La Push can be a tranquil family destination CHECK OUT THE COAST

By Crystal Oliver Marketing Correspondent

As technology continues to demand more of our time, I find myself urgently craving more time in nature. I also believe one of the most important things I can teach my children is how to engage with and enjoy our natural world. As a family we hike locally regularly, and on breaks and long weekends, we travel throughout Washington to camp and complete longer hikes. Recently, my children, ages 8 and 17, and I decided to visit the Olympic Peninsula. We stayed at Mora Campground in Olympic National Park, just 9.5 miles from La Push and 13 miles from the town of Forks. Potable water and nice warm bathrooms with flush toilets made for comfortable, easy tent camping. During the off-season, 94 campsites are available on a first-come first-serve basis and on the reservation system May 25-Sept. 20 when sites are released in blocks six months in advance, two weeks in advance, and four days in advance for

$24 a night.

In addition to spending a couple weeks gathering our camping and hiking equipment and planning our meals and snacks, I researched nearby hikes and decided that we would focus on hitting the various La Push beach trails. I created a loose itinerary, making sure to note the sunrise and sunset as well as high and low tide to help time beach exploration with low tides and hopefully catch a couple of sunsets.

Upon arriving at Mora Campground there were only a few other campers, so we selected a nice pull-thru site near the bathroom. After setting up camp we still had plenty of steam and sunshine, and with a 6:07 p.m. low tide, we had time to check out one of the beach hikes. I chose Second Beach, which is only 1.4 miles round trip from the parking area to the beach. There’s only one port-a-potty at this trailhead, so I made sure we all stopped at the Mora Campground bathroom before the quick drive there.

As we hiked through the beautiful coastal forest it started to get cloudy and we were thankful for our fleeces, raincoats, stocking hats, and gloves. When we arrived, we were greeted by beautiful views of sea stack silhouettes and treed islands. As we headed toward the exposed rocks and sea stacks to explore the tidepools we were captivated by how the sky and sea stacks reflected on the wet sand when the waves ebbed.

We were also fortunate to see two bald eagles, one of which was carrying a fish. It was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve witnessed. After fun finding various colors of sea anemones, sea stars, barnacles, and crabs in tidepools we headed back to our campsite. I started a fire to cook our salmon and potato foil packets, ensuring everyone was properly fueled for the next day. My pedometer clocked 5.5 miles.

Overnight it hailed and rained a few times, and we woke to a cold, rainy, and cloudy morning. After heating up oatmeal topped with coconut, walnuts, blueberries, and agave syrup, we drove to La Push and Native Grounds Espresso to treat ourselves to fresh coffee and hot cocoa. With rain forecasted for the next few hours we decided to drive into Forks and visit the Timber Museum. Admission was $3 for adults and free for kids 12 and under and proved a good way to kill an hour of rainy weather and learn more about the area’s history and timber industry.

We headed back to La Push and to First Beach. We walked right to the beach from the parking lot and the children ran toward the enormous driftwood logs and began climbing. We hung out there for an hour as the sun began to shine. The children voted to head to our next hike and eat lunch on the beach, so we drove up to the Third Beach parking area to start a 2.8-mile round trip hike at 1:30 p.m. After a quick toilet stop, we headed down the beautiful trail surrounded by ferns, tall trees, and shelf mushrooms. It was steep and muddy in areas, so we were thankful for our boots. At the end of the trail, we encountered a huge driftwood log jam. After scrambling over, we paused to take in the stunning view. The beach was perfectly sandy, with views of sea stacks in the distance and Strawberry Bay Falls on the south-east side of the bay. We walked for about half a mile until we found a good location to sit and enjoy lunch. Then we took off our shoes and socks and stripped down to base layers to enjoy the sun. We had fun dipping our toes in the cold water and running through the sand as the tide continued to recede. We even saw an otter swimming in the surf. At about 5 p.m. we decided to put on our socks, shoes, and outer layers and walk towards the other end of the bay to a waterfall. I could tell my 8-year-old was getting fatigued, and I was growing concerned about her ability to make the 1.4-mile hike back to the car. So, we stopped for another snack, and I broke out chocolate for an extra energy boost. We began the trip back up to the car, and to my surprise and delight, she sang the entire way. We ended up at the car at 7:30 p.m. and drove back to camp for our hamburger-potato foil pack dinners. When we crawled into our tent, my pedometer had logged 10.7 miles, though I’m certain my 8-year-old logged more with all the extra running and climbing – a personal best for her!

The next morning, we had oatmeal for breakfast again, packed up our campsite, and headed east on U.S. Route 101. Since we would pass by Sol Duc Hot Springs, we decided to stop for a soak. The facility offers 90-minute sessions throughout the day, starting at 8 a.m., and charges $18 for adults (age 12-plus), $12 for ages 4-11, and free for under 4. We arrived just before the 10 a.m. session and took advantage of the outdoor mineral hot springs and pool.

I thoroughly enjoyed the hot springs followed by plunging in the cold pool. The children were less enthusiastic about the sulfur smell and hot water, so we cut things short and got back on the road after an hour.

As we drove east, we decided to visit Sequim for lunch at Salty Girls Seafood Co., for delicious fresh oysters on the half-shell for me and grilled cheese for the children. When we finally arrived home, we were exhausted, but everyone agreed it had been one of the best trips for our family.

Utah’s Mighty National Parks

October 2023

7

September 2023

8 Days

November 2023

5 Days