The Best Olympic National Park Tide Pools

Crashing waves, colorful sea stars, spiny urchins, and scuttling crabs… Some of the best tide pools in Washington state are waiting to be explored along the wild, rugged coastline of Olympic National Park.

But with so many beaches along the Olympic Peninsula, where exactly should you go?

If you’re wondering where to find the best tide pools Olympic National Park has to offer, you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through the top spots for tide pooling, with expert tips to help you plan your visit around the tides, explore responsibly, and spot the most fascinating marine life.

Let’s peer into the best tide pools in Olympic National Park. You won’t believe what’s hiding just beneath the surface.

The Best Tide Pools Olympic National Park

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Best Tide Pools Olympic National Park: Complete Guide

1. Kalaloch Beach 4 Tide Pools

Beach 4 has, in my opinion, the best tide pooling of all the Olympic National Park beaches.  The beach is not the most dramatic, the tide pools are teeming with colorful marine life and you can easily spend several hours exploring the tide pools there.

Distance to beach

0.2 miles each way

Beach Access

Easy – moderate.  The trail itself is short, but has some elevation change.  

However, if you have mobility issues, getting to the beach is a challenge.  The trail pops you out at a short wooden bridge that spans from the hillside to some rocks on the edge of the beach.  Then you need to get down the rocks to the beach.  There is a rope that you hold on to as you back down the steep rocks.  It’s only a short distance, but nonetheless can be daunting if you have any mobility issues.  

Where to Find the Best Tide Pools on Beach 4

When you enter the beach, head north (right) and look for a large rock at the water’s edge.  The best tide pools are at the north side of this large rock.

Fee

There is no special trail or beach fee and you don’t pass through any Olympic National Park entrance station to enter Beach 4 so you can visit the beach for free.  

However, if you are going to enter other sections of Olympic National Park like Sol Duc, Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Hill, you will need to pay the Olympic National Park entrance fee. Paying the fee helps support our parks.  

Buy it online or, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year (Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park are both close), it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.    

When is Beach 4 Open?

Beach 4 is open year-round.

Kalaloch Tide Table 

I recommend checking the official NOAA Kalaloch tide chart here when you are planning your trip so you can visit at the right time.  This tide chart is considered the most reliable and is the one recommended by the NPS.

➡️ READ MORE: Kalaloch Beach 4 Guide

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2. Rialto Beach Tide Pools

Rialto Beach is the most accessible beach on the Olympic Peninsula, although you need to walk along the beach to get to the tide pools.

There are several sea stacks on the shore, but main attraction on Rialto Beach is Hole in the Wall – a dramatic natural arch carved by the wind and sea through a rocky outcrop.  The tidepools are spread around the base of the arch, so it’s easy to combine visiting the arch with exploring the tide pools.

Distance to beach

The beach is a about 100 feet from the parking area, but it’s 3.3 miles round trip to the tide pools.

Beach Access

Easy – moderate.  The beach is close, but the tide pools are near the Hole in the Wall natural arch.  This is about 1.7 miles down the beach to the right. It’s flat, but walking in soft sand can be tiring.

Where to Find the Best Tide Pools on Rialto Beach

When you enter the beach, head north (right) and walk for about 1.7 miles. The best tide pools are all around the Hole in the Wall natural arch.

Fee

There is no special trail fee and you don’t pass through any entrance station to enter Rialto Beach, so you can visit the beach for free.  

However, if you are going to enter other sections of Olympic National Park like Sol Duc, Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Hill, you will need to pay the Olympic National Park entrance fee.  Buy it online or, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year (Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park are both close), it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.    

When is Rialto Beach open?

Rialto Beach is open year-round.

Rialto Beach Tides Chart

To reach the tide pools, you’ll need to visit at low tide.  To ensure that you have enough time to explore the tide pools, plan to arrive at Hole in the Wall at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide. 

I recommend checking the official tide chart here when you are planning your trip so you can visit at the right time.

➡️ READ MORE: Rialto Beach Guide

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3. Ruby Beach Tide Pools

Ruby Beach is named after the ruby-like crystals in the beach sand.  These reddish minerals are ‘almandite’, a type of garnet. 

The beach has more to offer than red crystals, however.  It’s incredibly beautiful, with the sea stacks and enormous driftwood that characterize Olympic Peninsula beaches. 

Tide pools form around the edges of the sea stacks between the rocks and the sand, as well as among rocks along the beach.  This makes it great for tide pooling with young kids especially, as they don’t need to walk out on slippery rocks to explore the pools.

Distance to beach

0.25 miles each way

Beach Access

Easy-Moderate.  The trail is short with minimal elevation change.

However, when you arrive at the beach, there is also a pile of driftwood that you need to navigate.  Always walk very carefully on driftwood, as it can shift as you are walking on it.

Where to Find the Best Tide Pools on Ruby Beach

The tide pools are around the bases of the sea stacks.  Unlike the other beaches on this list, many of the tide pools are formed by the rock wall of the sea stacks on one side and then shallow troughs around the bases, with the other ‘walls’ being the sand. 

Fee

There is no special trail or beach fee and you don’t pass through any Olympic National Park entrance station to enter Ruby Beach so you can visit the beach for free.  

However, if you are going to enter other sections of Olympic National Park like Sol Duc, Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Hill, you will need to pay the Olympic National Park entrance fee. Paying the fee helps support our parks.  

Buy it online or, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year (Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park are both close), it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.    

When is Ruby Beach open?

