If Rialto Beach is anywhere on your summer radar, listen up. Olympic National Park is planning to close the Mora Road corridor past the Mora Campground to the Rialto Beach parking area starting early July 2026 and keeping it shut through early fall — possibly into October — for storm damage repairs.
That’s the whole summer. Peak season. Gone.
I know. It stings. Rialto is one of those places that actually lives up to the hype, and losing it for the summer is a genuine hit to anyone planning a Washington coast trip. But let’s break down exactly what’s happening, what still works, and where to point your rig instead.
What’s Actually Closing (And What Isn’t)
Let’s be clear about this, because the headlines can make it sound more dramatic than the reality on the ground.
Rialto Beach itself isn’t being closed. The closure is specifically the last roughly 1.8 miles of Mora Road — the stretch from the Mora Campground to the beach parking area. The road has been losing a slow-motion battle with storm damage and erosion for years, and this summer’s repairs are meant to fix that permanently.
Park Superintendent Sula Jacobs flagged the closure in a meeting with Clallam County commissioners, confirming the Mora Road corridor past the campground to Rialto Beach will be shut July into early fall for storm damage repairs.
The repair work will restore the road to two lanes and address slope instabilities — including proactively stabilizing adjacent sections showing signs of further movement. This is described as crucial for continued long-term access to Rialto Beach.
So yes, it’s a real closure. But it’s also a fix that needs to happen.
The Mora Campground stays open. If you’ve already got reservations there, you’re not automatically out of luck — but you need to know that driving to the beach from camp won’t be possible during the closure. The campground is about 2 miles from the beach, and with active construction on an already-narrow road, walking it isn’t a realistic option either.
People with campground reservations are reporting they haven’t received direct notification from the Park Service — many are finding out through social media groups. So if you’ve got a Mora booking this summer, call the park directly before you finalize anything: 360-565-3131 (recorded road and weather line).
When Exactly Does It Close?
The closure is expected to begin in early July, reportedly after the July 4 holiday, and could run through early October. As of this writing (March 2026), the road is still fully open.
The exact dates aren’t locked in stone yet. Some tour operators are pushing to delay the start date to give visitors at least a few more weeks of access. Worth checking the official Olympic National Park conditions page (nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/conditions.htm) as summer approaches — that’s where official updates will land first.
Can You Still Reach the Beach at All?
This is where it gets creative.
There’s actually a workaround that Pacific Northwest Trail thru-hikers have used for decades: a water crossing at the mouth of the Quillayute River. The preferred thru-hiker method is arranging a boat ride across the river mouth — and some are suggesting this approach could work for visitors during the closure, though expanding it to handle general tourist traffic would require more organized capacity than currently exists.
Realistically, unless you’ve got connections to a local with a boat, this isn’t a practical option for most people showing up for a day hike. It’s more of a “watch this space” idea that the park hasn’t formally organized yet.
If you’re a backpacker already permitted for the North Coast Wilderness and can figure out the water crossing logistics, the beach and trails remain accessible on foot. But for the typical summer visitor? Plan around the closure.
What the Closure Means for Popular Hikes
Rialto Beach is the launching point for some genuinely great coastal hiking:
Hole-in-the-Wall — the iconic sea arch about 1.5 miles up the beach — will be inaccessible to anyone who can’t reach the parking area. This is the bread-and-butter day hike for most Rialto visitors, and it’s not going to be do-able during peak closure months without that water crossing workaround.
The road that leads to Rialto Beach will be closed for construction from early July to October 2026. The beach will not be accessible by car.
Longer backpacking routes up the coast toward Shi Shi Beach or the full Pacific Northwest Trail also start here. If you’ve got permits for any of those, you need to contact the park and figure out your access situation now, not the week before your trip.
Where to Go Instead
Here’s the good news: the Olympic coast doesn’t start and end at Rialto. You’ve got solid alternatives.
First Beach, La Push — This is the closest comparable experience and it’s genuinely good. La Push sits on the Quileute Reservation just a few minutes south of Rialto. You get sea stacks, crashing surf, and that same dramatic PNW coast vibe. Different road, different access, no closure issues. Worth your time even in a normal summer.
Ruby Beach — Further south on the coast, accessible off Highway 101. Massive driftwood, sea stacks, tide pools. One of the most photogenic beaches in the state. If you’re driving the coast anyway, Ruby Beach is already on your route.
Second and Third Beach — Both accessible from La Push Road, with short trail approaches. Third Beach especially feels like you’ve earned something once you get there.
Shi Shi Beach via Makah Reservation — Further north, requires a Makah Recreation Pass, but Shi Shi is arguably the most spectacular beach on the entire coast. Longer commitment to get there, worth every step.
Bottom Line — Plan Accordingly
Look, Mora Road has been fighting a losing battle with Pacific storms and erosion for years. This repair is overdue and when it’s done, Rialto will be better for it. That’s small comfort if you’ve been dreaming about watching your family see the Pacific for the first time from that beach, but it’s the reality.
Olympic sees roughly 45% of its annual visitors between July and September, making this closure especially disruptive for peak season travel plans.
If Rialto was central to your summer trip, adjust your plans now rather than showing up and discovering the road is fenced off. The Olympic coast is still absolutely worth visiting this summer — you’ll just be pointing your truck in a slightly different direction.
Check official conditions before you go. Call the park. And if you end up at First Beach in La Push watching the sunset over the sea stacks, you’re not going to feel like you settled.
Got questions about alternatives along the Olympic coast? Drop them in the comments or shoot me an email at cliff@10toestravel.com — happy to help you salvage those summer plans.
Cover image: Ron Clausen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons | Hole In the Wall: Flickr user: Martin Talbot Russia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
