La Push Beach

La Push Beach is a series of three beaches near the community of La Push, Washington, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The beach's most prominent natural growth is the Sitka, spruce, and evergreen trees that populate the shore.

First Beach

First Beach, the northernmost beach, is 14 miles (23 km) from the town of Forks, Washington. It is the only beach of La Push that can be accessed with a vehicle. The crescent shape beach brings in driftwood that slows down the waves and makes it dangerous to stand in the water. Within walking distance are a few homes of members of the Quileute Indian Tribe which is where the beach is located, the Quileute Indian Reservation.

The Oceanside Resort has a range of lodges for all budgets along First Beach. The tourist attractions most popular are surfing and fishing in the spring, hiking in the summer, and storm watching in the winter and fall.

Second Beach

La Push, Second Beach

Trails to Second Beach start at the Quileute Indian Reservation, and span 1 mile (1.6 km) before reaching the coast. Second Beach is the longest and flattest of the three beaches and is the most populated. Though within a mile of First and Third Beach in each direction, north and south, the other beaches are inaccessible because of protruding headlands and steep bluffs. 0.5 miles (0.80 km) offshore is an archipelago. Sea stacks are mixed throughout the small islands and are known as the Quileute Needle. They are part of a wildlife preserve called Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife protects coastal creatures including seabirds, oystercatchers, and gulls.

Third Beach

Third Beach, the southernmost beach, is a 1.6-mile (2.6 km) hike from the road with views of Strawberry Bay. The hike is mostly level but can sometimes be slippery and somewhat dangerous due to the harsh coast weather. Third Beach is one of the Olympic Peninsula beaches which tend to consist of seastacks and driftwood. In the isolated non-developed cove at Taylor Point, there is a waterfall that falls directly onto the beach where tide pools are also featured on the north end. It is located on Olympic National Park's Pacific Ocean coastline, reached by a trail through the forest from near the Quileute Indian Reservation town of La Push.

Being the Third Beach down the La Push coastline, it is the most secluded. However, there are multiple camp sites that put campers within 5 minutes' walk of the ocean where Teahwhit Head blocks the way to Second Beach. There is also a boiler in the swamp by the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) trail to the beach from an abortive oil exploration in 1902.

Local events

The kinds of local events that occur at La Push are mainly tribal things. These include gathering circles which are groups that get together and sit in a circle and discuss a certain topic to help the people involved deal with issues in their lives. There are also many events related to the Twilight novels. These include tours, locations of the scenes in Twilight.

Use in popular culture

La Push Beach has recently become a more known beach due to popular culture. The beaches are part of the setting of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer which were made into movies. Through Forks, the town of which the book is set, there are Twilight shops. There are no shops in La Push, because every business on the reservation is privately owned. First Beach, more specifically, then became a more popular destination to fans of the Twilight series.

References

  1. ↑ "First Beach". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  2. 1 2 "Olympic National Park Map" (PDF). US National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  3. ↑ "Third Beach Trail | La Push Washington Hikes". Trails.com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  4. 1 2 "La Push Travel Guide and Directory". Surfline.Com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  5. ↑ "Lapush Washington". Forks-web.com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  6. ↑ "La Push, Washington on the ocean beaches of the Pacific Coast of Washington State". Northwestplaces.com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  7. ↑ "Second Beach — Washington Trails Association". Wta.org. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  8. ↑ "Third Beach La Push Olympic Peninsula Olympic National Park". Celebratebig.com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  9. ↑ "La Push". Pussens.jwilliammiller.com. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
  10. ↑ "Welcome | Forks Washington Chamber of Commerce". Forkswa.com. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2011-10-11.

External links

Coordinates: 47°54′29″N 124°38′23″W / 47.90806°N 124.63972°W / 47.90806; -124.63972

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