Point of Arches
Seattle, WA
5.0 (3 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Custom Family Trip
- Pristine Beaches
- Towering Sea Stacks
- Tidal Pools, Sea Life & Rainforests
- Coastal Wilderness
- Dramatic Pacific Coastlines
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
Description
This 3-day relaxed coastal trip is perfect for kids, families, and anyone who wants more time lounging, exploring tidal pools, and relaxing. This trip starts on the Makah Reservation in the furthest northwest corner of the continental US. We’ll weave our way through coastal forests until we reach the beach, and then traverse southward to the Point of Arches, a dramatic promontory carved by waves. Two nights camping at the Point of Arches will give us ample time to explore and enjoy the ocean, while driftwood fires keep us warm at night.
$1300 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip features very moderate hiking distances (4 miles with a backpack), with very little elevation gain/loss. This is a fantastic Level 2 difficulty choice for families and first time backpackers.
Hiking Distances:
2-6 mi
Backpack Weight:
30-35 lbs
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
200 ft
Heights Exposure:
None
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 30-35 lb backpack for 4-6 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on lightly rugged terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Olympic National Park hike a solitude 2. You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time.
Private Trips
This trip is only available as a private tour.
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to the trailhead: 4.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
- Elevation Loss: 200 feet
This multi-day Olympic National Park hiking trip begins with pick up at your hotel in Olympia and a scenic drive to the trailhead on the very tip of the Olympic Peninsula. We’ll drive alongside the scenic Hood Canal, and then get views of Vancouver Island across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. After a tasty picnic lunch we’ll put on packs and hike through a coastal forest for two miles before a short, steep descent down to Shi Shi Beach and our first dramatic views of the Pacific Ocean. We’ll hike south along the beach and set up camp with views of sea stacks, cliffs, and pounding waves. We’ll watch the sun set over the ocean, enjoy a hearty backcountry dinner, and then fall asleep to the gentle roar of the ocean.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 2-6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
Day 2 is full of choices. We can continue south around rocky points, up steep rope-assisted headlands, and into secluded pocket coves as far as the tides will allow before turning back. Or, we can spend our day exploring tidal pools, making our way out to the very tip of the Point of Arches, watching for whales and seals and bald eagles, searching for starfish and anemones in tide pools, and swimming in the (icy) surf. Or, simply sit under the shade of a tree and read a book while listening to the ocean pound on the beach. Or, any combination! The day is yours, and your guide will make sure you get the most out of your experience. We’ll have one last campfire and gourmet camp dinner on the beach, before turning in for the night.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: 200 feet
- Shuttle to Olympia: 4.5 hours
On day three, we’ll have a leisurely breakfast before packing up camp and heading slowly back up the beach. We’ll climb back up to the bluff above the beach, and then wander back to our car through old growth Sitka spruce and abundant salmonberries. On our drive back we’ll take the southern route, getting more views of the Pacific Ocean along the 101 before turning East at Aberdeen and making our way back to Olympia and your hotel.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
This tour is booked on a custom basis for private groups so does not have set dates (requested dates are almost always available). Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to schedule your hike!
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Comprehensive, roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Olympia and back
- All entrance fees, permits and passes
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
- Mandatory 3% national park fee that passes through directly to Olympic NP
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
Your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM the evening before your trip begins to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Olympia, WA.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Olympia
The most common way to reach Olympia is by flying into Seattle and renting a vehicle or shuttling to Olympia (approximately 1 hour). SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma) Airport is one of the most easily accessed destinations in the country. Many major cities in the United States and internationally offer direct flights into Seattle.
The shuttle to Olympia is provided by Premier Airport Shuttle. Go to https://premierairportshuttle.com/olympia/ or call 800-962-3579 to make reservations.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park covers a dramatic diversity of terrain from seashores to rainforests to alpine peaks and glaciers. The weather will be largely dependent on which trip you sign up for and which ecosystem you will be hiking in. Read below for average high and low temperatures in different parts of Olympic National Park:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||||||
|
Month
|
Coast
|
Mountains
|
||||||
|
hi
|
low
|
Precip
|
hi
|
low
|
Precip
|
|||
|
June
|
66°
|
47°
|
3.8 in
|
53°
|
36°
|
3.9 in
|
||
|
July
|
70°
|
50°
|
2.8 in
|
62°
|
42°
|
2.1 in
|
||
|
August
|
72°
|
50°
|
2.8 in
|
63°
|
43°
|
2.2 in
|
||
|
September
|
69°
|
47°
|
4.4 in
|
57°
|
39°
|
4.7 in
|
||
|
October
|
42°
|
59°
|
11 in
|
47°
|
32°
|
8.5 in
|
||
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Elizabeth K.
Our trip to Point of Arches was perfect
Our trip to Point of Arches was a perfect way to be introduced to backpacking. Our guide, Dan, was experienced, personable, and knowledgeable about all of the flora and fauna. Most importantly, he created a positive first backpacking trip for each individual on the trip. A perfect combination of enjoying the outdoors with a caring guide professional. Thanks!
Cecile H.
Blown away!
This was my first trip with Wildland and I was blown away by the quality of the service I received. I had thought the cost was rather high when I signed up but I now see that it is adequate. I anticipate signing up for more trips in the future.
Nancy R.
Our guide was wonderful
Our guide was truly wonderful. Professional, knowledgeable, flexible, kind, engaging and patient. We really appreciated what a great job he did.
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