The Ultimate Guide to Rialto Beach and The Hole In The Wall Washington

Rialto Beach is the quintessential beach hike of the Pacific Northwest. Located in Washington State, United States, this beach is filled with sea stacks, tide pools, wildlife, moody vibes, and driftwood. I loved the vibes of the Olympic Coast, and it set the tone for our Olympic Peninsula trip. My absolute favorite part was taking pictures of the Hole In The Wall. I have never seen such extraordinary sea stacks in my life, and it made for great Instagram photos.

If you are looking for excellent information on Rialto Beach, you have come to the perfect spot as this post is filled with maps, camping information, great places for photos, and much more. So keep reading on to start planning the perfect beach getaway!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you.

Seattle To Rialto Beach Hole-in the-wall

You travel to Rialto Beach from Seattle in two ways:

• To go the North route, you have to take the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. This route might save you some time if it isn’t completely packed with people. Waiting a while to get on the ferry is sure to happen on holidays and weekends. To check ferry times, click here.  This route is useful though if you need to stop at Port Angeles first and check into your hotel. Port Angeles is where the majority of people stay when visiting Olympic National Park.
• The Southern route is the way to go if you don’t need to stop at Port Angeles first. You won’t have to wait for the ferry, and it is pretty straightforward. You also don’t have to pay for the Ferry.

READ MORE ABOUT OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK: ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HIKING ONP

Rialto Beach Olympic National Park Map

Below, I have highlighted the Rialto Beach points of interest and accommodation on Google maps. If you need a more official national park map, click here. 

Rialto Beach Weather

• Spring: Temperatures are cool to mild, and the Rialto weather is unpredictable during this time. But, it is the second most popular time to visit.
• Summer: The most popular time to visit and the temperatures are mild to warm. Rain and thunderstorms are a possibility and fog might show up on the coast, even on sunny days. This is the best time to get great weather on the beach.
• Fall: Temperature decreases and precipitation increases during this time of year.
• Winter: This is when Olympic NP experiences the highest amount of precipitation. The weather temperature is pretty mild in the coastal area though.

Read More: Best Time to Visit Olympic National Park

Rialto Beach Lodging

Unfortunately, the immediate area does not have many accommodations. However, I have included the best Bed and Breakfasts and hotels at Forks (the nearest town), and Port Angeles.

• Olympic Lodge: If Rialto Beach isn’t the only attraction you are visiting in Olympic National Park, then I highly recommend staying at Port Angeles. I stayed at the Olympic Lodge, which is one of the best hotels in the city. It isn’t a five-star hotel, and I feel like the lighting needs some major updating, but, it is the best hotel on the Peninsula. The concierge did tell me that they are remodeling pretty soon though.  >Click Here To Check Pricing
• Miller Tree Inn Bed And Breakfast: This cute Bed and Breakfast is located in the town of Forks. It has delicious breakfast and has such a cozy, homey feel. >Click Here To Check Pricing On This Cozy Spot
• Quillayute River Resort: Each suite features a porch with river views, and it is only 4.5 miles away from Rialto Beach. The rooms are equipped with a full kitchen and living room. They are also known to be a great place to stay if you want some peace and quiet.  >Click Here To Check Pricing On This Awesome Getaway

Read More: Where To Stay In Olympic National Park

Camping Rialto Beach

There are two options when it comes to camping near Rialto Beach. The first option is to car camp at the Mora Campground, which is 3 miles away from the beach. You can pull up with your car at a campsite and pitch a tent. You can find out more about the Olympic National Park campgrounds here. 

The second option is to obtain a backcountry permit and camping on the beach. You will need backpacking gear to camp on the beach. You can make your reservations here at the National Park Service website. Click on the “North Coast” and then “Hole-in-the-wall”. They will email you the information on where exactly to pick up your permit.

Bear Canisters are required, and fires must be made below the high tide line and at least ten feet from driftwood. You may use driftwood for firewood. Always pitch a tent above the high tide as you don’t want to wake up to a soaking wet tent in the middle of the night.

There is also no water that you can filter so bring in all the water you need. Camping here was one of the easiest backpacking trips of my life. This is great for first-time backpackers.

