After a ferry ride and a day of driving, we are at the trailhead and ready to begin walking. We are camped near Forks, Washington at the head of Mora road, at the Three Rivers Resort Campground. It feels like a win just to have made it this far, but we have already made a concession: we will not begin at the coast. The Quileute reservation is closed until at least July 3 because of covid-19. In consequence, all adjacent Olympic National Park beaches and access trails are also closed. We were aware of this before we arrived and planned around it.
It has been suggested that we could probably still make our way to 3rd Beach, despite the prohibition, but violating federal law and tribal sovereignity feels like the wrong way to start our journey. Instead, we accept that walking during the age of covid will shape this trip in unique and challenging ways, and we hope to meet those challenges with reason and grace. So instead of starting at Rialto beach, we will begin 2 miles inland at Three Rivers.
We have made our first camp on a dry, sunny day and celebrated with hot cocoa. Soon we’ll make dinner and turn in early. Everything is working. We’re in good spirits, and we’re looking forward to our first day’s walk tomorrow. Here’s hoping we wake to clear skies.
The Department of Wander 