I looked at Olympic Nat'l Park website & it has 2 trails listed: (see below). If I can only have time for one, which one will you pick? Thanks much in advance, Mary

1) Cape Aleva North 3.3 miles) Begins: End of the Lake Ozette road Goes to the beach.
-- Nearly continuous wooded boardwalk and are tide and weather dependent. Current tide chart and weather is posted at the trailhead. Along the coast you will see marine life, Ozette Island, and Cape Alava, the western most point in the contiguous United States.

2) Sand Point South (3.0 miles) Begins: End of the Lake Ozette road Goes to the beach.
--- Nearly continuous wooded boardwalk and are tide and weather dependent. Current tide chart and weather is posted at the trailhead. Along the coast you will see marine life, Ozette Island, and Cape Alava, the western most point in the contiguous United States.

http://www.olympic.national-park.com/hike.htm#camp

What about the other sections of beach walks they mentioned... Rialto Beach, Second Beach & Third Beach - pretty short walks but similar views?

Thanks again - Mary (I'll be traveling in 3 weeks)

If you are willing to hike 9-10 miles in a day, you can do both trails in a loop (actually, more of an equilateral triangle - http://www.rhondabathurst.com/NWC%20...dsc01727.jpg); hike to Cape Alava from Lake Ozette, then walk 3-miles to Sand Point, where you head back inland and return to the Lake Ozette trailhead. While a longish day, it is a really fine walk and I would recommend it. If you have the time, you could make it into an easy overnight backpack hike - there is a big campsite at both Sand Point and Cape Alava, as well as a couple of small ones in between.

Here's a topo map:
http://www.pnt.org/maps/porttown-capealava/45.jpg

And, here is a hike description from the local paper:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getawa...99/hike04.html

If you don't want to do the loop, then I would suggest the Cape Alava trail, because then you could explore northward along the beach a bit where there is a small island (reachable at low tide) and lots of picturesque scenery.

The loop is a really nice and easy hike. Be sure to check the tide tables though so you are not on the beach for high tide. You will get stuck. Also be sure to check out the petroglyphs along the way.

If you had to pick one I also say Cape Alava. But if you are craving more ocean, it would be very easy to visit some of those other short beach walks you mentioned (Second Beach may be closed due to a dispute with the Quillayute tribe-check the park's website).