Olympic
Olympic National Park
Kalaloch Area
Safe Harbor
To Hoh Head
Olympic National Park protects 65 miles of wild coastline. Fortunately, the
safe haven extends beyond the water's edge. The marine environment and offshore islands are protected in partnership with three national wildlife refuges
and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The refuges manage the
islands visible above high tide. Colonies of birds like common murres and
tufted puffins rely on these rocky outposts for safe nesting habitat.
The marine sanctuary extends 20-50 miles offshore and 135 miles north to
south. Sanctuary waters encompass nearshore kelp beds, subtidal reefs, rocky
and sandy intertidal zones, submarine canyons and plankton-rich upwelling zones. Olympic National Park works with the sanctuary and refuges to
preserve the rich diversity of life in these coastal waters. Life is not limited
to tidepools, but spreads outward in all directionsa great, swarming sea of
forms and processes whose nature we are only just beginning to understand.
Kalaloch Area Information
Facilities:
Kalaloch Ranger Station open daily in summer only.
Information, exhibits, bookshop, maps.
Concessions: Kalaloch Lodge (360) 962-2271. Open year round. Cabins,
lodge rooms, restaurant, gift shop, camp store, group
campsite.
Camping:
Kalaloch (open year-round): 166 sites (three accessible),
fire pits with grates, picnic tables, potable water, accessible
restrooms, animal-proof food storage, RV dump station
(fee). Reservations in summer only; see www.recreation.
gov or (877) 444-6777. South Beach (open summer only):
50 sites, picnic tables and fire pits, dirt road, flush toilets,
BUT NO WATER (water available at Kalaloch campground
dump station).
Regulations: Pets are allowed on Kalaloch area beaches. They must
be on a leash at all times. For fishing and shellfish harvest,
refer to state and park regulations.
Oil C
ity R
d.
Hoh Indian
Reservation
101 To
Forks
Abbey
Island
Ruby Beach
Overlook & Trail
Beach 6
Overlook
Big Cedar Tree
(gravel road, not suitable
for large vehicles)
Beach 4
Overlook & Trail
Beach 3
PACIFIC OCEAN
he Kalaloch area offers a sampler of the variety of coastal habitat protected
in Olympic National Park, from sandy beaches to rocky headlands. For
millennia, these beaches likely offered a safe landing place for ancestors of
area tribes. For thousands of sea creatures, these waters are still a safe haven.
Kalaloch Ranger Station
Kalaloch Lodge Area
SEE AREA DETAIL
Beach 2
South Beach
Beach 1
Overlook & Trail
Qui
North
0
0
nau
lt In
dian
To
Res
.
Aberdeen
4.83 kms
3 miles
Beach Logs and Riptides Kill!
Powerful waves can roll and tumble logs. Do not play on beach logs, especially
when the tide is high. Riptides are also dangerous. Swim at your own risk.
Blood star
Kalaloch Lodge
Kalaloch
Ranger Station
Kalaloch Creek
Nature Trail
To
Aberdeen
Kalaloch Campground
To Forks
101
C
B
A
North
0
0
304 meters
1000 feet
Kalaloch Creek
Group
Campsite
PACIFIC OCEAN
Day Hikes Around Kalaloch
Kalaloch Nature Trail: 1.0 mile easy loop through coastal forest, with stairs and elevation change less than 40 feet.
Beach Trails:
Seven trails lead to the ocean from Highway 101. Ruby Beach and Beach Trail 4 have
accessible viewpoints and accessible vault toilets. Beach 1 features fascinating spruce burls.
Otters on the Rebound
Marine mammals are a special sight along Olympic National Park's coastal strip.
Visitors commonly see harbor seals and harbor porpoises while spotting whales,
dolphins and sea otters can be challenging.
Sea otters have the densest fur of any mammal and their thickly packed hair makes great
insulation. This warm coat functions like a layer of blubber and maintains a sea otters
Sea urchin
body temperature in our 40-50 degree waters, but this lush, valuable coat also made its wearer vulnerable to the
voracious appetite of fur trappers from all over the globe.
By 1911, close to one million had been killed from Alaska to California and sea otters had disappeared from the
waters off Washington, Oregon and southern British Columbia. Only a tiny group survived in California. Such
marine mammal declines led to the first international treaty for wildlife conservation, a forerunner of the 1972
Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Studies revealed that sea otters were vital to maintaining a balance between kelp and urchin populations. Kelp forests
protect the coast by absorbing the power of waves and provide valuable breeding grounds and nurseries for many
creatures, including sea urchins, the otters' main food. Unchecked by sea otters, urchins multiply and devour kelp.
In 1969 and 1970, sea otters from Alaska were re-introduced on the Washington coast. Now over 1,200 sea otters
live, play and hunt in these protected waters. With their return, kelp forests flourished, reviving vital habitat for
many marine species. You might spot
sea otters from overlooks in the park.
Scan offshore kelp forests for otters
entwined in the fronds, their furry
heads camouflaged among the bobbing
kelp floats. By continuing to protect
their ocean habitat, we are creating a
better home for all the creatures that
benefit from the sea otters rebound,
from fish to birds.
If you see a sea otter on the beach, dead or alive, please report it to the ranger station.
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