Lake Quinault, Rainforest Walks & Rialto Beach
Rainforest Giants, Rocky Beaches & Rustic Cabins: Day 2–4 of Our Olympic Peninsula Adventure
After our beautiful two-night stay outside of Mount Rainier, we woke up early, made breakfast, packed our lunches, and hit the road west for a change of scenery. Here’s how the next leg of our trip unfolded…
Lake Quinault + Rainforest Walk
We drove about three hours to Lake Quinault, arriving just in time for lunch at the visitor’s center and a picnic at an outdoor table by the water. After a quick stretch down to the lake shore, our main stop was the Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop.
This loop is a short and easy walk (about 0.5 miles, low elevation gain) through an ancient temperate rainforest of old-growth conifers, draped with moss, ferns, and lichens. It offers interpretive signs along the way and gives a lush, immersive feel of the rainforest environment.
The valley around Lake Quinault is especially wet — the forest here sees upwards of 140 inches of rain per year.
Next we took a short drive a few minutes away to see the Quinault Big Sitka Spruce, known as the world’s largest Sitka spruce.
Facts: it stretches about 191 feet tall, has a circumference of 58 feet 11 inches and diameter of roughly 18 feet 9 inches. Standing under it feels humbling and gives a great photo opportunity in the forest giants realm.
Kalaloch Beach + “Tree of Life”
From the big spruce we made our way to the coast and arrived at Kalaloch Beach to see the iconic “Tree of Life” — a windswept tree perched on the cliffside of this beautiful beach.
The walk along the beach here is beautiful — driftwood, ocean sounds, and that solitary tree defying gravity and the elements make for a memorable stop. We wandered, paused for photos, and took in the expansive ocean-view mood before checking into our cabin near Forks.
Kalaloch Beach
Cabin Stay: Ho Cabins, Forks WA
We checked into Hoh Valley Cabins At Elk Meadows in Forks, Washington, for the night. The cabin was cozy with enough space for our family to relax, play board games, and make hot dogs for dinner. Putting our feet up as the rainfall tapped on the roof outside, we enjoyed the quiet rustic-charm and forested surroundings. There are a few cabins on the property, but you feel like you you have the property to yourself!
Next Morning: Hoh Rainforest & Rialto Beach
The next morning we cooked eggs and bagels in the cabin kitchen, packed up, and set out for the Hoh Rain Forest to hike the famous Hall of Mosses Trail. This easy loop (about 0.8 miles) is family-friendly, flat and paved in sections. It’s visually incredible: moss-draped trees, ferns everywhere, arching limbs, and an other-worldly green canopy. One of the sources even calls it the "definitive rainforest experience”.
Because we entered a portion of Olympic National Park, we were able to use our national park pass (the “America the Beautiful” annual pass) which covers entrance to most federal lands. The pass is a great value if visiting multiple parks or multiple days.
Here’s the official pass page for reference: https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm#america-the-beautiful
After our rainforest wander, we left Forks and drove about an hour to Rialto Beach and the famous Hole‑in‑the‑Wall arch.
Timing is key: you need to go when tide is low so you can walk through the rock arch and explore the tide-pools. The Olympic National Park website suggests planning to arrive at least 30 minutes before lowest tide, and count on a 1.5-mile hike from the parking to the Hole-in-the-Wall. We found the pebble beach terrain a little harder on tired legs (walking on pebbles tends to tire people faster) but the payoff was stunning: tide-pools full of sea creatures, dramatic sea stacks, crashing waves, and unbelievable photo ops.
If you ever do this: check the tide charts for the day. For example, here are low‐tide times for Rialto Beach near La Push: −1.42 ft at 10:42 AM and another low at 3.31 ft at 10:53 PM
Evening at Lake Crescent & Port Angeles
Next we headed to Lake Crescent Lodge. The lodge was built in 1915–16 and nestles among towering firs and hemlocks on the shore of the turquoise Lake Crescent. It’s a charming turn-of-the-century resort with cabins, a café/restaurant, a cozy lounge and truly beautiful views. We wandered through the lobby, grabbed a coffee and soaked in the historic atmosphere — the place was bustling with guests, which added to the lively, welcoming feel.
