Off to Forks & La Push!

[John Kasaian]

To shoot sea stacks, light houses & waterfalls. Any recommendations/suggestions?
This will be a road trip so are there any possible "targets of opportunity" close to to I-5 to check out on the way up (or back?)

[Colin Graham]

LaPush is a great spot. 1st and 2nd Beaches are very popular. But Rialto is probably my favorite in that area, on the other side of the Quillayute river from LaPush.

While you're here check out Kalaloch- about 20 miles SW of Forks on 101. Wonderful long stretch of distinct beaches. The burl forest near Beach 1 you have to see to believe. Ruby is probably the most popular beach in Kalaloch, and most crowded. If you're into rock formations here are some great fretted sandstone formations at Beach 3. Here's a good DNR write up of the geologic formations between the Quillayute and Hoh Rivers- http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/geology/publications/state/wa/1980-72/contents.htm

Between Forks and Kalaloch is also the Hoh Rain Forest. I haven't spent much time there but it is popular.

Also Lake Crescent between Forks and Port Angeles is pretty spectacular. There is a short hike to Marymere Falls, the trail head is just past the Storm King ranger station. But it can be awkward to set up a tripod on the trail in front of the falls.

If you like alpine stuff and make it as far as Port Angeles, check out Hurricane Ridge too.

Have fun, it's a great place to go exploring. It can get crowded in the spring and summer, but if you're an early riser you can have most places to yourself till 9-10 am.

[Heroique]

Miraculous thing about the Olympic Peninsula – you have primitive beaches w/ sea-stack studded surfs, turn around, look up, and you see snow-capped mountains, walk inland and you’re in a primitive rain forest under gigantic, fern-laden trees.

In the evening, watch for beach-roaming black bears eating shell fish dinners!

One tip: bring binoculars for all the the sea fowl. Love those Harlequin ducks.

[cabbiinc]

Bring rain gear.

South of Forks is the Hoh Rain Forest. If you're into big moss covered trees and the like it's great.
South of that is Lake Quinalt, with the Quinalt Lodge right on the lake.
East of Forks is Crescent Lake.
All on Hwy 101, so you're going to go by at least one of these things.

The I-5 part isn't as scenic compared to running up the coast the entire way. Newport Or, Crescent City Ca, Astoria Or, etc... all have their attractions. Light houses, sea lion caves (Oregon somewhere), beaches, bridges and the like, with historical sites like in Astoria (and I'm sure others) all along the way. The RedWood forest in Northern California is pretty cool too.

In comparison, Forks is really just a logging town with it's biggest claim to fame until recently was that it was the rainiest city in the US, which is what attracted the writer for Twilight to use it in the movie/books. She hadn't been there before.

[John Kasaian]

This will be a father/daughter trip as my Claire is entering high school and I fear quality time together will be getting rare. She picked Forks because of Twilight. I'm quite pleased that there is some 8x10 worthy scenery (and seafood!)

[Colin Graham]

Forks is pretty depressing. Now it's all Twilight-themed shops trying to cash in. The biggest attraction is the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. There's usually more tourists at that sign taking pictures than in the rest of the town.

[John Kasaian]

It would be cool to take the coast route up from California (we're gotten into Oregon in the past) but alas, not enough time--I don't want to have to take those curveys on two wheels! We'll certainly cover a part of the coast route though. I'd really like to see Astoria.

[lenser]

I was at La Push in 1972 on a honeymoon trip, I remember hiking about 1/2 mile up the beach to the north of town while weaving in and around huge washed up tree trunks and then leaping from one to another without touching sand all the way back. Amazing experience and I only wish I could dance along those those piles that way again. One of the most spectacular series of visuals in my entire life.

[Jerry Bodine]

John, be sure to get hold of the tide info for WA beaches. Numerous folks have been trapped when the tide rolls in.

[John Kasaian]

John, be sure to get hold of the tide info for WA beaches. Numerous folks have been trapped when the tide rolls in.
Will do!

[Brian Sims]

Colin, "Forks is pretty depressing. Now it's all Twilight-themed shops trying to cash in. The biggest attraction is the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. There's usually more tourists at that sign taking pictures than in the rest of the town. "

I agree it is pretty strange seeing out-of-work loggers pulling espresso shots for teenage girls' mochas. But it is not as depressing as out-of-work loggers just sitting at home. I actually think it is great that Forks is cashing in on Vampires. The shiny black Twilight bus makes a "cha-ching" sound as it drives by. There will always be a logging component to the economy of the penninsula, but it's future is in recreation and tourism. What needs to happen is the typical mother-daughter Twilight package has to match up with a fly fishing package for the old man.

[John Kasaian]

Colin, "Forks is pretty depressing. Now it's all Twilight-themed shops trying to cash in. The biggest attraction is the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. There's usually more tourists at that sign taking pictures than in the rest of the town. "

I agree it is pretty strange seeing out-of-work loggers pulling espresso shots for teenage girls' mochas. But it is not as depressing as out-of-work loggers just sitting at home. I actually think it is great that Forks is cashing in on Vampires. The shiny black Twilight bus makes a "cha-ching" sound as it drives by. There will always be a logging component to the economy of the penninsula, but it's future is in recreation and tourism. What needs to happen is the typical mother-daughter Twilight package has to match up with a fly fishing package for the old man.

