Second Beach Trail
A short forest descent to a broad Pacific beach framed by sea stacks and tidepools.
Route overview
Follow the maintained 0.7-mile trail to the beach, explore only within a safe tidal window, and return the same way.
The trail descends through coastal forest to Second Beach, where the environment shifts from protected woodland to an exposed marine setting. Beach exploration requires tide awareness, distance from drift logs and conservative decisions around surf and rocks.
Trail facts
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Olympic Peninsula, Washington
- Distance
- 1.4 mi / 2.3 km round trip to the beach
- Typical duration
- 1–2 hours excluding beach exploration
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation gain
- Not officially stated
- Best season
- Year-round with safe tides and weather
- Trail type
- Out and back
Access and logistics
- Permits and access
- No permit for day use; wilderness permit and bear canister required for overnight camping
Safety context
Check current official conditions, closures, weather and access rules before departure. Check current official conditions, closures, weather and access rules before departure.
Sneaker waves, rising tide, rolling driftwood, slippery logs, cold water, rockfall near bluffs and limited escape options
Highlights
Sea stacks, Pacific surf, coastal forest, beach scenery and tidepool habitat
Why find a buddy
A buddy improves surf watch, tide tracking and emergency response on an exposed beach.
Primary source
Explore and prepare
Discover hikes by intent, read the hiking guides, review hiking safety, prepare a BuddyPack, or browse hiking plans.
Route conditions, access, services and transport can change. Verify time-sensitive information before departure.