East Beach
Port Angeles, Washington · on Lake Crescent · Olympic National Park
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About East Beach
East Beach is a National Park Service picnic and day-use area on the eastern shore of Lake Crescent within Olympic National Park, near Port Angeles, Washington. Set on a grassy lakeside meadow, it works as both a lakeside swimming hole and the trailhead for the Spruce Railroad Trail toward Devils Punchbowl, and it ranks among the most popular places to swim on Lake Crescent.
East Beach occupies a grassy meadow overlooking Lake Crescent at the lake's east end, within Olympic National Park. Lake Crescent itself is a deep, glacially carved lake known for strikingly clear, blue-green water.
Swimming at East Beach
Swimmers enter directly from the grassy/beach shoreline into open lake water. Lake Crescent is very deep (roughly 600 feet at its deepest) and its water stays cold year-round, so sources recommend caution, life jackets, or protective clothing; there are no lifeguards. The lake's low-nitrogen water gives it unusually high clarity, which visitors describe as a distinctive feature of swimming here.
How to get to this swimming hole
East Beach sits off East Beach Road at the east end of Lake Crescent, inside Olympic National Park; the lake is located about 17 miles west of Port Angeles.
The hike in
East Beach is a drive-up picnic/day-use area; swimmers walk only a short distance from the parking lot to the shoreline. It also serves as one access point for the separate Spruce Railroad Trail, which leads west along the lake toward Devils Punchbowl, but hiking that trail is not required to swim at East Beach itself.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Shallow, gently sloped grassy/gravel shoreline entry makes wading easy for kids, and there are no cliffs at East Beach itself, but Lake Crescent is very cold year-round and drops off into extreme depth (600+ ft) not far from shore, with no lifeguards on duty. Guides recommend life jackets for kids and weaker swimmers.
Parking
Lot
Small NPS day-use lot off East Beach Road at the picnic area; no fee or lot-size figures were found in sources reviewed (Olympic NP does not charge for East Beach separately, but a park entrance pass is generally required for Olympic National Park).
Restrooms
Yes
Vault toilet (outhouse) at the picnic area, described by NPS as wheelchair accessible.
Water clarity
Clear
Lake Crescent is repeatedly described as unusually clear, blue-green water due to low nitrogen levels limiting algae growth (Wikipedia, Moon Travel Guides, The Nature Seeker); visitors call it refreshing but very cold.
On the water
Restrictions: Per NPS Olympic boating rules: motorized boats may not exceed 5 mph or create a wake within 300 feet of shorelines; water skiing/towing is allowed on Lake Crescent. Free boat-cleaning stations (invasive species prevention) are at Fairholme, Storm King, and Log Cabin Resort. East Beach itself has an NPS-listed canoe/kayak/small-boat launch; the two developed boat-launch points on the lake are Storm King Ranger Station and Fairholme.
Paddleboards are commonly used on the lake but were not specifically named in the NPS boating page reviewed; kayaks/canoes are explicitly confirmed.
Rentals nearby
Kayak/canoe (and general recreational) rentals, plus dock launching for a fee, on the north shore of Lake Crescent
North shore of Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park · Seasonal, roughly May 15 - September 29 (2026 season per NPS lodging page)
Kayak/canoe rentals via the resort's recreational-rentals booking system
416 Lake Crescent Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98363 · Seasonal, roughly April 17, 2026 - January 1, 2027 (2026 season per NPS lodging page)
What regulars say
Visitors consistently flag Lake Crescent's water as cold year-round even in summer and recommend life jackets or wetsuits/protective clothing for swimming. East Beach is named alongside Devils Punchbowl and Fairholme Beach as one of the lake's most popular swim spots, implying it can get busy on warm summer days, though no specific crowd reports were found.
East Beach: FAQ
Is East Beach kid friendly?
Shallow, gently sloped grassy/gravel shoreline entry makes wading easy for kids, and there are no cliffs at East Beach itself, but Lake Crescent is very cold year-round and drops off into extreme depth (600+ ft) not far from shore, with no lifeguards on duty. Guides recommend life jackets for kids and weaker swimmers.
Do I need to hike to reach East Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for East Beach?
Small NPS day-use lot off East Beach Road at the picnic area; no fee or lot-size figures were found in sources reviewed (Olympic NP does not charge for East Beach separately, but a park entrance pass is generally required for Olympic National Park).
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to East Beach?
Paddleboards are commonly used on the lake but were not specifically named in the NPS boating page reviewed; kayaks/canoes are explicitly confirmed.
When is the best time to visit East Beach?
Summer, per visitor accounts describing it as a refreshing swimming spot 'especially during the summer.'
What water body is East Beach on?
East Beach is on Lake Crescent, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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