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USA: Washington: Hurricane Ridge, Kalaloch Beach, Lake Quinault, Long Beach, Marymere Waterfall, Port Angeles, Puget Sound, Ruby Beach, Seattle

Kalaloch Beach, Washington, USA: Arguably the most picturesque
by Prakash Bang, Editor in Chief

Kalaloch Beach is located along Highway 101, in the Olympic National Park, and is one of Washington State's most picturesque beaches. During summertime this long stretch of sandy beach is popular for walks, kite-flying and picnics, and the temperature is often well above 70 degrees F. Humpback, Orca and Killer whale sightings are also common as they make their annual migration down south.

We arrived at Kalaloch Lodge at 5PM. A reception was hosted for our group by the management of the historic Kalaloch Lodge.

Not originally included within the boundaries of Olympic National Monument, a 40-acre coastal plot just south of where Kalaloch Creek meets the Pacific Ocean was purchased in 1925 by Charles W. Becker, Sr. Resourceful like all residents of the area, he used milled lumber that washed up on the beach to build the main lodge and cabins. The property became known as Becker's Inn and Resort Cabins, though road travel to this remote spot was difficult.

In 1931, the massive Olympic Loop Highway road project was completed enabling Becker to expand his resort to accommodate the new wave of travelers. After being used as a Coast Guard encampment during WWII and the years just after the war, Becker's Ocean Resort (as it had become to be known) returned to recreational use. It was 1953 when a strip of wild coast (including the resort) was added to Olympic National Park by President Harry S. Truman. The National Park Service purchased the Becker property in 1978 and renamed it Kalaloch Lodge.

The historic Kalaloch Lodge occupies a spectacular vantage point on a bluff overlooking the beach. There are superb views from the lodge across the mouth of the Kalaloch River to gigantic stacks of driftwood piled up along the beach.

On a clear day, visitors can also view Destruction Island, located 3.5 miles off the Washington Coast. The Destruction Island Lighthouse is visible on the south end of the island, but was decommissioned in 2008. The island is not open to the public and is a protected wildlife refuge.

At 6:30 we left for Lake Quinault Lodge.

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