Ozette Loop

Ozette Loop, also called the Ozette Triangle, is a 9.2-mile loop from the Ozette Ranger Station to Cape Alava, south along the Pacific shore, then back through the forest from Sand Point. It’s the park’s full forest-to-coast outing: two boardwalk approaches, one beach connection, and a very different scene at each end. Choose it for the whole coastal progression, not for an easy stroll or a quick beach stop.

Both forest legs use raised boardwalk through coastal forest. The Cape Alava side crosses prairie before descending by stairs to the rocky shore. The boards make the route straightforward to follow, but they’re slick when wet or frosty, so take care even where the path looks level. The Cape-side prairie is tied to former homesteader Lars Ahlstrom, who pastured livestock there; it’s a reminder that this landscape has a human history as well as a wild one.

The middle leg is about 3.1 miles of beach, not three miles of smooth sand. Expect stretches of sand and gravel mixed with slippery rocks, kelp, tide pools, and drift logs. Picking a way over or around those obstacles is slower than walking the boardwalk, and the shore is exposed to wind and rain. High water can require steep overland routes over headlands. Check tide tables and carry a map before you start; a tide window can decide whether the triangle is a comfortable day walk or a difficult one.

Cape Alava ends on rocky shore with views toward offshore reefs and islands. At Wedding Rocks, look for petroglyphs, but leave them alone: they’re cultural resources, not trail decorations. The broader Ozette area was a village landscape. A 1970 storm surge exposed a site where mudslides had buried longhouses; excavations uncovered three 300-year-old longhouses and more than 50,000 artifacts. The site has since been filled and revegetated, and its artifacts are interpreted at the Makah Museum in Neah Bay. On the beach, frame the offshore rocks with a little shoreline so the scale and exposed coast both show.

Sand Point is the loop’s wide, sandy beach, a clear change from Cape Alava’s rocks. From there the boardwalk heads back through forest to the Ranger Station. Pit toilets are available at both coastal ends. Creeks are listed as water sources, but coastal water needs filtering or boiling, and some sources dry later in summer; don’t plan on untreated water being ready when you arrive.

Allow about five hours, with extra time for tide pools, rough footing, or a headland detour. The elevation change is small compared with mountain hikes, but nine-plus miles and the rocky beach make this more than a boardwalk stroll. The park rates it easy; I’d call the full loop moderate for anyone who isn’t comfortable moving over uneven, slippery shore. The forest sections are much easier walking than the beach.

Park at the Ozette Ranger Station and follow the trail signs behind it. There’s no food service on the route; pit toilets are at Cape Alava and Sand Point. Pets, wheeled devices, and stock aren’t allowed on coastal beaches or trails. Overnight camping requires a wilderness permit year-round; the permit rule is for overnight trips, not a reason to skip the day loop.