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Accommodations

Day-trippers will find plenty of motels, lodges and campgrounds within an hour or so of the trailhead, primarily in or near the communities of Clallam Bay and Sekiu (see www.sekiu.com for listings), with more options available a bit farther away at the town of Forks (see www.forkswa.com). It's also possible to camp near the trailhead at Lake Ozette, with sites available on the National Park land or at the commercially operated Lost Resort (www.northolympic.com), which also runs a general store, tavern and deli. Primitive hike-in campsites with pit toilets are available along the coast. See www.nps.gov for details about wilderness camping regulations and permits.

Dining Options

Certainly the best meals you'll have at this extreme northwest corner of Washington State are the ones you cook for yourself in the backcountry along the coast. Park service rules require backpackers to carry hard, animal-resistant food containers, which you can borrow from the Park Service if you don't have one of your own. Ignore this rule and you're likely to find your food supply ransacked by raccoons that won't hesitate to rip open tents, backpacks and other soft containers in search of a free meal. Remember also that all drinking water should be boiled, filtered or chemically treated, and campers are required to pack out all of their own trash. When you emerge from the wilderness, the Lost Resort is the nearest place to go for a cold beer and a hot meal.

Insider Tip

As you hike along the shoreline at Cape Alava, it's important to remember that some of the headlands are only passable at low tide. If you don't pay careful attention to the water levels, it's easy to get into situations where you have to wait out a high tide or trek inland over difficult terrain. Pick up a tide table at the ranger station on your way in, study it carefully, and beware of dangerous rogue waves whenever you pass near the surf. If you get into trouble at the cape, help will be a long time coming.