The Washington Beach Where Sea Stars, Crabs, and a Rock Arch Are All Within a 3-Mile Walk

Olympic National Park has many breathtaking places to explore. Hurricane Ridge is a wonderland in the winter months, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale as you walk through the Hoh Rain Forest. The beaches within this Washington park are also stunning and known for their remarkable scenery, with Rialto Beach being one of the most well-known. But Rialto Beach is more than just a place with a gorgeous coastline filled with picturesque rock formations. It is also one of the best places in Washington to discover tide pools.

Rialto Beach is the type of place that makes you fall in love with Olympic National Park. From every angle, you will find inspiring scenery, such as tall rock formations known as sea stacks, weathered logs, and crashing waves. You might even spot wildlife like sea lions playing in the waves or bald eagles soaring overhead.

Many people come to Rialto Beach for its beauty and to explore Hole-in-the-Wall, a popular trail that can only be accessed during low tide. At the end of the trail, there is a large, remarkable rock arch, but the entire 3-mile journey along the beach is beautiful. I certainly recommend it—it just requires a little extra planning.

However, what you may not know is that Rialto Beach is also the perfect place to search for tide pools in Olympic National Park. Tide pools are small bodies of water that are only visible during a low tide. These small pools of water are home to incredible marine life. Tide pools can range in size—some are quite large and deep, while others are small and shallow—but all provide a place to live for sea creatures.

If you wish to discover the tide pools at Rialto Beach, we recommend arriving when the tide is quite low—ideally, around 1 foot deep. This is when you’ll be able to see the most creatures. You’ll want to check tide charts to help you plan accordingly and to help determine how much time you will have before the tide comes in. If you are able to complete the hike to Hole-in-the-Wall, I recommend you venture here during low tide as this area of the beach is one of the best for tidepooling. However, you must plan ahead to give yourself plenty of time to hike.

And believe us, you’ll want plenty of time to admire and ogle the remarkable marine life that lives in the tide pools. I love to look for colorful sea stars on the rocks, but you can also spot anemones, mussels, crabs, limpets, and more. Always remember to never touch anything in the tide pools, and sturdy shoes are recommended as the rocks can become quite slippery, especially if they are covered in seaweed and algae. And while you’ll want to spend plenty of time admiring the marine life in the tide pools, watch the waves closely. You'll want to monitor for a rising tide and powerful waves that unexpectedly crash onto the shore, also known as sneaker waves.

While Rialto Beach is one of our favorites for tide pooling in Olympic National Park, there are several other beaches for this activity including Kalaloch Beach, Second Beach, Third Beach, and Ruby Beach.

Tide pools are just one of the amazing things you’ll discover at this Washington national park. What are some other things you love to discover here? Are there places in the park that you particularly love to explore? I’d love to hear from you.