Third Beach at Olympic National Park, but What’s in a Name?

On our recent trip to Olympic National Park, we enjoyed a wonderful hike to Third Beach – and no,  the name does not do it justice.  Just a short drive from Mora Campground, Third Beach lies south of First Beach and Second Beach –  not to be confused with Beach 1, Beach 2 and Beach 3 even further to the south.  (I guess after so many gorgeous beaches they decided to go with a numbering system – you try naming a beach!)

The trail through the woods was flat and well maintained and at only 1.4 miles one way, the payoff at the end seemed too easy.

There were only a handful of hikers on the trail including this little fellow below, to whom we gave the right of way.

It wasn’t long before we heard the roar of the Pacific Ocean and saw the promise of blue sky at the end of the trail tunnel.

And then – Ocean in View!

After scrambling over the giant drift logs that guarded the beach (look closely and you will see my speck of a husband), we were there!

The rugged beach was ours to enjoy, complete with an offshore metropolis, which I shall call the City of Sea Stacks.  (I guess naming things is difficult!)

While Bob cast his line in the surf (for seaweed it turns out)

I accrued more steps on my fitbit by heading down the beach for a closer look at the mysterious sea stacks and small waterfalls tumbling from the cliffs.

It was great to be walking, alone with my thoughts, in the fresh air, enjoying the waves and the surf and the drift logs and giant boulders strewn about.

As I write this I find myself wishing I were there right now  –  spending the night on the beach.

I returned from my walk and found that Bob had failed to catch us lunch so we settled instead for the snack I’d brought along – nuts, crackers, chips cookies, washed down with water and surprisingly tasty.  Then it was time to go:  another scramble over the logs, a long walk through the woods and we were back at the trailhead.  Next up was La Push and First Beach where no hiking was necessary to enjoy the drive-up beach on the Quileute Indian Reservation. (Second Beach does require a hike and will have to wait for another trip.)

Exhausted by our adventures  (18,000 steps for me – but who’s counting?) we stopped at Three Rivers Resort for a ‘Quil Burger’ (it was delicious).  While we were there we learned of another threat, greater than mere fire danger, a nod to the Twilight series based here.

Regardless, we slept peacefully in our trailer that night, and were ready the next day to move on to the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the best remaining examples of temperate rain forest in the world, according to the Park’s newspaper, and that deserves another post.  Stay tuned.

~ Susanne