This Special Tree Continues to Defy Gravity
Have you heard about the “Tree of Life” in Washington State? Maybe you have heard it called the Kalaloch Tree of Life?
The Tree of Life is easy to get to, and one of the most unique natural features I’ve seen. Visiting this famous tree should be on every Pacific Northwest visitor’s Bucket list! It is a definite must-stop destination on your Olympic National Park Itinerary.
What is the Tree of Life?
The Tree of Life in Washington State is a large Sitka Spruce. It doesn’t officially have a name and is also called the Kalaloch tree, the runaway tree, or the magical tree. The Tree of life is located on the bluff on the edge of Kalaloch beach.
Over time, water has run through under the roots on the same path year after year and eroded the ground beneath the root system. What’s left is a living, thriving tree that appears to be floating and growing out of nothing but air.
Is the Tree of Life Alive?
The Tree of life has a green top and appears to be still thriving despite its lack of support.
The Root Cave
The roots of the Tree of life dangle in the air with enough room for an adult to stand under.
But please don’t stand under the Kalaloch Tree of Life. It could be dangerous, and we need to protect this wonderful Tree of Life from further damage.
How to get to the Tree of Life in Washington
To visit the tree of life, you will want to drive to the Kalaloch Campground Parking lot. Parking is free.
From the parking lot, look towards the beach. You will see an opening for a paved trail lined on either side by bushes. From there, it is just a short walk down to the beach.
It’s on a Great Sandy Beach
Once you are at the beach, head to the right, and the tree is a short distance away.
After you visit the Tree of Life, the beach here is a great place to spend the day. Bring a picnic and enjoy the sand and the water.
When is the best time to visit the Tree of Life?
You can visit the Tree of Life any time of year. The best weather on the Washington Coast is in July-October. Even during those months, the weather can be wet and unpredictable so always come prepared for rain.
The hike to the Tree of Life isn’t very long, so even if the weather is wet, it’s worth a trip down to the beach to see it!
Kalaloch Beach
Named by the Quinault Indian Nation, Kalaloch means ” Good place to land”. Kalaloch is one of the beaches in the Olympic National Park. It is easy to access and located right off Hwy 101. There are 8 beaches in this area, but to get to the Tree of Life, you will want to enter the beach that sits near the Kalaloch Campground.
The beach itself is wide and sandy and has rugged cliffs on one side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other. It’s a great place to walk the beach.
You’ll find crabs and birds, and sometimes you can see gray whales out in the distance if it is during their migration (April). The beach can get busy, but it’s fairly big, so usually you can get a little spot to yourself.
Kalaloch is located on the Olympic Peninsula and is 45 minutes from Forks, 1hr 2 minutes from Lake Crescent, an hour from Hoh Rain Forest, and just over 2 hours to Hurricane Ridge. These are all other popular locations within Olympic National Park.
