[coreyvan]

I'm considering doing Third Beach to Oil City this weekend but it'll only be me and 1 car.  Given the Memorial Day weekend, I'm thinking it's likely that I'll be able to hitch a ride back up to Third Beach from Oil City.

Has anyone had any luck doing this?  Is there a lot of traffic near by the trail head?  What would be the best spot to look for a ride?

Side note: Any one willing to give me a ride? 

[silence]

wow ... hitchin fm oil city trailhead .. good luck with that one! it's really remote .. and a long drive back out to 101 .. you might luck out with a local

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[Damian]

I wouldn't count on it if you are on any time schedule.  Pretty quiet out at Oil City on a busy day.

[BirdDog]

walk a few miles and you can probably catch a ride with a fisherman/local. most fishing stops a few miles up from oil city. doable i think

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"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country."
Teddy Roosevelt August 6, 1912

[coreyvan]

I think I'm just going to do an out and back from Third Beach instead.  I realized I was being a little too ambitious.  Thanks for the help folks!

[contour5]

Sometimes it's better to do the road trip first- leave the car at third beach, bus or hitch to TH, and then walk back to your car. That way you won't get stuck out on the road at the end of a long trip. Of course, you may arrive at the TH completely exhausted after a 2 day hitch-hiking ordeal...

Then again, Goodman Creek is a great out'n'back from either north or south...

Given the current weather forecast, I'd probably aim for Toleak and carry a couple of huge tarps to create a dry spot in camp.

[FailsToMeetExpectations]

+1 on Toleak and Goodman Creek. I've been out there on a couple of Memorial Day weekends and had a great time.

And glad to hear that you dropped the Oil City idea. I once had the same thought and realized that the answer is two cars, spotted at each end. Even then driving distance between trailheads will just add a lot of pressure if you need to get home on your final day of the hike.

[wyldvet]

I just did this trail a few weeks ago.  I only took one vehicle and we used the Forks taxi service to get us from Third Beach to Oil City trailhead.  They cut us a deal, which while still spendy was cheaper than taking two vehicles (~$60).  Worth investigating.

Beautiful place.

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"The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark."

[sams rapids]

More times than I can remember I have hiked from Oil City to 3rd beach and back again. Takes a couple more days with all the boulders and gravel, headlands to climb and need to sit still and relax. There once was a nice camp at Oil City, not far from the beach. You could car camp and stay as long as you wanted. We saw the Hoh setting nets from dugouts with outboard motors. They would sell you a salmon for a couple bucks if you asked. You want a challenge, try hiking back and forth when it doesn't stop raining and a winter storm blows through. I really love being on the beaches when all the logs are moving. Of course watching from a high point. Seems a shame to drive all the way out there for only 2 or 3 days.