Rialto Beach
Washington · United States
One of the favorite photos from Olympic National Park is sunset from Rialto Beach. But this is an excellent beach to visit at any time of day - especially if it's warm and sunny. You'll enjoy the rock pillars and with a half mile walk you'll find the Hole-in-the-Wall arch, which will eventually become 2 new pillars - or haystacks. Tidepools along the beach are also excellent.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Rialto Beach
Welcome to Rialto Beach, a defining masterpiece of the rugged Pacific Northwest coastline. As we begin our analytical trek, dispel any preconceived notions of a gentle, sandy, sun-bathing beach. …
Listen in the app2The Driftwood Barricade
Immediately upon leaving the parking area, we are confronted by a staggering physical obstacle: a massive, chaotic berm of giant drift logs. These are not small branches, but entire, ancient trees—cedars, spruces, and…
Listen in the app3Hiking the Cobble
Once past the driftwood, the true physical challenge of Rialto Beach begins: walking on the cobble. Unlike typical sand beaches, this shore is composed of millions of smooth, rounded stones ranging from the size of a marble to a…
Listen in the app4Crossing Ellen Creek
Approximately halfway to our destination, our path is intersected by Ellen Creek, a freshwater stream cutting directly across the beach to empty into the Pacific. The method of crossing this creek varies wildly depending on…
Listen in the app5The Sea Stacks and Fog
As we press further north, the dramatic geological formations known as 'sea stacks' begin to dominate the coastal vista. These towering, isolated pillars of dark rock are the enduring remnants of an ancient, rocky headland that…
Listen in the app6Approaching Hole-in-the-Wall
We finally approach our primary destination: the geological archway appropriately named Hole-in-the-Wall. This massive, natural tunnel has been bored directly through a solid rock outcropping by the relentless, hydraulic action…
Listen in the app7The Tide Pools
Passing through the archway reveals the ultimate scientific prize of this trek: a vast, complex network of vibrant tide pools teeming with exposed marine life. When the ocean retreats, it strands thousands of organisms in these…
Listen in the app8Closing
Our analytical expedition to Hole-in-the-Wall concludes, dictated as always by the relentless, predictable return of the ocean tide. The 1.5-mile hike back over the shifting cobbles will test our physical endurance, but the…
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What is Rialto Beach?
Rialto Beach is a place in Washington · United States with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Washington · United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Nature |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 47.9218, -124.6389 |
| Last updated |
