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About
Kalaloch Campground
Kalaloch Campground is located on the southwest coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Olympic National Park, on a high bluff adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. Although campsites are not directly on the beach, several of them overlook the water and there is beach access within the facility. The campground is large and set amidst a peaceful, coastal forest that thrives on the regions high annual rainfall. Rain or shine, it is one of the most visited areas of the park.
Natural Features:
Kalaloch, meaning "a good place to land" in the Quinault language, has no shortage of natural areas to explore. The Pacific shoreline just below provides ample habitat for marine life: tide pools reveal crabs and sea urchins at low tide; sea otters float on the surface of submerged kelp beds; shorebirds nest on beaches; and whales and dolphins occasionally emerge offshore. Beyond the national parks 73 miles of coastline lie three national wildlife refuges and one marine sanctuary.
Recreation:
Near the campground and lodge, trails and steps descend about 40 ft. to the beach. There are several beaches, tide pools, scenic overlooks and trails to explore. The Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail is a mile-long walk through the forest along Kalaloch Creek, which drains into the ocean. There are accessible lookout points at Ruby Beach and Beach Trail 4.
Kalaloch is known for birding; species such as western gulls and bald eagles are frequently sighted. Visitors may even spot a puffin. Fishing and shellfish harvesting is allowed under state and park regulations.
Swimming is possible, however the Kalaloch area is known for large drifting logs that can pose a threat to swimmers as they wash ashore. Swimmers should also be aware of potentially dangerous rip tides.
Facilities:
Kalaloch Campground is a large facility with 168 campsites, including one group site and four accessible sites. Each site has campfire rings with grates and picnic tables. Food lockers and drinking water are available at campground loop restrooms. There are no hookups at this facility, though a dump station is available for a $5 fee. The nearest shower facility is nine miles away, and campers can purchase firewood and other goods at a nearby general store.
Access
Drive In
Fee Info
"Walk In" means "All First-Come, First-Served".
Operator
National Park Service
Contact
Location
Kalaloch Campground
is located in
Olympic National Park
in
Washington
Directions
Kalaloch Campground is on Highway 101, 34 miles south of Forks, Washington, and 73 miles north of Aberdeen, Washington.
38 Reviews of Kalaloch Campground
Pretty, easy, busy homebase for several interesting spots
In addition to being a pretty spot, this is a good place to establish HQ and stike out in several directions to check out cool spots. The Kalaloch tree cave is pretty rad- not the kind of thing that makes you come out here in the first place, but the kind of thing that makes you glad you came. Plenty of beach options, each with their own unique character. Ruby beach is 10 min up the road- super popular.
Kalaloch Campground... pass
To be fair you know what your getting into with a popular place. Crowded with lots of people having a great time. If you don't have patients for bikes, kids, families, and laughter late into the night don't come here.The sunsets, and beach are something. You better make sure your site can handle your setup.
A lot of the spaces are tight. In the summer don't think you are going to pop-in, and find a spot on the weekend. The camp host was very clear about non-reservable spots. You have to be there by 9:45 am in case someone leaves, and it's first come first serve. You might try South Beach, but it's in even more demand, and every site is first come first served.
Lots of places to see with Kalaloch as a basecamp. Start with Ruby Beach during a low tide, then explore beaches 1 through 4. That alone is a full weekend. Then there is the rest of the penninsula!
Peaceful lush campgound
Enjoyed easy access to beach and Olympic National Park. Looking forward to going back.
One of Our Favorites
Some sites are gloomy and dark, while some are sunny and bright. As stated earlier, some sites are right next to the highway, so road noise might be a problem.
The winter months are the best months to go.
I prefer winter camping here because its less crowded, and the storms coming in from the Pacific are nothing less than awe inspiring.
Small campground, easy access to a wonderful beach. Beautiful area.
This campground fills up fast. The access to the beach is easy, the beach is beautiful. Campsites are kind of small and it is located right off hwy 101 so there is a lot of hwy noise.
Magical
Loved this place, right on the beach. My children thought they had been brought to a new land. By far one of the best campgrounds we have ever been to. My kids loved the beach!
the best in WA
this is my favorite place to camp in WA. love hearing the waves at night and the views are amazing. huge beach and well maintained campground
On the edge of the coast, and a quick drive away from Olympic National Park
I visited during October and there were a fair amount of people camping here. Mostly RVs and campers due to the storm that happened to be coming through that night. I will say that the water drained perfectly from our campsite throughout a rough storm which is a huge plus. We were able to visit Olympic National Park easily throughout the duration of our stay.
Mysterious and Wet
Be prepared. Kalaloch is beautiful. In the morning there is a mist that comes in from the Pacific and shrouds the rocks strewn about the beach in mystery. We figured that if we were camping in July near the Pacific the water would be warm, it was not. My children enjoyed playing near the water's edge and building sand castles. We hiked on the beach. We visited Forks. We explored the rainforest. Everything in our camp became damp over the week. We got lucky when we went to Seattle that we had a span of several dry days and we dried out our ground cloth, tent and rain fly.