Hiking the Ozette Triangle Loop From Sekiu

The outer coast of Olympic National Park is rougher and quieter than most people expect. Ozette is the best-known way in, and from Sekiu it is an easy day trip. Curley's lists Ozette at about 24 miles from the property, with old-growth forest on one side and wild Pacific beaches on the other. The Ozette Triangle Loop is the headline hike: 9.4 miles through forest, along the shore, and back.

What the loop is

The Ozette Triangle Loop is a 9.4 mile circuit. In broad strokes, you walk a boardwalk trail through old-growth forest to the coast, follow the beach for a stretch, and then take a second boardwalk trail back inland to the trailhead. Because it connects two forest trails with a beach section, it feels like three hikes in one: the woods, the water, and the woods again.

The boardwalk is the part most photographs show. It runs through mossy forest where the light is green and the sound is mostly wind and water. Boardwalk planks get slick when they are wet, which on the Olympic Peninsula is much of the year, so walk with care and wear shoes with real tread.

Petroglyphs on the shore

Curley's mentions petroglyphs as one of the draws of the loop. Along the coast section, carvings in the rocks are visible near the beach. Look, take a photograph if you like, and leave the rocks as you found them. Do not touch, trace, or rub the carvings, and do not step on them. Treat them as the cultural sites they are.

If you want to know more about the human history of this coast, a visit to the Makah Museum in Neah Bay is a good companion to this hike. Curley's lists Ozette artifacts there, from a village buried by a mudslide centuries ago.

Tides decide the day

Part of the loop follows the beach, and beaches on this coast are shaped by rocky points where the water pushes against the headlands. At high tide, some sections of the shoreline can become hard to pass. Before you go, check a tide table for the nearest coastal station and look at the National Park Service guidance on the loop. Pick a day when the tide allows you to move along the beach safely, and keep checking your watch. Waves can surge higher than you expect. Never turn your back on the ocean, and do not climb on wet rocks near the surf.

What to pack

• Rain jacket and a warm mid-layer, even in summer.
• Two liters of water per person, plus snacks for a long day.
• A paper map or downloaded offline map, since cell coverage is unreliable.
• A small first aid kit, a headlamp, and a whistle.
• Hiking shoes or boots with a grippy sole.
• A printed tide table for your hike date.

Wildlife is part of the experience. Curley's mentions eagles and black bears in the area. Make noise on the trail, keep a clean distance from any animal you meet, and store food properly if you are camping. Check the current Olympic National Park pages for road conditions, parking, fees, and any rules about overnight stays before you drive out.

Time and pacing

Most hikers budget the better part of a day for nine and a half miles of mixed boardwalk, sand, and rock. Start early, so you have daylight to spare and the beach section falls at a good tide. Bring a lunch for the trail. The shop at Curley's offers sack lunches and grab and go snacks during peak season, and a hot drink before you leave will help on a cold morning.

Where to sleep

From Sekiu it takes a while to reach the trailhead, but that is a fair price for staying on the Strait. Curley's is a central base for Ozette, Neah Bay, Cape Flattery, Lake Crescent, and Forks, and the rooms are set up for people who come in wet and tired. Every room has a mini-fridge and a microwave, and some have kitchenettes if you want to cook dinner after the hike. Call (360) 963-2281 to ask which room fits your group, or browse the room types on this site.

Pair Ozette with a second day at the cape or a slow morning on the beach below town, and you will leave with a real feel for the northwest corner of Washington.