Forks (Final)

I think I mentioned there is a lot to do around Forks, Washington.  Our final day we drove a much shorter 15 miles to check out the beaches at La Push.  We had heard there were three beaches there, cleverly named First, Second, and Third.  Two of them required hikes to access - what to do?  So we stopped again at the Forks visitors center.

I hadn't noticed this carving on our previous trip.

Now we know that the Forks area is known for lumberjacks.  We even saw them at work.  But who's the little guy?  Is that a tree elf?  The knowledgeable visitors center employee didn't know!  Anybody?

But she did recommend Second Beach as her favorite in La Push, so off we went.

We walked the 7/10 mile trail from the parking lot through some more lovely green woods.

And arrived at Second Beach with its many seastacks and interesting formations.

Oh, look!  A bridge or maybe an arch.

My camera doesn't take very good pictures when it's cloudy and we've had a lot of clouds and rain since we've been in this area.  But since Forks receives and average of 12 FEET of rain a year, I guess we can't be too surprised.

Some of the rocks were remarkably pointy.

While some were weirdly flat.

After doing a bit of beachcombing, we headed back up and over the ridge to the parking lot.

La Push is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation.  Have you ever seen a more gorgeous bus stop?

By the time we reached town, the sun was out and First Beach looked beautiful.

As well as the view across the mouth of the Quillayute River.

I like the unusual totem in town.

I wasn't aware that this area is also famous as the setting for the Twilight books.  The tourist industry has boomed since their publication.