Edward may rule the hearts of the girls in Forks. But down the road at La Push, on the Quileute Nation reservation, it’s Team Jacob all the way.

In the book, Jacob and other members of his wolfpack/family are Quileutes, which happens to be the same name as the tribe who has lived in La Push for thousands of years. In real life, the Quileutes are known as Wolf Clan, with a belief system that traces their origins from wolves. So it wasn’t much  of a stretch for Stephenie Meyer to re-imagine them as vampire-hunting, shape-shifting spirit wolves (although some Quileutes have found the comparison disrespectful, with good reason. Would you want your people to suddenly gain international prominence as…a bunch of werewolves?)

Before Twilight, La Push had a reputation as a low-key coastal getaway. Hardcore nature enthusiasts would camp along the tree-strewn beaches and surfers and kayakers would brave the rough waves of First Beach. It wasn’t exactly a major stop on the typical tourist path.

As with Forks, the books and movies changed things. Now the Oceanside Resort cabins and motel on First Beach require a two-night minimum and the Nation has opened a restaurant to accommodate the incresae of visitors. The Lonesome Creek store sells Twilight-themed tchlokes and sports  “Bella’s Bulletin Board” out front, where fans leave notes for Bella.

I got around the Oceanside Resort’s two-night policy by calling early Saturday morning. Luckily, they had one room left, a queen bed in their motel rooms. The receptionist warned me that the units, right on First Beach, lacked TVs and Internet access, and that most cell phones couldn’t get service. I laughed and told her that I had plenty of books to read.

I couldn’t check in to the Quileute-owned Oceanside Resort until 4 p.m., so after touring Forks, I headed to Rialto Beach. Misty, mysterious and strewn with the remains of grand trees, the beach is part of Olympic National Park. It’s a favorite of campers, storm watchers, photographers and people who want a taste of Washington’s wild coast.

Unlike the sand in most places I visit,  Rialto Beach is dark and laden with rocks and stones. This made hiking slightly more strenuous; if you go, wear your hiking boots instead of beach shoes or simple walking shoes (which is what I had on).

I had seen pictures of the gorgeous rock formations off the coast of Rialto. But I didn’t expect the fallen trees that lined the shorelines. Piled haphazardly atop one another, the desiccating trees appeared ghostly, and led a melancholy air to the shoreline. It was like walking through a tree graveyard

Campers were using the monster logs as a buffers for their campsites. I’m not sure I’d want to spend the night out there – too remote and bleak for me. Plus who knows when the next round of trees, already bleached and scoured bare by the fierce ocean winds, are going to fall?

About 1 1/2 miles down the beach, the Hole in the Wall rock formation is known for its tidepools. I set off down the beach, stumbling a little on the rocks. I noticed several people using the long branches lying on the each as hiking poles; I found one and joined them. The poles made the walk much easier.

Unfortunately, I didn’t check the tide schedule and the water was coming in fast when I reached Hole in the Wall. There’s a path to the other side that goes up the hill, but I really wasn’t wearing the right footgear to make an extended climb. So I left the tidepools for another time and drove into La Push.

Despite the new income from tourists, La Push is not a wealthy community. The Quileutes have traditionally mostly make their living from the sea, and a marina full of fishing boats serves as the town’s “downtown.” As in many Native American reservations, the architecture of the Quileute Nation mostly of pre-made modular homes. Signs for social service were displayed prominently, and more than one yard featured a car on bricks and for sale signs.

Despite some of these signs of poverty, the Quileute-owned Oceanside Resort turned out to be modern and cozy, although the motels and cabins appeared utilitarian on the outside. My queen-sized motel room cost $125 for one night. It came with a stocked kitchenette, plenty of blankets for the 50-degree temperatures and a porch overlooking First Beach.

Perhaps hearing the concern in my voice after she told me about the resort’s lack of connectivity, the receptionist told me that the Quileutes were holding a community bonfire on First Beach that night at 9 p.m. Tired from my Rialto Beach hike, I dragged myself out there for a few minutes. Although I didn’t stay long, members of the Quileute Nation greeted me and patiently answered a couple of my inane Twilight questions. Everyone seemed friendly and ready to dig into s’mores. I heard my books calling me, however, and bowed out before the storyteller got going.

All in all, La Push makes for a good stopover on your Twilight pilgrimage, as you can see from the notes above on the Bella Bulletin Board. If I go out there again, I’d probably stay at a lodge in Olympic National Park that has a few more amenities (the Kalaloch Lodge just south of La Push has a special Eclipse package through Oct. 30 that runs $202 for a cabin, plus extras such as Twilight water bottles and a dessert).

Landscape-wise, are you more of Team Edward – preferring overcast skies and lush forest cover – or Team Jacob, loving the crash of the surf and desolate beaches? When you put it that way, it’s hard for me to choose (although when it comes to romance, I’m definitely on Jacob’s side).