Lake Quinault to Kalaloch Beaches in Olympic NP

Today we’re driving through the Southern portion of Olympic National Park in Washington. We have all 3 kids and Grandma with us as we make stops along the way to our Airbnb in Forks. With a packed itinerary, we are looking forward to exploring from Lake Quinault to the Kalaloch beaches!

Planning our Route

Olympic National Park is very large and there are no routes through the the mountains in the middle of the park. And since we are staying in the town of Forks, there are 2 ways to get there. We can either take the Northern route through Port Angeles, or the Southern route passing Lake Quinault and the Kalaloch beaches. Originally we were planning to take the Northern route stopping at Hurricane Ridge. But after the lodge and visitor center there burned down, there are no facilities. So the park is limiting access which has been filling up each morning. And since Seattle is 3-4 hours away, we won’t make it in time. But this gives us a great opportunity to discover other areas of the park we weren’t planning to visit.

So, I planned a full day itinerary, and with Becky’s help, I added realistic expectations padding more time. Though there’s 4.5 hours of driving time, over 2.5 hours are just getting to our 1st stop. Lake Quinault Lodge is on the South shore of its namesake lake. And after a few stops, we’ll head to the North shore for a few stops including a picnic lunch. Check out more about the Quinault area at: Visiting Quinault – Olympic National Park (nps.gov). After visiting the Quinault area, we’ll head to the coast to visit Kalaloch’s lodge and its beaches. And our last stop will be at the popular Ruby Beach before heading to Forks. You can read more about Kalaloch area at: Visiting Kalaloch and Ruby Beach – Olympic National Park (nps.gov).

GuideAlong App from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch

Once we head north toward Lake Quinault, we turn on GuideAlong just past Humptulips. We were so impressed with the GuideAlong app last year in Yellowstone and other parks. And we were so ecstatic when we found out they came out with a new tour for Olympic this year.

This app is just like having a guide in your car that points out stops and provides history and more. What’s cool is you download it first, and it uses your GPS locations to give you information about upcoming destinations. You don’t need to worry about cell service or Wi-Fi. Click the banner above for more information or go straight to their Olympic tour at: Olympic National Park Audio Tour | GuideAlong.

The GuideAlong Olympic National Park tour starts just north of Aberdeen on the way to Lake Quinault. With audio points around Lake Quinault and through Kalaloch and into Forks, it’s perfect for this drive. So, I just plug our phone into our car to play the app for all of us to hear. After a quick introduction to the park, we learn more about the Quinault area. And before we get to the lodge, the app recommends a short rainforest trail we had not planned to do.

Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail

Almost to the lodge we are 15 minutes ahead of schedule, so we decide to stop for this recommended hike. The Rain Forest Nature Trail and the South shore of Lake Quinault are actually in the Olympic National Forest. Though both sides contain temperate rainforest, and this short 1/2 mile interpretive hike sounds like a great way to see it. So, we pull into the small parking lot and find a spot after a few minutes.

The restrooms here are closed, but there is a porta-potty for a quick pit stop before the trail. There is also an honor box to pay the $5 day use fee, which Becky pays though our parks annual pass covers it. I break out my hiking poles Drew got me last Christmas and am excited to finally use them. I planned to let my mom, aka Grandma, also use them, but she is prepared with her own trekking poles!

At the beginning of the trail we already see some large trees and our 1st interpretive sign about the rainforest. The lush trail overlooks Willaby Gorge following Willaby Creek before turning through ancient large trees. And some of these trees grow up to 200 feet tall.

Though the trail is mostly compact gravel, there are some rocks and roots. And there’s a section going up where the poles are handy until we get to a sign for the whole trail system. This loop is a small part of the trails on this side of the lake. But this trail is all we have time for today, and the rest is a leisurely walk down through the trees to the parking lot.