Ruby Beach is open year-round.

Ruby Beach Tide Chart

Check the official Kalaloch beach tide chart here when you are planning your trip so you can visit at the right time. Plan to arrive at the beach at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide.

➡️ READ MORE: Ruby Beach Guide

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4. Second Beach Tide Pools

Second Beach will literally take your breath away.  The usual oversized, sun-bleached driftwood piles and mystical sea stacks off shore create a breathtaking view.  The beach itself is sandy and easy to walk on. 

There are rock pools covered in kelp and sea grasses in the middle of the beach and more tide pools at the headlands at each end of the beach. 

Distance to beach

0.7 miles each way

Beach Access

Easy – moderate.  Most of the trail is a gradual decline, but as the trail nears the beach, it descends quite steeply down a series of stepped switchbacks.  When you reach the beach, there is sometimes a pile of driftwood to climb over, but sometimes you can walk directly from the trail n to the sandy beach.

Where to Find the Best Tide Pools on Second Beach

If you head left, there are rock pools around Teahwhit Head on the southern end of the beach.  Some of the best tide pools, though, are around the base of the sea stacks. 

Fee

There is no special trail or beach fee and you don’t pass through any Olympic National Park entrance station to enter Third Beach so you can visit the beach for free.  

However, if you are going to enter other sections of Olympic National Park like Sol Duc, Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Hill, you will need to pay the Olympic National Park entrance fee. Paying the fee helps support our parks.  

Buy it online or, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year (Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park are both close), it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.    

When is Second Beach open?

Second Beach is open year-round.

Second Beach Tide Chart

I recommend checking the official tide chart here when you are planning your trip so you can visit at the right time.  Plan to arrive at the beach at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide.

➡️ READ MORE: Second Beach Guide

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5. Third Beach Tide Pools

Third Beach is the least visited of these beaches, mostly because it is a longer hike to get there. 

It’s worth the effort to get there, though. The beach is beautiful and there are rock pools with giant kelp as well as tide pools with sea creatures to discover.

Distance to beach

1.4 miles each way.

Beach Access

Moderate.  The trail is the longest access trails to the five beaches listed here.  It’s mostly flat, but does have some elevation change, and there are tree roots to look out for. 

When you arrive at the beach, you need to walk along the top of several enormous driftwood logs to get to the beach. 

Where to Find the Best Tide Pools on Third Beach  

There are some rocks in front of you as you get on the beach.  These are often covered in giant kelp and sea grasses.  There are more tide pools at the headlands at each end of the beach.  

Fee

There is no special trail or beach fee and you don’t pass through any Olympic National Park entrance station to enter Third Beach so you can visit the beach for free.  

However, if you are going to enter other sections of Olympic National Park like Sol Duc, Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Hill, you will need to pay the Olympic National Park entrance fee. Paying the fee helps support our parks.  

Buy it online or, if you are planning to visit more than just Olympic National Park this year (Mount Rainier National Park and North Cascades National Park are both close), it can be great value to purchase an America The Beautiful pass.    

When is Third Beach open?

Third Beach is open year-round.

La Push Beaches Tides Chart

As with the other beaches, you’ll need to visit at low tide.  Plan to arrive at Third Beach at least 30 minutes before the lowest tide. 

Check the official tide chart here when you are planning your trip so you can visit at the right time.

➡️ READ MORE: Third Beach Guide

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Map of Olympic National Park Tide Pools

Here are the locations of the beaches with the best tide pooling in Olympic National Park.

What You Need To Take/ Wear Tide pooling in Olympic National Park

1. I recommend taking a rain jacket and wearing layers that you can take off or put on depending on the weather, which can change throughout the day. If you need one, I like this Columbia rain jacket for men and this Little Donkey Andy rain jacket for women.

2. You’ll definitely want to take a camera.  I love the GoPro HERO 12.  It is designed for travel.  It’s water resistant and durable, which is especially important when you might slip and the camera could end up wet.  Check current prices on the GoPro HERO 12 here 

3. Check my list of essential things to take and wear on a day hike to make sure you have everything you need.

4. Water shoes or sturdy hiking shoes or boots or sandals with a good sole.  You’ll spend most of the time walking on sloping, wet rocks.  They can be slippery.  They are also sharp, as you may end up walking over shells that have very sharp edges.  So, you’ll want to wear good hiking boots, shoes or sandals.

➡️ If you need to get some boots, take a look at my Guide to Buying the Best Hiking Shoes/ Boots to help you know what to look for and get some recommendations.  My top pick is this pair of Salomon Gore-Tex boots.  An alternative to hiking shoes or boots are hiking sandals.  These have the advantage of being fine in water as well as having good grip.

➡️ If you’re interested in buying some, check out my Complete Guide To The Best Hiking Sandals or get my favorite pair: KEEN Unisex-Adult Targhee 3 Open Toe Hiking Sport Sandal

5. Take water. I love this hydroflask. It’s easy to carry, keeps temperatures well, and comes in multiple colors.

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Travel Insurance for Olympic National Park  

No matter which tide pools you visit, you should definitely get travel insurance.  This can protect you against medical and emergency repatriation, and cover things like trip cancellation, loss and/ or theft of property, etc.

➡️ A great insurance option is Travelex.  It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:

Enjoy these tide pools: Washington coast

More Planning Resources for Olympic National Park

What do you think are the best tide pools: Olympic Peninsula?   I’d love to hear about them.  Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).

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