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The Tree of Life is on the Washington Coast and it is a tree where everything underneath it is washed away and just the roots remain. It is a popular attraction on the Washington Coast and makes for a great weekend getaway if you are local to Washington state. It has been an item on our bucket list for a while and we were very excited to take this trip.
There are different places to stay near the Tree of Life. Both Forks, WA and Seabrook, WA would be ideal locations if you are hoping for a short drive to the beaches. Seabrook has small cottages to rent, delicious restaurants to experience, and shopping. We were able to enjoy dinner at one of the restaurants and watch the sunset over the ocean.
When you arrive at Kalaloch Campground to access the beach where the Tree of Life is located, you can easily park in their parking lot. There is a small trail that walks down to the beach where you can get to the tree. On that path there are a few stairs to navigate which are important to note if you might need assistance with those, but it is not too far of a walk.
When you get down to the beach to see the Tree of Life, it is breathtaking. The fact that you can walk under a tree is incredible and feels almost magical.
The Cross Legacy
We have always wanted to visit this tree because it holds special meaning to me. My parents were loggers so I have been around trees all of my life and my father taught me many important lessons in the forest. The Cross Legacy logo is a tree with branches which represent our family and brings so many of these pieces together.
The roots of the tree anchor it. For the Tree of Life, even though the land below it has been washed away, it remains because of these roots. I believe that it is so important to have a strong foundation in life. Even when things are uncertain, if you have a strong foundation, you have something to hold on to and keep you secure.
Kalaloch Beach #4
Just up the road from the Tree of Life is Kalaloch Beach #4 where we also stopped for a visit. I would call this one a more challenging adventure to get down to the beach. They have a rope to hold on to as you travel down rocks and boulders to the flatter beach below. There are also several stairs to navigate which is important to know if you have people in your group who struggle with uneven surfaces.
You can continue to explore the rocks and boulders once you are down on the beach. If you enjoy skipping rocks, they are all over the beach which makes for a fun activity kids would also love. You can also explore some smaller islands that have been formed by rock formations off the coast. If the tide is low, you will be able to enjoy going out in the water to get to these smaller islands. Be careful to watch the tide and give yourself time to get back to shore and climb back up the boulders to get to the parking lot safely.
Travel to the Hoh Rainforest
Near the Tree of Life is the Hoh Rainforest within Olympic National Park. Since this is located in a National Park you will need a pass which you can buy here and it is valid for all National Parks for an entire year! We had this pass from our South Dakota trip and were happy to be able to use it again.
Getting into the park is quite a drive from the main highway, about 18 miles. This park also fills up during the busy season so plan ahead if you will be visiting during peak times in the summer. Once you arrive in the park there is a parking lot and picnic area with several trailheads. We chose one of the shorter trails, called the Hall of Mosses, which was .8 miles. The Hoh Rainforest is beautiful and it is a wonderful place to get out in nature and see all types of growth that has been undisturbed. There are a lot of unique tree formations which are fun to see.
Take That Trip
I would encourage you to look at your bucket list and decide what item you want to check off next. Visiting the Tree of Life was that for us and we made some wonderful memories on our trip, which you can see here.
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