I'm beginning to feel a little queasy about this outing.

[Colin Graham]

Brian, it wouldn't be so surreal if the location was accurately depicted, and there was a sense of the real place in the series.

I work for a CAP that does work on low income housing in Forks, so I spend a lot of time there. Many out of work folks are still sitting at home. It is depressing, and most of that has little to do with Twilight- I admit (and regret) that my comment sounded supercilious. The whole Olympic area was pretty hard hit by the recession, and I'm lucky to be working. I wish we had the funding to do more.

(John, sorry for harshin' your thread.)

[Brian Sims]

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/quinault-river This link show one possibility for you and your daughter. The first part of this hike is a 2.5 mile hike (5 miles round trip) to Pony Bridge on the Quinault river. It is a spectacular part of the river that cuts through solid rock surrounded by rainforest. The hike in gains about 900 feel of elevation on a very good trail. You might consider staying at the Lake Quinault Lodge which if very nice but is probably already booked around the weekends.

[Marc B.]

Rain gear. For you...sure! Even more for your camera gear.

Depending on weather conditions and/or time constraints, a ferry trip from Port Angeles, WA, to Victoria, BC
could be a nice escape if the weather gets to bad on the peninsula.

Washington residents can obtain 'enhanced' drivers licenses, so, no passports required.
Passports (or lack of), could rule out a side trip into Victoria. Beautiful little city, though. Often described as Old London-ish.
Never been to London, so can't personally compare that statement. The ferry is about 2.5 - 3 hours, each way.

My last trip through there was on...two wheels. Motorcycled through Glacier, MT - across southern Alberta -
southern BC - then down the Olympic, on through central Oregon to Hells Canyon.
I didn't get rained on except/till I hit the peninsula, and it was miserable.
I felt like I was inside one of those 'snow globes' that you shake-up. Last week of AUG, first week of SEP.
No snow, but several bouts of wind blown, pelting, sideways rain. Duh...Coastal Rainforest!<grin>

[Bill_1856]

LOL! This old-fart had to Google Forks and La Push to see where/what they are.

[Heroique]

I was at La Push in 1972 on a honeymoon trip, I remember hiking about 1/2 mile up the beach to the north of town while weaving in and around huge washed up tree trunks and then leaping from one to another without touching sand all the way back. Amazing experience and I only wish I could dance along those piles that way again. One of the most spectacular series of visuals in my entire life.

Lenser, I bet these were some of the actual logs you danced on. :D

Still here after all these years...

Tachi 4x5
Fuji A 240mm/9 (w/ Lee yellow filter)
Polaroid Type 55
Epson 4990/Epson Scan

[Stephen Lumry]

If you are going all the way out to the upper left hand corner of the country, you have to take the hike to Shi Shi beach just south of Neah Bay. It is the best two mile backpack anywhere and is also a great day hike. You must do this. Also Ruby beach is worth a visit.

[John Kasaian]

If you are going all the way out to the upper left hand corner of the country, you have to take the hike to Shi Shi beach just south of Neah Bay. It is the best two mile backpack anywhere and is also a great day hike. You must do this. Also Ruby beach is worth a visit.


Thanks!

[Colin Graham]

If you are going all the way out to the upper left hand corner of the country, you have to take the hike to Shi Shi beach just south of Neah Bay. It is the best two mile backpack anywhere and is also a great day hike. You must do this. Also Ruby beach is worth a visit.

Shi Shi is incredible. And Point of the Arches is only a little farther- 8 miles or so round trip. That's a great one to time with low tide.

Do you know if it's still really muddy on that 1/2 mile stretch of the trail going in? I haven't been out there in a few years, it was almost shin deep last time I went.

[Keith Fleming]

My wife and I went out to Shi Shi in March of last year, and the last part of the trail was very muddy--we had to be careful to avoid having the mud spill over the top of our hiking boots.

Rain gear is a necessity out on the West End. The earlier comments about the rain forest are correct. For example, the rain guage on the lodge at Lake Quinault measures in feet, not inches.

If it turns out to be too wet out there, drive back to Port Townsend (the route back to Seattle comes close to PT anyway). We are in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains and get about 1/10th the amount of rain as the Pacifici beaches. Lots of Victorian architecture, beaches, lighthouse, historic downtown, restored 19th century hotels, no big-box stores, and lots of good restaurants. The movie theater, the Rose Theater, even has an employee introduce each film. If you like massive concrete structures, then the old gun positions at Fort Worden State Park in PT will provide plenty of good material.

Having said this, I have to admit that the Pacific beaches are incredible places as people noted earlier.

Keith

[John Kasaian]

Thanks Keith!

