Near the north park boundary, Point of Arches is a testimony to the relentless power of the Pacific where, with a force of two tons per square inch, the ocean carved giant arches out of ancient rock. The Arches, legendary children of Destruction Island and Tatoosh Island, were pushed from Mother Tatoosh’s canoe when she deserted her husband because, she said, “You’d probably grow up just like your father!”
The bluffs above neighboring Shi Shi (shy-shy) Beach provide a vantage point for watching the spring and fall gray whale migrations; the best viewing season is March–May. This stretch of coastline features some of the finest beaches and tidepools anywhere on the Washington coast; you might even find remains of a shipwreck still visible.