What To Pack For Hole In The Wall Rialto Beach

For a Day Trip

1. Sunscreen: If you get burned easily like my husband, this is needed. >Buy Sunscreen
2. Hiking Boots/Shoes: If you use tennis shoes you can easily hurt your toes hitting a rock by accident (Trust me I have done it so many times). >Check Out My Hiking Shoes
3. Hiking socks: Having the correct socks helps prevent blisters. Smart Wool is probably my favorite brand out there. I also love how they now have pink socks too 🙂 >Buy Hiking Socks
4. Refillable water bottle: I always bring a Hydroflask on all my adventures. They are on the heavier side, but I know for a fact they will not break. I have had a few cheap water bottles break on me before. >Check Prices Now
5. Water: Stay nice and hydrated.
6. Sunglasses: It is the beach, so make sure to pack some sunglasses. >Check Out These Sunglasses
7. Snacks: The best snacks are jerky, nuts, energy bars. >Buy Hiking Snacks Here
8. Camera: The camera I have linked was one of the first cameras I started using on my travels. The Sony A6000 is an excellent camera for people that want to start improving at travel photography.  >Buy Sony Camera Here
9. First Aid Kit: This is one of the first things I bought when I first started going on adventures. It is super portable. >Buy This Awesome First Aid Kit Here
10. Day Pack to carry all your things: The REI bag I have linked, we have had for seven years now, and it is still going strong! >Buy This Great Quality Backpack
11. Leggings or Hiking Pants: I love wearing leggings while hiking because I love how comfy they are but don’t forget that the PNW is known for being rainy. I still try to wear leggings as much as I can and only wear them in Olympic NP if I know it won’t rain that day. Either way, here are some excellent hiking pants that are super durable. >Click For My Favorite Hiking Pants
12. Breathable sweat-wicking shirts
13. Sports Bra: For women.
14. Jacket: It can get pretty chilly. Bring a Jacket! >Buy My Favorite Jacket
15. Mid Base Layer: If you are hiking in the winter, spring, or fall this might be a great idea for an extra layer. >Check Out My Sweater Here
16. Rain Jacket: In case it starts pouring on you which is always a possibility in the PNW. >Buy A Great Rainjacket Here
17. Tripod: This is an optional item, but it is excellent for getting the ideal sunset pictures. >Check out this tripod

If  Camping Near Hole In The Wall

1. Everything in the Day trip List Above and,
2. Backpack 50 – 65 Liters (Hole in The Wall Area): The Osprey (which I have linked) is known to be one of the best makers of backpacks out there. >Buy my Awesome Backpack
3. Tent: I love my new Big Agnes Backpacking Tent. So lightweight and love the color. >Buy The Nemo Backpacking Tent
4. Jet Boiler: This is a portable mini stove that will boil water for you. This is great if you are bringing dry food >Buy My Jet Boiler
5. Propane for Jet Boiler: This can be bought at Walmart or REI on the way to the Olympic National Park.
6. Sleeping Pad: A sleeping pad is pretty much a small, packable inflatable mattress. I have tried many types of sleeping pads (cheap ones, light ones, comfortable ones), and the one I have linked is probably the best one I have tried. It is my husbands sleeping pad. It is on the heavier side so I recommend this for car camping or for short/easy backpacking trips. >Check Out My All-Time Favorite Sleeping Pad
7. Dry Food: Dry food is the perfect food for when you are backpacking. All you have to do is add boiling water. Let me warn you that most dry food doesn’t taste amazing, but it is good enough after a long day of hiking. >Check Out Some Of My Favorite Dry Food
8. Spork: A spoon and fork in one. >Buy A Spork Now
9. Headlamp: A headlamp is an absolute must! It is a lot more portable and easier to use than a flashlight. >Buy A Headlamp Now
10. Pillows: Pillows can take a lot of room, so I recommend buying an inflatable one. The one I have linked, I have had for six years now, and it is STILL going strong. >Buy The EXTREMELY Packable Inflatable Pillows
11. Sleeping Bag: One of the most critical aspects of getting a good nights sleep! Bringing a sleeping bag is a must. >Look At Prices
12. Compression Pack: This compresses your sleeping bag, so it is easier to pack! >Buy a Compression Pack
13. Sandals: I hate wearing my hiking shoes when I am hanging around the campsite, so bringing some sandals for leisure is a must for me. I just bought these, and they are super comfortable. Perfect for camping. >Check Out These Sandals
14. Trash Bags: Everything you pack in, you must pack out. Bring a few trash bags with you.
15. Printed Campsite Reservation: You have to pick this up at the ranger station if you are camping on the beach and hang it outside your tent.
16. Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Medicine & Toiletries
17. Bear Canister: You can rent this at the ranger station. I decided to buy one just because I will probably use it many times. >Buy Bear Canister Here
18. Fire Starter: If you want to start a fire, this is an easier way. Just pile up the driftwood on top, and you are golden! >Buy This Cool No Match Needed Fire Starter
19. Water Reservoir: You probably need more water than a water bottles worth. >Here Is My Water Reservoir
20. Olympic National Park Map And Book: I started buying my own map and books for national parks to help me plan. You can still get a map at the visitors center, but I love that this one is waterproof and more detailed. >Buy My Map >Buy My Book

