Dreaming of California in this Washington coastal escape
If we didn’t know better, we would have sworn we were basking in the sun on the coast of California.
The surfers were shredding a steady procession of 6-footers. With temps in the 80s, the beach walkers were wearing bikinis and board shorts. And for those of us sitting comfortably taking in the scene, there was a pleasant feeling of drowsiness. Why not take a nap?
Welcome to La Push, Wash., on a gorgeous September day earlier this month.
La Push?
Yes, if you’re lucky, you might score a rare day of California-like weather on the Washington coast if you decide to visit this fall. Your chances are good this time of year -- it feels like early fall might be the best time to visit this wild, beautiful section of Washington.
Two years ago, we visited La Push in October and had another perfect day -- so warm we saw skinny-dippers jumping into the crashing waves at Second Beach. And a few years ago while hiking the rugged wilderness coast of Olympic National Park, John had another 80-degree day in late September, not a soul in sight.
This time around, we checked in to Quileute Oceanside Resort and found a rocking scene -- families had filled up the resort for a late-summer getaway. First Beach, the south-facing strand at the resort, was shimmering in the heat.
The heat felt like California, but a closer look at the surroundings revealed a coastline that is all Washington. Rugged headlands frame First Beach, and towering sea stacks are scattered offshore.
And the resort, which occupies a big section of the La Push landscape, is a bit rugged in its own right. It does offer full hookups, which is nice, and there’s a pretty good camp store right there.
But sites are rustic -- on gravel and in close proximity to your neighbor. There’s no cell service, so you’re dependent upon the spotty internet service, reliable only near the resort office. La Push, a fishing village on the Quileute Indian Reservation, has just one restaurant and few services.
Still, there’s that beach, strewn with house-sized logs, and gazillions of perfectly oval rocks, pounded into submission by the endless supply of crashing waves. Surfers have discovered this place, and it seems like most RV campers have a wetsuit and board at the ready.
We stayed here for the ocean-front experience and to do some hiking. On our second day in La Push, John took a hike on the South Coast Route, a section of the wilderness that stretches from Third Beach to Oil City.
From the trailhead, it’s 1.5 miles of hiking through a hobbit-like rainforest to get to Third Beach, then the route continues over forbidding headlands that are climbed using ropes and ladders, then drops down to some of the wildest beaches in the Lower 48.
Other attractions in the area include Rialto Beach, north of La Push, and the “Twilight”-obsessed town of Forks, the best place to fuel up and buy groceries nearby at the magnificent Thriftway/Ace Hardware/Forks Outfitters. An essential stop!.
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