Hike of a Lifetime: Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach, WA

Join us on a hike to Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach, WA on the wild Olympic coast. The incredible rocks and sea stacks make this one of the most beautiful and unique coastal hikes we've done.
It’s a place governed by tides, where fabulous creatures live in the tide pools, and rugged headlands and rock formations can be explored at low tide. The trail travels through a coastal forest before arriving at the beach.
In today’s video, I’ll share the highlights and everything you need to know to visit Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches yourself.
If you enjoy this video, remember to give it a thumbs-up, and subscribe to our channel for more adventures in the Pacific Northwest.
The Shi Shi Beach trailhead is in the northwest corner of Washington State, on Makah tribal land. It’s about 4 1/2 hours from Seattle and 6 hours from Portland. To park, you’ll need a Makah tribe recreational use permit. In 2022, the permits are $20 and they’re good for a year. There are several places you can buy them in Neah Bay. We got ours at the Makah Cultural & Research Center Museum.
We did this as a day hike, but it’s also a popular camping location. If you plan to camp, there are more permits and requirements. Here is the link to camping information: www.nps.gov/ol...
The hike to Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches is 8.8 miles altogether, and it’s an out-and-back route. Here is the link to the trail entry on AllTrails so you can find the map and recent trip reports easily: www.alltrails....
This trail is notorious for extreme mud. Some of the reviews I’ve read have described mud that almost reaches the knees! We hiked at the end of the summer (September 8th), and the mud wasn’t a problem. It was still muddy when we went, but nothing compared to the over-the-boots mud described in reviews from earlier in the season. If you’re concerned about mud, go at the end of the dry season.
This is a hike where it’s critical to get the tides right. Aim to reach the Point of the Arches (the midpoint of the hike) at low tide. Visiting at low tide enables exploring the bizarre and beautiful rock formations at the headland and seeing the creatures in the tide pools. Here is a link to the tide charts so you can plan your visit: www.tideschart...
When we visited, low tide was an hour and a half before sunset, so the lighting was beautiful.

[@shawnrose3207]

Your voice is so soothing

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much! 😀

[@blakeanderson5428]

Insane views, guys! Just giving me more reasons to want to get out to Olympic.

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much! 😀

[@SavvyExploring]

Really nice job! Thanks for all the pointers. Love your voice :-)

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much! Comments like yours mean a lot to me and encourage me to keep going! 😀

[@SavvyExploring]

@@AdventuresPNW went on Easter and it was fantastic! It felt like we had the entire place to ourselves 🙂

[@AdventuresPNW]

That’s wonderful! Glad you checked it out! 😊

[@Justme9731]

Wow! I love your videos and your content! Your channel is really underrated! I think KZbin algorithm screwed up. But keep up the amazing work!

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much! That’s really thoughtful 😊😀

[@69BigLou]

Absolutely Stunning

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much! It's one of our favorite coast hikes 😀.

[@RoyKok-g7l]

Nice video. Does the $20 Makah Recreational Permit allow us to park overnight at the Shi Shi Beach trailhead? Or do we have to pay an additional fee to park overnight?

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks! No, there's some additional permitting & fees if you're camping. To camp, you'll need the Makah recreational permit, a wilderness camping permit from the national park service, and also pay to park in a private overnight lot (not the trailhead parking lot). This blog has a great overview of the permits & cost: www.twowanderingsoles.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-camping-on-shi-shi-beach#permits-cost Have a great trip!

[@williamsnal9332]

Vlogytoo KZbin channel I like your channel. All your videos are very beautifull vidéo. Excellent coverage ! I subscribe to your channel.

[@AdventuresPNW]

Thanks so much!! 😊