We did an afternoon rafting trip with Neil in late a July 2021 and it was fantastic! I'd recommend…read morethis over going into the park, although of course you can easily do both (I'd recommend the park in the morning, arrive early to get parking, then enjoy the rafting in the afternoon when it's warmer). I learned a ton from Neil about the area and the River in particular, in which he's worked for decades. Sometimes he sees big wildlife like elk and bears. He pointed out some raptors to us. You park at Peak 6 outdoor store and meet Neil there. He drives up with the raft attached to his can and takes up up the road to a boat launch, then down the River about 9 miles, then back to Peak 6 in the van. You may get splashed but you won't get soaked, so you can bring a phone in a pocket. Definitely sunscreen up. Wear a hat that will stay on your head with a bit of a breeze. Bring some water because you'll be out for a couple of hours. The rapids are class 2, so not intense, and it's very relaxing and requires nothing of passengers. You'll have to step in the River for a few feet getting in and out, so wear shoes you can get a bit wet. Signing up can be a bit disorganized, Neil explained that's because he runs the business and is out on the water and internet is spotty in the area, but plan in advance and set it up and it will happen.

Easy to set up online and a great experience for our family. A bald eagle flew right over our raft!read more

We arrived here around 12:30 on New Year's Day and they happen to be feeding the rainbow trout when…read morewe were there so it was fun to watch the fish eat and we got to talk to the guy who was working there. He was very friendly and answered all of our questions about their rainbow trout in their salmon and we enjoyed just walking around and seeing the fashion different age groups and where they release them into their river. If you have an interest at all in salmon and trout and fish hatchery's then stop by here it's a cool place and they have nice clean restrooms available which is a bonus.

Mike made for a fantastic two days on the water on the Olympic Peninsula. Mike knows the area…read moreamazingly well and clearly loves it - and knows where the fish are. It was a great experience and will definitely be back fishing with Mike again.

My husband and I fished for wild steelhead with Mike Donley, owner of Lost Forest Fishing, for four…read moredays at the end of March, 2016. If you are looking for a fishing guide for steelhead in the rivers around Forks, WA, we highly recommend Lost Forest Fishing. Personally, I had not fished at all in several years and initially booked the trip just for my husband, who is an avid fly fisherman. I went along for the boat ride the first day just to enjoy the scenery and Mike encouraged me to give the fishing a try the next day. By the end of the week, Mike had taught me the basics of a single spey cast AND I brought my first ever wild steelhead to net while nymphing from the boat. My husband, the experienced fisherman, also had a very successful four days fishing and greatly appreciated Mike's instruction and knowledge of the rivers. We definitely plan to make a return trip to Forks next winter and look forward to more fishing with Lost Forest Fishing. Mike also guides in the Jackson Hole area during the summer season and we hope to make a trip down there sometime this year or next to fish with Mike.

One of the best guides on the river!!! He's been at it for along time!! No other guide will work as…read morehard to put you on fish!!

Terry is a fantastic guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of not only fishing but the region…read more Had a great time floating on the river. The weather was also ideal. He's super cool, patient, and a wonderful teacher.

ATTENTION FLY FISHERMAN: Terry. Is. The. Man!!! I looked him up because he is one of the only…read morelocals specializing in fly fishing. We went on a Saturday, when everyone and their mother was headed to the river. I watched out the window as Terry drove past parking lots full of other guides, then past a popular stretch of river saturated with walk-in anglers, before dropping us into one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and NO ONE ELSE was in sight ALL DAY! It was just a bonus that we hit it on a good day and managed to land almost every species of fish on the river!!! Why book with Terry?: * He's exactly the type of fun, positive person you want to be around, even when you're not busy reeling in monsters. * He played a direct role in every fish I got hooked up on. * He's local and knows EVERYTHING about the river system to include water levels, tribal netting locations/schedules; he evens knows every pocket of river you want to avoid casting in due to underwater hazards. He also lives with other non-fly fishing guides and gets firsthand catch reports on a daily basis. * He's about to become the proud owner of the nicest heated driftboat on the river, and every place that we caught fish on this particular day was accessible only by driftboat. * Huge conservationist and mature beyond his years. Can't wait to take some spey casting lessons, hit the steelhead, see Terry's brand new, state-of-the-art boat, and get back at those MONSTER Chinooks that got away...

Be sure to buy a Discover Pass when visiting! We didn't know, but luckily there's cell reception…read moreand it's easy enough to buy a pass online. If you do, you just need to write the order number, your license plate, and the date on something and leave it on the dashboard of your car. There are bathrooms here and dirt parking. It's a short walk down to the beach. Lots of canopy on the walk. It's a really peaceful place. And Canada is visible from the shore. This beach is also known for fossils, and we actually found at least one while we were visiting! Such an experience for the kids.