[Colin Graham]

Thanks Keith for the update. I saw the conservation corps working on the Cape Alava trail last year, so I hoped they might be going up to the Shi Shi trail next. I started looking around on the Olympic NP site and found a page for current (dated 5/3/12) trail conditions if anyone is interested- http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/wilderness-trail-conditions.htm#CP_JUMP_450765

[Joseph Dickerson]

John,

Ann and I took the grandkids (10 &13 at the time) to Forks for the same reason (Twilight fans) and were concerned they would be disappointed. They loved it. So don't worry. The town of Forks has mostly done a good job of keeping the Twilight thing from becoming too tacky. The visitor's center has a map of locations that were used in the movie and other things related to the movie franchise.

If you have time, come up the coast by going west after you cross the Columbia. The road on the south (Portland) side of the river is a major highway to Astoria, on the north side of the river, you're right next to the river on more of a country road. If I remember correctly, you go west at Longview, Washington. There's a lot to see as you travel north along the coast.

JD

[Stephen Lumry]

Shi Shi is famous for its boot sucking mud, sometimes it makes more sense to hike to the beach bare footed.

[Curt]

When you're in or passing through Forks there is a hamburger stand restaurant on the west side of the main highway in town that has the best tasting hamburgers I've ever tasted.

The Ho Rain Forest and river is excellent. Toward Port Angeles is the Sol Duc hot springs.

[John Kasaian]

John,

Ann and I took the grandkids (10 &13 at the time) to Forks for the same reason (Twilight fans) and were concerned they would be disappointed. They loved it. So don't worry. The town of Forks has mostly done a good job of keeping the Twilight thing from becoming too tacky. The visitor's center has a map of locations that were used in the movie and other things related to the movie franchise.

If you have time, come up the coast by going west after you cross the Columbia. The road on the south (Portland) side of the river is a major highway to Astoria, on the north side of the river, you're right next to the river on more of a country road. If I remember correctly, you go west at Longview, Washington. There's a lot to see as you travel north along the coast.

JD

Thanks Joseph!

[John Kasaian]

When you're in or passing through Forks there is a hamburger stand restaurant on the west side of the main highway in town that has the best tasting hamburgers I've ever tasted.

The Ho Rain Forest and river is excellent. Toward Port Angeles is the Sol Duc hot springs.
I'll have to give them a try (my doc says I've got iron anemia) I wonder how they'll compare to McWank's in Watson Lake BC? That was a memorable burger!

[Darren H]

Awesome area. Forks itself has about zero of photography interest but is a decent central location for "base camp".

Second Beach is awesome. Short 15 minute hike through the woods. Awesome at sunrise and sunset. First beach pales in comparison. Third beach is also neat but a longer hike. Agree Rialto is also very neat. All of them are around La Push and just a 15 minute drive from Forks.

Fave place to eat in area was 3 Rivers which is where the Rialto beach road splits off. They play up the Twilight theme there as the "treaty line", but food is tasty. Wife and I liked it much better than any place in Forks.

Lake Crescent is amazing and lodge is a primo place to stay.

Sol Duc Valley is also a must see. Hike to the falls. Could stay there too although we day tripped from Lake Crescent.

I was less impressed with Kalaloch as a location.

Take good rain gear , take rain covet for camera too., bring shoes for ocean too.

See some images from there on my website. WWW.wildernessphotographer.net

Have fun!!!

[domaz]

I enjoy Port Townsend a lot that being said Sequim is also in the rain shadow of the Olympics and is near the Dungeness Spit NW refuge. It's a good bet for a place to walk in the sun if other places are rainy and it's not quite as far of a drive from forks as Port Townsend. Also more on the Port Angeles side is the Elwha River entrance to Olympic NP. This is where they are taking down a dam and it's the biggest project in the country of it's kind. Check the park website for conditions, but I believe there is a couple nearby roads that you can walk in and see the bottom of the valley that had been flooded for almost one hundred years.

[Keith Fleming]

John, if you are headed out to the west end [U]this[U] weekend, the you have hit the jackpot in terms of weather. The forecast for this coming weekend is for clear skies and warm days. So pat yourself on the back really knowing how to schedule a trip! Have a great time out there.

Keith

[John Kasaian]

Alas the trip has to wait until after my daughter graduates from Jr High at the end of the month.

[Keith Fleming]

John, I need to admit I gave you (and Colin Graham) some bad scoop when I mentioned going out to Shi Shi Beach. I "misspoke" as they say. When I said my wife and I were out there last March, I should have said it was in March 2011. I don't know how the trail is this year. I do hope you and your daughter have a great trip out to the Washington coast.

Keith

[John Kasaian]

John, I need to admit I gave you (and Colin Graham) some bad scoop when I mentioned going out to Shi Shi Beach. I "misspoke" as they say. When I said my wife and I were out there last March, I should have said it was in March 2011. I don't know how the trail is this year. I do hope you and your daughter have a great trip out to the Washington coast.

Keith

Its all good!:D