already obfuscation{"id":7493,"date":"2020-02-22T14:01:02","date_gmt":"2020-02-22T22:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aramblingunicorn.com\/?page_id=7493"},"modified":"2021-05-09T10:08:39","modified_gmt":"2021-05-09T17:08:39","slug":"ozette-triangle-loop-trail-olympic-national-park","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aramblingunicorn.com\/ozette-triangle-loop-trail-olympic-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Ozette Triangle Loop Trail: Easy Backpacking in Olympic National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

Backpacking the Ozette Triangle Loop in Olympic National Park is a great introduction to multi-day hiking for beginners. Located in wild and beautiful Olympic National Park, the Ozette Triangle Loop winds through lush rainforests and along the rugged Washington coastline to the Westernmost point in the contiguous United States \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Cape Alava. The loop also features ancient petroglyphs, shaded boardwalks, and great camp spots right on the beach.<\/p>\n

At 9.4 miles in length and with a flat elevation profile, the Ozette Triangle Trail is typically walked in a single day by most hikers. However, camping spots strategically located along the coastline also make this a terrific multi-day hike for beginners who can break up the hike into smaller sections. The trail is accessible all year round, unlike many of the other trails in Washington State which are covered under snow in winter (although it may be a little rainy and wet in the winter months).<\/p>\n

My Experience Backpacking Ozette Triangle Loop<\/h2>\n
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Photo taken at Sand Point on the Ozette Triangle Loop<\/p><\/div>\n

My husband Daniel and I backpacked Ozette Triangle Loop together in August 2018. It was one of the first times that we backpacked together and a great introduction to multi-day hiking. We split the trail up into 3 sections so we didn’t have long to hike each day and could spend more time relaxing and exploring our surroundings. The camp spots along the coast provide a lovely view of the sunset over the Pacific Ocean – it was very romantic.<\/p>\n

I had initially hoped to hike from Lake Ozette to Sand Point on the first day, and from there to Cape Alava on our second day – with the goal being to average roughly three miles a day. Unfortunately, we could not secure a permit for Cape Alava on the second night so we camped at Wedding Rocks instead. Wedding Rocks is also a lovely destination and we quite enjoyed our time there.<\/p>\n

You can read my blog posts about each day on the trail below:<\/p>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 1<\/h3>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 1: Lake Ozette to Sand Point<\/a>
\nThe Ozette Triangle has been on my bucket list for a long time. We reserved a wilderness permit several months ago as permits are required for overnight camping. And so Friday morning found us heading west toward the Olympic Peninsula via the Bainbridge Island Ferry. After a quick stop in Port Angeles for lunch and to retrieve our permit from the ranger\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s station, we arrived at the trailhead around 4:00 pm and began hiking.<\/p>\n

\"Daniel

Walking through the forest along the Ozette Triangle Trail<\/p><\/div>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 2<\/h3>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 2: Hunting for Petroglyphs at Wedding Rocks<\/a>
\nWe awoke on Saturday morning in a cloud of fog. Droplets of mist hung in the air and soaked the tent. I was glad Daniel talked me into affixing the rainfly last night or we would have gotten soaked. I walked south to filter water and find the privy. During my PCT hike last year, my fellow hikers and I made a game of rating the trail toilets. This was not the worst toilet I had ever seen…<\/p>\n

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Sunset as viewed from Wedding Rocks on the Ozette Triangle Loop Trail<\/p><\/div>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 3<\/h3>\n

Ozette Triangle Day 3: Exploring the Rugged Beauty of Cape Alava<\/a>
\nWe awoke in a fog again on Sunday morning. Thankfully, it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t drench our tent this time as we hadn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t affixed the rainfly. We packed up reluctantly, knowing it was the last day of our hike. But it was also the longest day that we had planned for our trip so we didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t linger too long.<\/p>\n

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Cape Alava<\/p><\/div>\n

Backpacking Ozette Triangle Tips<\/h2>\n

Before packing your shiny new backpack and heading to the Olympic Peninsula, keep in mind the following:<\/p>\n