Hike To Hole In The Wall Washington

• Length: 3.3 miles roundtrip
• Best For: People of all ages
• Elevation Gain: 108 feet
• When To Go: All year round
• Difficulty: The Beach Trail Is Pretty Easy
• Trail Information: Here

Rialto Beach Washington

Rialto Beach is a great beach to explore during your time in the Olympic National Park. Even if you are not set on doing the hike, I recommend stopping by the beach and experiencing the Pacific Ocean for a while. Right, when you step out on the beach, you can spot some islands to the left. These islands are called “Little James Island” and “James Island”. You can walk closer to get a better view.

To the right are the distant views of the sea stacks near Hole-in-The-Wall. Slowly make your way towards them. I say slowly because Rialto Beach is known for spotting wildlife. Bald Eagles frequent here as well as whales, sea lions, and otters. We sadly didn’t spot any wildlife during our hike, but the next day we went to eat at River’s Edge Restaurant and noticed that all the bald eagles were near Little James and James Island. It was awesome to eat and watch them fly around!

Driftwood and Ellen Creek

On the way to Hole-In-The-Wall, there is driftwood everywhere! You can climb over them and take pictures of the unusual shapes. If you are camping at night, you will use this wood to create a fire.

After about a mile of walking cross Ellen Creek. We had to jump over the creek and luckily didn’t get our feet wet. I am sure there have been many instances where people have had to take off their shoes to cross or have gotten their shoes soaked.

Sea Stacks Galore

Eventually, you get to the two beautiful Sea Stacks. This is an excellent spot for sunset, and I highly recommend bringing a portable chair (Like this tiny one) to sit down and watch the sunset. Unfortunately for us, our day was a typical PNW day as the day was super overcast and it started raining on us during sunset. The grey colors were as good as it was going to get for us. But if you are lucky enough to have a sunny day, take advantage and watch the sunset!

Sea Stack View From Above

Once you are done taking pictures with the sea stacks, you have even more exploring to do. If you walk North, you will see a somewhat hidden staircase, as shown in the picture above. The stairs will take you to a higher elevation so that you can get a different perspective of the sea stacks.

The picture above shows how far you can go on the ledge. It is a perfect spot to take Instagram photos ;-).

Hole In The Wall

To get to the best view (The Hole In The Wall), you have to walk back down the same staircase you went up. There is also another way down on the other side of the ledge. Although I don’t recommend it as it is very steep and filled with many bugs. I am not going to lie I went down this route with my very nice camera and regretted it instantly!

Once you get back down on the beach, make your way towards the Hole-In-The-Wall. To get to this area, you have to navigate yourself over many interesting rock formations, and it can be slippery, so be careful. You also need to make sure that it is low tide.

Check The Tide Charts Here: Rialto Beach Tides Time And Heights

This is an excellent opportunity to experiment with your photography. I loved having the massive sea stack right in the middle of the hole in the wall. The picture above was probably one of the best Rialto Beach photos we took.

Tide Pools

After taking your hole-in-the-wall photos, make sure to check out the tide pools North of the “hole”. Many sea creatures live in the tide pools but be careful when walking around as you might accidentally step on one. Also never force an animal off its spot, you may tear off its feet, or squeeze its organs. There are also many starfish.

Is Rialto Beach Dog Friendly?

This is a confusing question. Rialto Beach is somewhat dog-friendly. They can go up to Ellen Creek but not up to Hole-In-the-Wall which means they can’t camp there either. Since Rialto beach is located in a National Park, it is pretty strict on dogs.

Conclusion

Well, that is it for the ultimate guide to The Hole in the Wall hike. If you want more information, please comment below. Also, make sure to check out some of my other popular posts on some excellent trails:

• The Ultimate Backpacking Guide To Enchanted Valley Olympic National Park
• Ultimate Guide To Second Beach Camping
• Everything You Need To Know About Hurricane Ridge
• The Ultimate Hiking Guide To Olympic National Park
• A Backpacking Guide To The High Divide Trail
• The Best Beaches in Washington State

Pin For Later: Olympic National Park Rialto Beach