Lake Quinault Lodge

After the short hike we head to Lake Quinault Lodge passing many beautiful blue hydrangea bushes on the way. Since the stop took us about 45 minutes, we’re back behind schedule. But even though it’s lunch time, we still want to check out this lodge. So, we pull into the lodge area and find parking on the curved drive right in front. Originally we thought about having lunch at the lodge. But when I saw their lunch menu and found out their burger is $26, we planned a picnic afterwards instead.

The outside of the lodge has a rustic charm you would expect from a national park lodge. We learned from the GuideAlong app that the lodge was built in 1926 of mostly wood. We take a few pictures out front next to a cute well before heading in. Inside to the right is the front desk and gift shop. Not wanting to waste time, we head the other way to the lobby. Centered in the lobby is a brick fireplace with antlers on the wall above it. There are leather couches and tables around it inviting us to stay longer. But instead we head past their restaurant outside onto their deck.

On the deck we pass some outside tables for the restaurant. It is a beautiful sunny day in the 70’s, but this is one of the rare days here. They have a large rain gauge on the back side of the fireplace chimney. It looks like a Native American totem pole with colorful artwork that measures the rain in feet not inches. And it shows a marker for 2016 between 14 and 15 feet which is between 168-180 inches that year!

Out Back of Lake Quinault Lodge

From the deck, we see a large green lawn and our first views of the blue lake.  There are Adirondack chairs by the deck to enjoy the views of kids playing Frisbee and the lake beyond. We also see cornhole and ladder ball setup for a tournament later this afternoon.  The lawn is a great outdoor space, but we continue past the lawn on the paved walkway to the lake.

On the way to the lake, we pass another building where guests can stay called the Boathouse. And just past it we see a sign for the Quinault Loop Trail. But it’s here we take the steps down to the beach. There are kayaks, canoes and paddleboards along the shore for rent. They also have a small dock with a pontoon boat that offers lake tours. But there are also many chairs and driftwood logs where people are just sitting and admiring the lake.

The lake is absolutely gorgeous. Though our daughter just wants to throw rocks in it. It’s what she does… We walk out on the dock where a kid is fishing. On the other side of the lake we see a fleet of small sailboats cruising around. And on the other side of the dock we see 2 kids swimming around a platform. We could see spending a lot of time here, but we need to head back.

On the way, the kids take pictures in a cut-out Bigfoot outside before heading back in. Inside is another large stuffed Sasquatch that the boys have to take a picture with. After all this is Bigfoot country, so we’ll have to keep are eyes open. But next, we’re going to see a big tree.

The World’s Largest Sitka Spruce Tree

Only a mile up the road is a popular roadside attraction. We find the parking lot is full, but still manage to find a space and walk across the street. I read there is a short trail to the tree. But when we get to the trailhead, a man tells us that it’s closed. However he tells us we can still walk around through the campground next door to see the tree. We were thinking this would be a quick stop, but instead takes us about 5 minutes walking fast to the tree.

Once past the campground we see a small field and there it is. The sign in front is falling down, but it tells us the tree is about a 1,000 years old. It also tells us this spruce tree is 191 feet tall and over 58 feet wide. Becky and our daughter climb on the roots to take a few pictures. Afterwards the boys take their turn. There is a bridge to the trail behind us, where I find it’s closed to remove some limbs. We appreciate the safety, but it takes us a little longer than we had hoped. We still have to drive to the other side of the lake to the July Creek Picnic Area.

July Creek Picnic Area

Since there’s a bridge out past us, we cannot loop around to the North shore of the lake. So, we have to drive back down South Shore Drive to Highway 101, the main road around the park. After a couple miles on 101, we turn onto North Shore Drive. And we immediately notice more large trees on this less developed side of the lake. And on this side we enter in Olympic National Park for the 1st time. About 3.5 miles down we find our lunch spot, the July Creek Picnic Area.

There’s plenty of parking here as well as vault toilets and bear-proof garbage receptacles. However, you have to walk down a short trail to some picnic tables. Lucky for us we find a great table in a shaded area. Grandma and Becky beat us there to start setting out our lunch. We’ve found picnic areas in many national parks to be great places not only for lunch, but to relax. And this place is no exception. After 30 minutes enjoying our lunch, we explore more of the lake.

