La Push surf is some of the most distant in the USA, offering one fairly good beach break on the beaches of northern Washington State.
An introduction to La Push surf
There was a while in the noughties when First Beach mainly saw traveling fans of the Twilight series. Apparently, it was namedropped in that pretty darn awful set of what some people call books. Anyway, the surf here isn’t really good enough to eclipse (no pun intended) the vampire fame but it’s good enough to score in the top three spots of Washington State. That’s mainly down to the arc of First Beach, the main run of black sand that skirts the south side of the Quillayute River.
Fickle is probably the best way to describe it. The spot needs mid-sized W-NW swells or uber-strong S-SW pushes. It hates any W wind, and goes full on closeout if it’s ever over 10 foot. Some days it’s great though, and the town sure warrants a spot on your Washington surf road trip if that’s what you’re up to.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing on the West Coast and surfing in the USA
La Push surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to La Push surf?
Where is La Push?
La Push is located on the Olympic Peninsula in Clallam County, Washington, USA. It’s situated at the mouth of the Quillayute River, near the westernmost point of the contiguous United States – Canada is less than 41 miles away! La Push is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation.
How to get to La Push?
Getting to La Push from Seattle is relatively straightforward, though it involves a combination of driving and possibly a ferry ride. Here’s a general guide:
- Driving: The distance from Seattle to La Push is around 150 miles, and the drive typically takes about 4 to 5 hours, depending on traffic and the route you take. Here’s a common way to drive there: Take I-5 North to WA-104 West; Merge onto US-101 North. Follow US-101 North and turn onto WA-110 West (La Push Road). Follow La Push Road to La Push.
- Ferry option: Depending on where you are in Seattle, you might find it more convenient to take a ferry across Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula and then drive from there: Catch the Bainbridge Island or Kingston ferry from Seattle. Drive onto US-101 North. Follow the directions above from US-101.
Do I need to hire a car to surf in La Push?
Yes. There’s no way of getting here without your own car to be frank. Public transport is thin on the ground, plus your own wheels are the only way to move from First Beach to other beaches up and down the cape.
La Push surf spots
La Push is really about two spots, one on either side of the Quillayute River. The best is the southern First Beach, but the others are worth a mention here…
Rialto Beach
More often than not, Rialto Beach is one long mess of frothing whitewash in the winter swell season. But summer, spring, and fall can tame things into wedgy beachbreaks that will work, though they will always be shifty and heavy. The beach itself is known for its dramatic rock stacks and masses of driftwood, which you’ll need to dodge on the paddle out and in the water.
First Beach
First Beach is really what people come to La Push for. This scythe of sand dresses the whole Pacific-facing part of the town. It’s irritating in the sense that it’s got nice protection from N winds but suffers from huge closeouts much of the winter and spring. If you get decent W groundswells in the summer months with a E offshore, the whole place will clean up in an instant, and give long peelers and some very shapely A-frames that hold nicely. That’s pretty rare, though. Still, it’s unquestionably one of the finer spots in Washington and fairly decent for all levels because there’s no big rocks or rips.
Ruby Beach
Watched over by the haunting Destruction Island Lighthouse from 1889, Ruby Beach is a super-famous spot along the coast of the Olympic National Park. To be honest, we’d leave it there. The views are incredible, what with mists rolling into the redwoods and great stacks of rock jutting from the sea. The waves are less incredible – largely mush and closeouts that will pound the hell out of you. Sometimes, if there’s decent N in the swell, things can curl around the Abbey Island rock and give okayish rights, but you’re better off sticking to La Push proper because First Beach will surely be better anyhow.
Where to stay when surfing in La Push?
La Push itself has zero lodgings. It’s that remote. But don’t despair. There are some properly amazing stays in the region that will leave you feeling like a bona fide pioneer – think cabins on the Quillayute River and boltholes in the woods. They’ll be about 20-30 minutes’ drive from the main surf spots.
- Quillayute River Resort – A real escape into the Washington wilderness, this hotel is simple and homely, with creaking decks overlooking the Quillayute River. La Push First Beach is 10 minutes’ drive down the 110.
- Peaceful Retreat on 10 Acres Less Than 7 Miles to La Push – The name really says it all here. Just 10 mins’ drive from the surfing, this cabin has space for eight people. It’s a gorgeous spot, too, with decks gazing at the fir forests and cozy interiors that hearken back to the 1800s.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in La Push?
During the winter months of November to March, Washington’s coastline frequently experiences consistent and powerful swells from North Pacific storms, with optimal waves forming from W to NW directions. These conditions often boast higher wave periods, catering mainly to seasoned surfers. Offshore winds blowing from the E to NE enhance wave faces, creating cleaner lines.
Spring and Autumn serve as transitional seasons, offering mixed swells that can accommodate various skill levels. In contrast, the summer season, spanning June to September, generally delivers less consistent but smaller and more mellow waves. We actually prefer the summer overall because size isn’t often the issue here – clean faces and avoiding closeouts are.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
