornet 2p or the super light Zpacks Tents.
- Sleeping bag – Therm-a-Rest Parsec 20 for down, Marmot Eco 20 for eco-fill, or maybe you only need a quilt. (Read my review of the Therm-a-rest Parsec 20 sleeping bag here.)
- Backpack – Deuter or Osprey both have good options. ORRRRR bring a wagon that you can roll on the beach at low tide. We saw a couple of different people do that. Here’s a sturdy-looking beach wagon.
- Sleeping pad – Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XTherm for a comfortable and warm sleep or a Therm-A-Rest foam pad to save your breath. (Read my review of the Therm-a-rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad here.)
- Hiking boots – I wore boots on the beach, but my friend just wore hiking sandals like Chacos! For boots, consider the Keen Targhee II for something similar to what I’m wearing in the photos, the Columbia Newton Ridge for something cute and slightly less expensive, or the Salomon Trail Sense 4 for more flexibility and lower profile while still having a ton of grip.
- Hiking poles – I don’t have an opinion on hiking poles yet, but if you’re looking for reasonably priced ones, check the REI Co-op. I just discovered these folding ones (are they new??), which would be cool to pop in your bag and use when you need them.
- Headlamp – Black Diamond is the classic brand that I’m familiar with and the Spot 400 is a solid choice. Make sure you choose one that had the red light! The Petzl Actik Core has a rechargeable battery – very cool! It also gets very good reviews.
Food-Related Items:
- Bear container – we borrowed one from the wilderness information center in Quinault two days before. (We were thinking ahead!) Since then, I have purchased the classic Bear Vault Canister.
- Stove – Jetboils are fast, and convenient but bulky… consider a pocket stove with a pot that is around 900ml or 1.2l.
- Coffee – You can use these handy pop-up pour-over packs or bring coffee grounds and a filter.
- Mug – I don’t trust plastic with boiling water, so here is something cheap, and here is something titanium, and here is something cute.
- Meals and snacks! My favorite meals right now are the Backpacker’s Pantry Thai Veggie and Mushroom Stroganoff! Or shop backpacker’s pantry on Amazon.
We kept it simple and opted for a freeze-dried meal dinner with a simple granola bar with coffee for breakfast. My favorite is the Pad Thai from Backpackers Pantry. The tricky part was determining how much water to bring. There is a stream, but I am not clear if it is freshwater. Otherwise, there might be potable water in the parking area – I am not sure as we didn’t use any. But if you’re in the parking area, you might as well leave extra in the car as backup. I brought about 2.5 – 3 liters for the hike in, dinner, breakfast (coffee), and the hike back. This was just enough as I am a big water drinker when hiking. Don’t forget the marshmallows!!
Get to the Trailhead
In case you lose signal, pop in “Rialto Beach” into Google Maps. It is relatively simple to find, but you do not want to miss the turnoff from the 110. If you have some time, it was fun to drive through the small town of Forks, which is famous for being the primary location of the Twilight series. There are coffee shops and little stores with references to books.
Olympic Peninsula Adventures
In addition to visiting Rialto and Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, I did a multi-day road trip to discover the unique climate zones of the Olympic Peninsula. The three areas that I discovered so far include rainforest, beach, and alpine. Check out these posts for more details on each activity: (I will link as I post them)
- Backpacking Royal Basin, Olympic National Park (alpine)
- Things to do at Lake Quinault, Olympic Peninsula (rainforest)
- Discovering the Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rainforest (rainforest)
- Hiking Hurricane Hill, Olympic National Park (alpine)
- Visiting the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim (zoo experience)
Overall Thoughts: Overnight at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach
It’s hard to believe that Hole-in-the-Wall Beach is part of the same national park as the Hoh Rainforest and Royal Basin. Truly incredible to see drastically different environments that are only a few hours apart from each other. The Olympic Peninsula is a wonder. In terms of my overnight, I loved it. The best parts were the sunset, marshmallows over a bonfire, and early-morning tide pooling. The little protected area that was up from the shore was perfect as we were protected from the wind and I didn’t worry about the high tide at all. I would definitely do beach camping again so long as there is something special to explore in the area – a trail, tide pools, sea stacks, and etc.
Now that I am beach-camping interested, what other beaches do you recommend camping at? Is there something to explore there? Leave a comment on this post for me and other travelers to consider!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