Right past our picnic table is a path down to more beautiful views of this gorgeous lake. There is an area we can walk along the shore that we pretty much have to ourselves. After enjoying the lake for a little while, we pack up our lunch. But on the way back to the car, I find some berry bushes. So I show Becky and the kids and I identify them as thimbleberries and black raspberries. We all try one before meeting Grandma back at the car. We joke with Grandma that we’re all going to get sick and she’ll have to take care of us…

Quinault to Kalaloch Ranger Stations

A couple miles down the road we turn into the parking lot for the Quinault Ranger Station. However, there is some construction going on here, so I let Becky out while I try to find a spot. Becky takes in her passport book to get it stamped. There are multiple places within Olympic National Park you can get your passport stamped. And each place has different stamps. She is happy to get her 1st stamp here as well as some good information.

By the time I find a parking spot, Becky is coming out. She said the beginning of the Maple Glade Trail is being worked on. It looks like they are laying some rocks on the trail. However, you can still access the trail just down from the trailhead. Originally we had planned to hike this 1/2 mile trail. But since we’re a little behind schedule, we decide to skip it. We already did one trail in this area, and Lake Quinault to Kalaloch is almost a 45 minute drive.

We jump back in the car to head from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch plugging in GuideAlong on the way. The drive to the coast isn’t bad learning more about the beaches along the way. We pass the Queets area, South Beach and Kalaloch Beach 1 and 2. And shortly afterwards we turn into the parking lot for the ranger station. Becky and I get out and she gets her Kalaloch stamp, and I get more information. At both ranger stations, you can get park brochures, area trail maps and their summer newsletter all for free.

Kalaloch Lodge and Mercantile

Kalaloch, pronounced “Clay-lock”, means a “good place to land” in the native language of the Quinault people. And less than a minute from the ranger station, the lodge is the heart of this area. Recognizable by its blue trim, the lodge was made from driftwood-milled wood washed up on the beaches here. And we easily find a parking spot out front and head inside. Once in you can basically head to their restaurant or to their gift shop. But like Lake Quinault Lodge, what makes this place special is outside.

Out back we see the lodge is on a bluff overlooking Kalaloch creek emptying into the Pacific Ocean. It’s a great spot and there are some blue Adirondack chairs Becky and Grandma are able to snag. Content on just sitting for a while, they send me and the kids to get some ice cream.

The Kalaloch Mercantile next door sells ice cream so we walk across the parking lot. This building also has the same wood and blue trim. And inside it has just about everything you would need for a stay here. They have grocery items, supplies, souvenirs and of course ice cream.

We order soft serve ice cream at the register which they give us out the window. You can get vanilla, chocolate or a twist at a reasonable price. We get some and take the ice cream back with us to share with Becky and Grandma. The ice cream is tasty, but the kids see people on the beach below and want to explore. I just need to find a way down there.

Kalaloch Beach

Becky and Grandma relax in their chairs, while I take the kids toward the cabins. At the end is where we find a walkway down to the beach. Technically I believe the beach here is still part of Kalaloch Beach 2. And it is wide and sandy with plenty of room to explore. We take the wooden stairs down to the sandy beach and walk toward the shore.

Closer to shore there are plenty of rocks for our daughter to throw in the ocean. And the boys find some interesting things on the beach including gooseneck barnacles and small Dungeness crabs.

I walk toward the creek looking back at Kalaloch Lodge. I call Becky and wave at her so she can see me from up there. At the mouth of the creek many seagulls are in the water. But as I get closer, they all decide to fly past my head.

As I gather the kids to head back, the rocks in the surf are glistening in the Sun. It’s a very nice beach, but we still have other beaches on our itinerary. So, we head back up the stairs past the lodge meeting Becky and Grandma at the car. Our next stop is just down the road.

