About the Trip

The 20-mile through hike between Ozette and Rialto Beach is one of the most picturesque sections of the Olympic Wilderness Coast, but also one of the most rugged. Trekking through slick tidal flats, rock hopping, and timing low-tides makes this through-hike very memorable, but also physically and mentally challenging as you strategically place each footstep. However, the remote, rugged beauty of this coastal wilderness is truly once in a lifetime.

Trip Details

• Route: Ozette to Rialto | 20 miles

• Difficulty: Strenuous due to challenging tidal terrain and physical demands of multi-day backpacking

• Group Size: Up to 10 hikers

Itinerary Description

Day 1: Like any great backpacking adventure, the first day involves prep, packing, and meal planning. In our Olympic Hiking Co. Tour Office, we will facilitate a light breakfast buffet and a 2-hour gear packing session to load up your 40 pound backpack for the trip. From Port Angeles, we will shuttle 2 hours to the Ozette Trailhead located in a remote section of the North Olympic Wilderness Coast. From Ozette, we will have 3 miles of flat boardwalk trekking followed by 1-2 miles of beach hiking to reach our campsite at South Sand Point.

Day 2: Our first day of prep, packing, and logistics sets up our group for success for the most challenging coastal section of this Ozette to Rialto through-hike. After a light breakfast, we will break camp early to take advantage of the low-tide to trek through tide critical areas between Yellow Banks and Norwegian Memorial. In this rugged coastal stretch, our group will cautiously navigate through a series of tide critical areas, rock hopping sections, and tidal flats. Once we’re beyond Norwegian, our group can collectively exhale, as our campsite at Cedar Creek is a short, straight-forward trek around the coastal headland.

Day 3: our longest day of hiking will be timed with the most favorable low tide of our trip. As the tide recedes during the morning, our group will safely navigate past five tide critical areas, which will be stress-free knowing we will be gaining beach real estate as we trek. After hiking through the iconic “Hole in the Wall” approaching Rialto Beach, we’ll know our shuttle back to Port Angeles awaits in less than a mile.

Itinerary Outline

Beginning/Ending Location: Olympic Hiking Co. 115 E Railroad Ave, Suite #110, Port Angeles, WA 98362

Day 1

• 7:30 AM: Orientation & gear packing session at OHC HQ

• 9:30 AM: Shuttle from Port Angeles to Ozette Trailhead

• 11:30 AM: Arrival at trailhead and begin hike

• Hike: Ozette to South Sand Point (4.5 miles)

• Highlights: Ozette Boardwalks, Sand Point

Day 2

• Hike: South Sand Point to Cedar Creek (7.0 miles)

• Highlights: Yellow Banks to Norwegian Memorial section

Day 3

• Hike: Cedar Creek to Rialto Beach (8.5 miles)

• Highlights: Cedar Creek Seastacks, Hole in the Wall

• 12:00 PM: Shuttle from Rialto to Port Angeles

• Scheduled lunch stop in Forks

• 3:00 PM: Return to OHC HQ for gear offload

• 3:30 PM: Farewell and trip complete!