Second Beach Trail

Second Beach Trail is a 1.4-mile out-and-back, with a 0.7-mile walk from the La Push Road trailhead down to the beach and the same route back. The beach access is the hike; a longer wander along the sand adds distance well beyond the trail mileage. Allow about 1 to 1.5 hours for the access trail and a look around. It is a good fit if you want a quick change from tall coastal forest to an open beach backed by sea stacks. The walk is short, but the last stairs are steep enough that it is not an easy stroll for anyone unsteady on steps.

The trail begins in forest, drops across a creek, then rises briefly among large trees. Roots and stones interrupt the dirt tread, and damp ground can leave puddles along the way. About 0.3 mile in, the descent becomes more pronounced on a gravel-filled timber staircase. Near the beach, the path switchbacks down the bluff; hikers report that the lower steps can be muddy and slick. The return climb is concentrated here, so expect to work back up the same stairs before the forest levels out.

The trail ends on Second Beach, where the Quillayute Needles and other tree-topped sea stacks stand offshore. A natural sandstone arch is farther along the beach to the north. Low tide exposes tide pools and rocky outcrops; the access trail itself does not depend on the tide, but beach exploration does. Check the tide table before wandering, and keep clear of large drift logs, which can roll or shift. Do not try to round Teahwhit or Quateata Heads: the cliffs are impassable even at the lowest tide.

Just seaward of the trail exit is a large block of volcanic breccia, a rock made of angular fragments fused together, with thin white calcite veins. At the north end, the arch formed where a fracture opened through massive sandstone. These are good reminders that the headlands and beach do not all expose the same rock: much of the bluff and shore rests on a jumbled mix, while the headlands expose sedimentary rocks. In 1943, Coast Guardsmen rescued 51 crewmen from the wrecked freighter Lamut atop Teahwhit Head. It is part of the coast’s history, not a reason to attempt the headland crossing.

Bald eagles and seals are among the wildlife visitors may see, and birds commonly use the sea stacks. Whale migration passes in March and April, then October. The trailhead is about 14 miles west of US 101 on La Push Road, on Quileute Tribal Lands; parking requires paid day-use parking, so check current payment instructions before you go. A pit toilet is located at the beach end. Pets are prohibited on the coastal trail and beach. Overnight camping requires a wilderness permit and bear canister. Respect Quileute signs, residential privacy and sacred places, and leave shells, driftwood, sand and rocks where they are.