4-Day North Coast Backpacking

4-Day Olympic Backpacking Tour in North Coast runs through Lasting Adventures. Runs 4 days. From $2000.

Because Mora Road is closed at the campground per the park service, reaching this stretch of coast depends on access the operator confirms at booking.

Overview

This four-day backpacking trip from Lasting Adventures follows the wild north coast of Olympic, from Rialto Beach through forest and along rocky shoreline to camps at Norwegian Memorial and Chilean Memorial, finishing back at Rialto. The route trades big elevation gain for a different challenge: boulder fields, rocky beaches, and headlands that can only be passed at the right tide. Reading tide tables and timing each day around the water becomes part of the experience, which the listing describes as mastering the art of tide timing and headland conquests.

You camp in tents each night, first at a campsite in Olympic National Forest and then at backcountry sites inside the national park. All the major gear is supplied, including backpacks, tents, sleeping bags and pads, trekking poles and eating kit, and the guides are professional outdoor educators. Nine meals are provided, three each of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The trip suits people with moderate fitness and a flexible attitude. Groups are capped at a maximum of five travellers. Meet at the Rialto Beach Backpacker's Parking Area near Forks, at 10:00; there is no hotel pickup.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Rialto BeachMeet at the Rialto Beach Backpacker's Parking Area on Mora Rd, Forks, WA, at 10:00. The tour starts and ends at this point.
2. Olympic National Forest, Day 1Ten hours on the trail through Olympic National Forest, with tent camping at a campsite overnight. Dinner is included. Forest and Olympic National Forest admission fees are not included in the tour price.
3. Norwegian Memorial Camp, Day 2The route continues along the coast to Norwegian Memorial Camp, one stop on the day's itinerary. Tent camping is the accommodation for the night.
4. Chilean Memorial Camp, Day 3Eight hours inside Olympic National Park with tent camping in the backcountry at Chilean Memorial. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, and park admission is free.
5. Rialto Beach, Day 4The final day covers roughly six hours back to Rialto Beach, where the tour ends. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing will shape how this trip goes.

• Group size. The tour runs with a maximum of five travellers. Guides are professional outdoor educators, and the listing describes mastering tide tables and headland crossings as part of the experience.
• Gear supplied. Backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, pads, trekking poles and eating gear are all included in the booking. You will not need to bring your own camping kit. Gratuities are not included.
• Meals. Three breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners are provided across the four days. The final day ends with breakfast and lunch.
• Fitness and terrain. The listing describes the trail as lacking strenuous elevation gain but full of rocky obstacles, plus headland crossings that depend on tide timing. Travellers need moderate physical fitness. It is not recommended for people with back problems, heart conditions, or who are pregnant.
• Tide timing. Part of this trip is learning to work with tide tables and headland crossings. That means the daily schedule stays flexible and depends on the water. The listing asks for a flexible attitude and an adventurous spirit.
• Weather and dates. The trip requires good weather, and if it is cancelled for poor conditions you will be offered a different date or a full refund.

Common issues. There are a few practical limits worth knowing before booking. Park entrance and forest admission fees are not included, and each is listed at US$30.00 per booking, so budget for both on top of the tour price. The trip is not wheelchair accessible, is not recommended for travellers with back problems or who are pregnant, and requires a moderate fitness level. It also needs a minimum number of travellers to run, and if that minimum is not met you will be offered a different date, a different experience, or a full refund. Weather can cancel the trip, in which case a different date or a full refund is offered. Confirmation of your booking can take up to 48 hours and is subject to availability.

How To Decide