Third and Fourth beach have rest stops along the highway. Scenic views overlooking the pacific…read more There are no crowds, no major attractions - other than the views themselves. There are clean restrooms and gravel walking paths that lead down to the beach. This would be a difficult trek from the rest stop parking down to the beach for any strollers, walkers, wheel chairs, or for anyone with limited mobility. However, there are some great lookout points from the rest stop that are more accessible. You can walk several miles along the coast and see unending views of cliffs, trees, and rock formations. Great walk & views!

Third Beach was just eh, just okay for me. I wanted more. But in comparison to Rialto Beach and…read morestunning Ruby Beach among the Olympic Peninsula....I felt like this...3rd Beach...fell flat. At least...can I give a reasoning or two, lol? During my summer visit of 2020, after hanging out at mesmerizing Hoh Rain Forest, I was heading in a counter clockwise direction (which I believe is the most efficient way to navigate Olympic National Park). I had read that the La Push area and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Beaches were all worthwhile spots to explore from my itinerary. Well...1st and 2nd Beaches were closed due to the pandemic. My only option for a getting a feel for what the La Push area surroundings were like was to come here to 3rd Beach. This was fine by me as I figured all 3 beaches would be relatively the same in appearances...so if I was only afforded 1 beach to explore...I was accepting of coming here to 3rd Beach. I was quite surprised that for the entrance way towards 3rd Beach...you had to park along the road. And I couldn't believe how crowded it was!!! Yeah, I barely found a parking spot and cars were parked off the road on the shoulder in almost a 45 degree slope. Could they be that desperate to hang out here? It was quite a steep angle! So...I put the emergency brake on just in case. I then had a good feeling about what to expect here at 3rd Beach since it appeared quite popular according to the amount of cars. To get to 3rd Beach...you have to hike almost 2 miles! Wow...I didn't expect this. Though that's what it said according to the trailhead. Well, I guess I was already committed to the task so I didn't mind making the trek. Overall, the hike was pleasant. It was along flat ground through the forest without much elevation. Towards the end of the trail I walked down a series of switchbacks to the beach. Finally making it here along the shores...the best way to describe things were...very quiet and desolate. There wasn't much happening. I actually noticed tents on the sand and was in astonishment that you could really camp out at 3rd Beach. My main reasoning for coming to 3rd Beach was to capture the best photographs of the surroundings, among the Pacific Northwest setting here in Washington. But...I never captured any magical moments for pictures. I did walk towards the end of the beach to an area that had some rocks on the shores sort of making the area somewhat scenic. In the end, I was just sort of bored and maybe spent 30 - 40 minutes hanging out. And...for having to hike 2 miles each way just to arrive at a "pedestrian" looking beach sort of frustrated me as if I was wasting time out of the day. In comparison...Rialto and Ruby Beaches offered much much more as to the scenery and sweeping beach shores. Rialto Beach featured plenty of fallen trees and a few boulders protruding out from the waters enhancing the overall setting. Although the beaches were very touristy and crowded...their sights were worth it. Ruby Beach put everything to shame. This was my favorite beach at Olympic NP. There were terrific viewpoints, a rugged yet scenic coastline, many playful spots to climb rocks and offered really good photography opportunities. Ultimately when I compare Ruby Beach to this 3rd Beach...I much more preferred the scenic terrain where I felt like I was admiring the true essence for what makes Olympic Park so special. But...for those who are interested in more exclusivity without the visitors and tourists, then this 3rd Beach would be appropriate for you. For me, I want to be hanging out at a place where the views reign supreme.

This is a great little rest stop along Hwy 112, complete with a pit toilet to answer nature's call,…read moreand a nice little beach with views across the bay to the rock feature known as Pillar Point. We were heading from Port Angeles to Neah Bay, and it was a sweet spot - not far off the main road - to stretch our legs along what has got to be one of the longest, curviest drives in the state. There's plenty of parking down by the beach, and even a large picnic pavilion if you brought a crowd. We really enjoyed sitting on a log on the beach, getting some fresh air, and being out of the car for awhile during our brief visit. There's even an interesting display of the history of Hwy 112 and local logging lore. By the way, this place is listed as a "boat launch" in several places, but I would NOT recommend it - the "launch" looks like it hasn't been usable in decades.

This is the best place on Highway 112 to eat lunch to listen to the waves and watch the ocean and…read moresome of the creature swimming and flying and just relaxing. So short drive about a mile down the hill completely paved parking lot and rode with 180° view of the water and pillar point just a fabulous place and it's cold out it must be amazing in the summer if you're coming by here you definitely definitely want to come down here and see this place wow