[charmer]

Got a beach pass in Taholah from the police station for $5. Drove an hour down rutty dirt road through bushes and fourth growth trees to taller trees, then parked and walked down muddy road, past an SUV sunk into a creek. Been twice, found two trailheads to the beach. One was the muddiest experience of my life. The other was slightly better. Arrived at a wild beach where a big Raft River came in. First time, no one but me, dogs, mist and a bit of sun. Second time, just me, a friend, dogs, a helicopter and far down the beach probably the people from the helicopter. At low tide, could have hiked along beach a long ways to the south. Was breathtaking.

Elephant rock, I think

Tunnel Island

looking through Tunnel island

Washington Geography info on the area: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/geology/publications/state/wa/1973-66/sec2-7.htm Quinault Indian Nation site: http://209.206.175.157/thingstodo.htm

[charmer]

The road isn't bad. It's 8 miles, with about 2 miles in the middle that are really rutty so you have to go about 5 mph; the rest maybe 15 mph. I have a Toyota RAV 4, but I think a Honda Civic or the like would be fine. If it's a rainy day, just approach the one place where stream might run over the road really fast (my first trip it was rainy, the second trip was dry and no stream). Also, there is a bridge like they have in Costa Rica that really takes courage (just two rails for the tires) but buck up, anyone can do it! The Taholah police station had a nice map, but if their xerox ran out of ink, basically you go straight for 8 miles when the road veers sharply to the right. Park there, or you can drive a little further on the little road that goes straight, and pull into a turnaround. Then walk past the first clearing-- I took a trail from there the first time which was a real trail but had areas that were like deep canyons of watery mud with little tiny footholds on the side. If instead you keep walking straight past that clearing, you'll get to what used to be a wooden bridge across the Raft River. Just before you get there, a trail to the left is pretty decent. Glad to communicate with my new online trail partners. Now to grade more papers.

[Slugman]

I always wondered if you could go there, and what it was like. Thanks for the info.

[Quinault01]

I am an enrolled member of the Quinault Nation. As of right now all beaches within the exterior boundaries of the QIN are restricted to tribal members and their guests so the 5 dollar beach pass in unavailable right now. I have been to Elephant Rock only one time and it was nice and in April of 2008. I remember going down through the rez on a gravel road forever and drive down a turn off to a turn around place and a broken down round house like thing. There wasn't any mud or dirt really the trail I utilized. But from the broken house we basically crawled straight down the cliff with ancient ropes to hold on to and walked the beach there for about a mile. Well worth the trip!!!

[contour5]

I would LOVE to visit this place... one of the last parts of the coast I haven't gotten to. Places that are off limits have some sort of special attraction.