# Photography, beaches, tides, and short forest walks ## Trip priorities Big landscape nature photography and intimate close-ups of rocks, bark, moss, ferns and water. Relaxation and modest walking matter more than covering every location. A long Hoh morning plus an optional beach afternoon is welcome; two stops in a day are fine when they do not feel rushed. ## Beach choices - Ruby: first choice after a Hoh morning. Broad sea-stack landscapes and close studies of cobbles, driftwood and creek-mouth patterns. Short, partly steep access trail. - Second Beach: dedicated forest-to-beach session; about 0.7 mile each way, descending around 200 feet. Good for sea stacks, sand patterns and forest details. - Rialto: strongest low-approach-effort alternative for cobbles, driftwood, waves and offshore stacks. Hole-in-the-Wall is an optional additional three-mile round trip, not necessary for a good shoot. Confirm Mora Road reopening. - First Beach / La Push: an easy coastal stop; respect Quileute tribal land and posted access rules. - Beach 4: tide-pooling alternative; optional on this trip because the evening minus tides occur after sunset. ## Tide plan The deployed beach page has a map and two five-day tables (November 7–11) showing morning low, daytime high, and evening low, in PST with heights in feet MLLW. Ruby/Beach 4/Kalaloch use NOAA Destruction Island reference TWC0965; La Push/Second Beach/Rialto use La Push 9442396. Station metadata and raw prediction responses are saved alongside the page. All morning lows precede sunrise, and evening lows follow sunset on these dates. The morning lows are roughly +2.4 to +3.9 ft, while the evening lows are below zero. NPS suggests below +1 ft for the best tide-pooling. Falling-tide afternoons can still be useful for general photography, but the tables do not establish safe arch/headland passage or account for swell and storm surge. No night-time tide-pooling plan is recommended. ## Short forest walks ### Spruce Nature Trail — 1.2-mile loop Hoh area · roughly one hour from Forks. The natural extension of your Hall of Mosses morning: moss, ferns, nurse logs and river-edge scenes. Photograph broad forest layers, then slow down for tiny plants and textures. Hall of Mosses plus Spruce is about two miles of loops before connector paths. Budget a long photographic morning rather than treating the short distance as a quick stop. [Official details](https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-hoh.htm) ### Ancient Groves — About 0.6-mile loop Sol Duc Road · longer drive; pair with another east-side stop. My strongest additional pick for giant trunks, fallen wood, layered greenery and the feeling of being inside an ancient forest. Particularly suited to intimate woodland compositions. Short does not mean flat: NPS describes multiple steep sections, narrow boardwalks and bridges. Confirm Sol Duc Road access for November before committing. [Official details](https://www.nps.gov/places/000/ancient-groves-main-trailhead.htm) ### Marymere Falls — 1.8 miles round trip Lake Crescent · about 55 minutes from Forks. A good mix of old-growth woodland, stream details and a 90-foot waterfall. Worth photographing the approach as well as the destination. The final approach climbs toward the waterfall viewpoints. Expect wet footing. Combine with a leisurely lakeshore stop rather than a summit hike. [Official details](https://www.nps.gov/places/000/marymere-falls-trailhead.htm) ### Moments in Time — Flat 0.6-mile loop Lake Crescent Lodge area · about 55 minutes from Forks. The lowest-effort forest-and-lake alternative: take your time with bark, moss, roots and the transition to the lakeshore. A good companion to Marymere, or a standalone choice when you want a short stroll and more downtime. [Official details](https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/day-hiking-at-olympic.htm) ### Sol Duc Falls — Approximately 1.6–1.8 miles round trip Sol Duc valley · roughly 70–80 minutes from Forks. A larger waterfall composition framed by deep forest; photograph streamside details along the approach. Can share a day with Ancient Groves if you feel like two walks. NPS pages differ slightly on distance; allow extra wandering. Verify November road access; the resort/campground season is separate from trail access. [Official details](https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/day-hiking-at-olympic.htm) ### Bogachiel rain forest — Choose a short out-and-back; full Ira Spring loop about 3 miles Near Forks · gravel-road approach; confirm access. A wilder alternative for lush forest, wetland textures and a slower local outing when you do not want the Hoh drive. Use a turnaround time rather than committing to the whole loop. Mud, creek crossings and access-road conditions can make it more involved than the mileage suggests. Confirm Forest Service conditions. [Official details](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/poi/238922) ## Flexible combinations 1. Hoh day: Hall of Mosses slowly, add Spruce Nature Trail if wanted; lunch, then Ruby in the afternoon if weather, energy and coastal conditions suit. 2. Easy coast day: choose Second Beach or Rialto as the main session. Revisit a favorite rather than requiring both. 3. East-side forest day: Marymere plus Moments in Time for forest, waterfall and lake; alternatively Ancient Groves plus Sol Duc Falls if road conditions and energy permit. These are alternatives, not four required walks. No specific day is locked in before the short-range weather and marine forecasts. Forests are not storm shelters: avoid wooded trails in high winds and obey closures. Stay on paths while photographing delicate forest-floor scenes. ## Sources and publication Trail details were checked against linked NPS and Recreation.gov descriptions on October 15, 2026. They establish route character and distance, not guaranteed November access. Current conditions: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/conditions.htm . Tide-pooling guidance: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/tidepool-activities.htm . The day-hiking page gives 0.6 mile for Moments in Time and Ancient Groves; prior guide distances differ slightly and the new shortlist uses the NPS figures. Site pages: beach-tides.html and forest-walks.html. Menu and full ingredient checklist remain at meal-plan.html. Ancient Groves map pin corrected to the roadside trailhead area (48.00395, -123.9056), using https://myhikes.org/trails/ancient-groves-trail and the NPS description placing it about 8.8 miles up Sol Duc Road.