Third Beach Hike

Route Description for Third Beach Hike

This route takes you south along the entirety of Third Beach to the Hoh River. While this route is point-to-point, hikers can turn around at any point if they don’t have two cars. This is a breathtakingly beautiful beach and a perfect way to enjoy the beauty of the Olympic coast.

Make note of a few things before arriving: the trailhead parking can get extremely full early in the day, so we recommend arriving before 9 AM if possible. Additionally, there are sections of this trail that are ascended and descended by rope, so bring some light gloves if you have them. Finally, make sure you check the tide charts and plan to avoid high tide, which makes sections of the trail very difficult to pass.

Begin from the Third Beach trailhead. You’ll hike about half a mile to the beach, which is muddy in places but mostly flat. Descend to the beach on a steeper section. The first rope to the overland trail is not too difficult, but the next rope climbs are a touch more difficult, so take your time.

Up on the bluff, watch for sections of slippery clay. At Taylor Point, you can either go around the rocks if the tide is low or over the bluff if the tide is high. You’ll then descend to Scott Creek and hike along the beach of Strawberry Point (try to hit this section at low tide). It’s mostly flat to Toleak Point, a pretty spot.

The trail ends at the mouth of the river near Oil City. You can camp, shuttle back, or hike a shorter route for an out and back. Either way, it’ll have been an incredible adventure!