NWBirding Kalaloch

Kalaloch, Olympic National Park, WA

Synopsis

    Kalaloch is a very popular campground, especially in the summer, which is why we always visit in the fall or winter. During the off season, the campground is closed down to a couple of "loops." Even then there are a lot of campers - or should I clarify RVs. There are a few tent campers out there in the rain and wind; we are among them. We have been to the campground when it was nearly empty (except for two other campers), which is something rare (especially on a weekend). One time was during a storm warning. It rain pretty much non-stop for one day, but we still had fun enjoying the nearly deserted beach. The other time we've been there when is was quite was on the Super Bowl weekend. We enjoyed the empty beaches and fortune of good weather.
    Still, despite all the people during the more warmer months, it's a wonderful place to camp, with direct access to the beach. We've hiked south, down to the Queets River and north up to Beach 3.
    The campground is also near Ruby Beach and the Queets Rainforest. However, the road to Queets Rainforest has been washed in a storm, cutting off vehicle access.
    Two of the state's largest cedar trees are also nearby. One is on Olympic National Park land and the other is located on state property. The Olympic National Park's "Big Cedar" is surrounded by a beautiful rainforest. A trail goes past the large cedar and through a forest of many other impressive giants. The state owned big cedar is located in clear cut forest. There is a small boardwalk that circles the tree. It is impressive, though the surrounding is not. At least the state had the heart to save it.

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Pictures

	The beach on a cloudy, misty day.
	A river otter finds food in the ocean.
	One of my favorite trees along the Kalaloch Beach. I'm surprised it has lasted for the past 5 years +.
	Not everything is beautiful at the beach. Bits of plastic have washed up in the jetsam. Plastic litter breaking down in the oceans is one of the many problems of the seas.

	Lots of drift wood (logs) washed up on the beach.
	Kalaloch beach during an incoming storm
	By-the-Wind Sailor (jellyfish) washup
	A Bald Eagle glides over the beach.
	Raccoons are all to eager (and bold) to steal food from campers.
	Steller's Jays (like this one), Crows, and Gulls are also obnoxious at the campground as they have learned to take advantage of the food campers drop or carelessly leave out.

	Kalaloch campground a beautiful place to stay.
	This big cedar is on state owned land near Kalaloch. It is also featured as a mosaic on a column in the SeaTac airport.
	Another large cedar, this one is located near the "Big Cedar," which is owned by the Olympic National Park near Kalaloch. Many impressive cedars can be seen on the trail from the large cedar.
	The "big cedar" north of Kalaloch.
	A large flock of surfbirds gather on a rocky outcrop during high tide at Ruby Beach.

	Surfbird at Ruby Beach
	Lower tides reveal sea creatures cling to rocks at Kalaloch Beach.
	Sunset
	Stranded Western Grebe

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Bird List

Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Western Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Mallard
Gadwall
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Canada Goose
Bald Eagle
Sanderling
Black Oystercatcher
Black Turnstone
Surfbird
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Thayer's Gull
Herring Gull
Common Murre
Marbled Murrelet
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Crow
Steller's Jay
Clark's Nutcracker
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Brown Creeper
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Winter Wren
European Starling
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Spotted Towhee
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin

Other Critter List

Yellow-pine Chipmunk
Raccoon
Coyote
Sea Otter
River Otter

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Information

Located: outer coast, Olympic National Park, WA
Directions: on hwy-101 between Queets and Forks.
Kalaloch Beach

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