The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is a park wonder we have to see. Also known as the Tree Root Cave, it’s a freak of nature defying all odds of surviving. This Sitka spruce tree with its exposed roots hanging in the air is healthy and growing over a cave. And it’s just another minute up the road from the lodge, accessed from the Kalaloch Campground parking lot.

When we turn into the campground parking lot, we don’t see the beach access trail at first. Be we circle and see a small sign that says Beach Trail. So, we park the car and walk the short trail to the beach and down more wooden stairs. The stairs can be difficult so Grandma decides to hang back at the car. But this should be a quick stop. However, when we get down to the beach we don’t see it right away. So we look for people as this can be a popular attraction.

To our right we see some people taking their picture in front of the tree. And before we can take our picture, another group walks up and goes under the tree. They are hanging and climbing on the roots and we can only imagine the tree falling on them. Obviously it’s pretty sturdy to survive wind and storms, but people can be disrespectful. After they leave, everyone sits on a driftwood log and I take a few pictures while others wait their turn. And then we head back to the car. Our next stop is the magnificent Ruby Beach.

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach is our last planned stop before we head to Forks, and we saved arguably the best for last. And we arrive about 10 minutes ahead of our itinerary, but some of us have to use the bathroom. So after 10 minutes, we’re back on schedule, and head down the trail to the beach. And about half way down, we get a great view of the beach and Abbey Island in the distance.

I loved Ruby Beach so much that I created a separate post with more details. Read more about our walk to Abbey Island: Ruby Beach to Abbey Island in Olympic NP.

At the trail exit, there are driftwood logs everywhere and it is rocky, so we help Grandma to the beach. Here we see some sea stacks, or columns of rocks in and around the ocean. And the 1st one is easily accessible right on the beach. What is cool about this one is it has 2 holes at the bottom, and the larger one can be easily walked through.

Closer to the beach it is more sandy and easier to walk. But Grandma decides to wait on a driftwood log, while the rest of us walk down the beach. We pass more sea stacks in and around the water. I also spot another island in the distance with a lighthouse on it, but haven’t heard anything about it. And today the beach extends all the way to Abbey Island.

We walk over an hour on the beach and could spend more time here for sure. Overall we spend about 1.5 hours here, but now we need to head to check-in at our rental house in Forks.

Forks

After leaving Ruby Beach, the GuideAlong app talks about the island we saw with the lighthouse on it. It is called Destruction Island and was named after 2 massacres by natives on the nearby mainland. The lighthouse was built in 1891 and operated until 2008. It’s these tidbits we would have never know without GuideAlong. We also learn a lot about the history of Forks along the way, including its logging history. Not to mention its popularity from the Twilight series of books and movies.

We check-in to our rental about 6:30PM, which was only 30 minutes after I’d planned. However we spent an extra 30 minutes at Ruby Beach, and it was worth it. But now we are starving so we head to Sully’s Burgers for dinner. The burgers are awesome and a great way to cap our 1st day in Olympic from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch and more.

Summary from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch Beaches

Today we took the Southern route through Olympic National Park from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch and its beaches. And both areas have so much to offer. Lake Quinault is absolutely gorgeous and so was the lodge. We enjoyed the Rain Forest Nature Trail, but could’ve skipped the World’s Largest Sitka Spruce Tree. Though we loved the July Creek Picnic Area and could have spent more time there. Short on time, we made a quick stop at the Quinault Ranger Station before heading to Kalaloch.

Kalaloch also has a ranger station and lodge. Though the view and access to the beach is what makes it popular. We enjoyed our time at the lodge and beach, and made our obligatory stop at the Tree of Life. But we saved the best for last at Ruby Beach. We are glad we got to spend a little extra time there.

And I have to say my itinerary was well planned. Other than switching hikes in the Quinault area, we hit all of our planned stops and we’re glad we did. This drive was actually pretty easy and having GuideAlong with us definitely enhanced our experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip from Lake Quinault to Kalaloch Beaches and didn’t get sick from eating wild berries!  We’re looking forward to exploring more of the park tomorrow.