Why should I hike the Ozette Triangle?

So many of Olympic National Park’s trails are deep in the woods. This one, however, allows you to explore the beach as well and includes more than 3 miles of wonderful beach hiking. You’ll also take in a bit of history during the beach portion of the trip, which meanders past Wedding Rocks and a display of ancient Native American petroglyphs.

Furthermore, this hike is fairly easy, with minimal elevation gain, making it a good trail for kids and older adults as well. The first one-third of the triangle is 80 percent boardwalk, not really for your benefit but to protect the vegetation. There’s a sizeable amount of boardwalk on the last leg as well, making it an enjoyable and not-so-strenuous hike.

Wildlife viewing is excellent on the Ozette Triangle hike as well. On the first portion, which goes from the Ozette Ranger Station to Cape Alava, rainforest fauna abound. On the second leg, from Cape Alava to Sand Point, you’ll be rewarded with a view of seals, sea lions, and sea otters as well as deer, bear, and elk. You may even spot some whales and – at low tide – an abundance of tide pool marine life.

Where is the trailhead?

From Port Angeles, take Highway 101 west to Sapho and then Highway 113 north to Sekiu. You can also take 112 east from Port Angeles to Sekiu. Once in Sekiu, travel east toward Neah Bay and turn south on Ozette-Hoko Road. Follow this road for 21 miles to the ranger station and trailhead.

What can I expect? 

• Distance: 9 miles 
• Average Time of Hike: many people do two overnight stays, one each at the end of legs 1 and 2, but you can certainly do just one overnight stay if you prefer and plan your timing correctly. 
• Elevation gain: 600 feet 
• Difficulty: easy 
• Trail type: loop

Any suggestions on planning and preparing for this trail?

In order to camp on this hike, you’ll need a Wilderness Camping Permit. As these are limited and the trail gets busy, especially during the summer, you’ll want to obtain these at least 2 weeks in advance. The permit will allow you to camp at both Cape Alava and Sand Point.

Bring enough water for your trip or bring a filter. Also, you’ll want to be sure to carry along a bear canister for any opened foodstuffs. You can rent those at the Wilderness Permit Center in Port Angeles.

When making the trek from Cape Alava to Sand Point it is necessary to cross at low tide. High tide brings very big waves, making this an unnecessarily-dangerous hike. That means you’ll want to consult tide charts and plan your trip accordingly before you leave.