Rialto Beach is a public beach on the Pacific Ocean in Olympic National Park. It’s known for its tree graveyard, abundant sea life, and the famous Hole-in-the-Wall rock arch. This isn’t the kind of beach where you spread out a towel to soak up the sun. It’s a place for exploring tide pools, walking along rugged shores, and taking in some of the most striking coastal views in Washington.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Visit to Rialto Beach
- Rialto beach is located 68 miles west of Port Angeles, WA
- If you want to walk through hole-in-the-wall, you will want to visit at low tide
- Plan to spent 1 to 4 hours for a beach visit, or longer if camping.
- Best time to visit: April to October
- Parking lot fills up quickly in the morning
Hiking
Rialto Beach to Hole-in-the-Wall
- Distance 3 miles (round trip)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Elevation Gain: Minimal, 50ft
- Estimated Time: 1.5 to 4 hours
Rialto Beach and Hole-In-The-Wall
On our visit, we walked the shoreline to see the famous Hole-in-the-Wall rock arch, however Rialto Beach is perfect for either a hike along the coast like we did or a camping trip. Check out the National Parks Service website for the most up to date camping details
Just a short distance inland, the rugged beauty of the Olympic National Park forest begins, making this spot feel like the best of both worlds, wild coastline and lush wilderness.
Around 0.8 Miles north from Rialto Beach Parking lot is Ellen Creek, the creek wasn’t flowing when we were there, but the drift wood and pool of water was beautiful.
Off the shoreline, you’ll spot rock formations rising from the ocean.
Hole-in-the-Wall
This is the iconic Hole-in-the-Wall, one of Rialto Beach’s most well-known landmarks. We timed our visit for low tide, which let us walk right through the natural rock arch and explore the surrounding tide pools up close. It’s an incredible spot where you can see how the ocean has shaped the coastline, and it feels like you’re stepping into another world carved by wind and waves.
Near Hole-in-the-wall and the other rock formations is one of the best places to explore tide pools, where you can find starfish, sea anemones, and other marine life up close.
Sea anemones
We were luckily able to spot this bald eagle while walking the beach as well!
Driftwood transition into art.
Conclusion
Even though Rialto Beach was foggy and misty during our visit, it still offered stunning photo opportunities, plenty of chances to spot wildlife and sea life, and perfectly captured the wild spirit of the Pacific Northwest.