From there we took two nature trails:
The first was the Moments in Time Trail, an easy 0.6-0.8 mile loop near the lodge. It begins near Lake Crescent Lodge and winds through lakeside forest and meadow, with interpretive signs about the natural and cultural history along the way. The trail features old-growth cedars and Douglas firs, nurse logs (fallen logs with new trees growing from them), and a stretch that runs right along the lake shore — perfect for a peaceful stroll and some family-friendly nature time.
The second hike was to Marymere Falls Trail. We started from the same general area (near the ranger station off Hwy 101) and walked through old-growth forest to a 90-foot waterfall where Falls Creek plummets into a mossy ravine. The trail is roughly 1.8 miles round-trip (0.9 miles one way) with about 500 feet of elevation gain — easy to moderate, well-maintained, and very scenic. Two bridges cross Barnes Creek and Falls Creek, and you arrive at viewpoints of the falls — one from above, one from below.
Both hikes offered a beautiful contrast — the short, gentle loop of Moments in Time followed by the more substantial and magical walk to Marymere Falls made our time at Lake Crescent truly memorable.
We opted for a hotel with a pool (for the kids), so we checked into the Olympic Lodge by Ayres in Port Angeles.
The lodge features an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, free parking, and scenic views of the adjacent golf course and Olympic Mountains.
That evening we enjoyed lunch at a local spot called Graysons (delicious!) and made a stop at Granny's Cafe for some ice cream. We browsed the town of Port Angeles, found the excellent grocery store Country Aire Natural Market, bought some incredibly unique flavors of chocolate bars from Seattle Chocolate (now called MAEVE) and ended our day relaxing at the lodge where we spotted deer on the lawn just outside our window.
Heading On
We needed a good night’s sleep — tomorrow we’ll continue on traveling to Vashon Island then and onward with our Washington State adventure.
Trip Highlights & Tips
Short, easy 0.5-mile loop great for families.
Don’t skip the interpretive signs — they make the forest come alive.
Bring a light rain jacket — this area sees over 140 inches of rain a year!
One of the world’s largest living Sitka spruces — over 1,000 years old and 191 feet tall.
Easy access just off the main road; a must-see photo stop.
Visit at low tide for a wider beach walk.
The “Tree of Life” is fragile but magical — please view from a distance.
Keep an eye out for eagles and sea birds overhead.
Hoh Valley Cabins At Elk Meadows
Cozy, family-friendly cabins close to rainforest and coastal hikes.
Ideal spot to unplug and play board games after a long day of exploring.
Hoh Rainforest – Hall of Mosses Trail
0.8-mile easy loop full of moss-draped trees and fairy-tale scenery.
Arrive early to avoid crowds and get the best photos.
Use your America the Beautiful national park pass to save on entrance fees.
Rialto Beach & Hole-in-the-Wall
Check the tide chart before visiting — you can only walk through the arch at low tide.
Round-trip hike is about 3 miles over pebbly terrain — wear sturdy shoes.
Don’t miss the tide pools filled with starfish, sea anemones, and crabs.
Historic 1915 lodge with beautiful lake views and a cozy fireplace lounge.
Grab coffee or lunch here even if you’re not staying overnight.
Olympic Lodge by Ayres, Port Angeles
Comfortable, family-friendly hotel with an outdoor pool and breakfast buffet.
Great location for exploring northern Olympic National Park and downtown Port Angeles.
Foodie Finds
Graysons: casual, delicious lunch spot.
Granny's Cafe: perfect post-hike treat.
Country Aire Natural Market: a hidden gem for healthy snacks and local goods.
General Tips
Bring layers — weather can change fast from coast to rainforest.
Keep snacks and lunch packed for the road; some stretches are remote.
Download offline maps — cell service can be limited.
Plan your tide times and park entry times before setting out each morning.
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