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Gigi Swenson's Itinerary 8-11
Lake Crescent, Waterfalls & Hot Springs
The legend of the well-matched dragons that fought nearly to the death, and whose hot tears of anguish created the hot springs of today lends a magical touch to the Lake Crescent area. This picturesque glacier-carved lake offers swimming, boating, and fishing along with diverse hiking trails. Hike along a shoreline path that was once a railroad grade, ascend to breathtaking vistas or stroll through the forest to a waterfall.
Miles of Saltwater Shorelines
Clallam and Jefferson Counties combined have over 400 miles of saltwater coastline. The inland waters of the 61-mile glacial fjord of the Hood Canal, the glacier-carved Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Dungeness Spit and the wild, rugged Pacific Coast comprise differing habitats and nearly endless opportunities to explore. Tide pooling, beach hikes and days-long backpacking excursions are a grat way to experience the calming rhythms of waves and tides and the view the wildlife and sea creatures of the tidal zone.
Olympic National Park
The majesty of the Olympic Mountains, the fairy-tale quality of the rain forests and the pristine wilderness coastline are great reasons to visit Olympic National Park. This World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve encompasses nearly one million acres and also includes glacier-carved lakes, waterfalls, over 600 miles of hiking trails, dozens of campgrounds and scenic vistas. Highlights of the Park include Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh Rain Forest and 60 miles of unspoiled coastline.
Sequim Bay State Park
Sequim Bay State Park is a year-round, 92-acre marine camping park with 4,909 feet of saltwater coast in the Sequim "rainshadow," just inside Puget Sound on the Olympic Peninsula. The bay is calm, the air is dry and interpretive opportunities await visitors. The Olympic Discovery Trail, popular with cyclists, hikers and dog lovers, passes through the park. The park is located between Blynn and the Washington Street exit for Sequim on Highway 101.
Summer: 8a.m. to dusk. Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk. The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in winter.
Clallam Bay & Slip Point Beach Park
Clallam Bay Spit and Community Beach County Park is a 33 acre park jointley managed with Washington State Parks. The Park is located where the nutrient-rich water of the Clallam River empties into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, providing a constant food source for shore and marine birds. Eagles and osprey can be seen feeding on the beach; viewing marine mammals is an added bonus. The dynamic hydrology interaction taking place between the Clallam River and the tides provide an opportunity to witness drastic changes to the landscape each time you visit.
Sekiu Trail
Also known as "One-Mile Beach," this straight, relatively level saltwater beach trail connects beautiful, rugged slate caves at the east and Eagle Point two miles to the west. Boaters fish near the trail, unaware of the old abandoned railroad grade that runs the length of the hillside above. The flat and forested trail, an easy walk from Sekiu resorts, provides access to the solitude of sand and surf. Vistas from the trail stretch across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Vancouver Island.
Hike or Drive to Scenic Mt. Walker
The Quilcene/Brinnon area holds an abundance of magnificant scenery just waiting for that special photograph. From magnificant mountain views at the top of one of our nearby mountain peaks, to the brilliance of the sunlite water of Hood Canal, to the soft light of forest trails winding along river banks or through wildflower meadows, this area is a photographer's dream.
Cape Flattery Trail
As you near Neah Bay, look for tufted puffin nesting on the sea stacks from spring to early summer, and common murres perched on Tatoosh Island. Look in the water for bobbing sooty shearwaters. During the spring thousands of migrating hawks, including red-tail and sharp-shinned hawks, kettle over Cape Flattery before flying across the Strait to Vancouver Island. Occasionally, large flocks of 200 to 300 sandhill cranes entertain lucky observers with their graceful formations and mysterious trilling.
Dungeness Spit and Lighthouse
At 5.5 miles in length, the Dungeness Spit is the world's longest naturally occurring sandspit and home to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is a sanctuary for over 250 species of birds, 41 species of land mammals and eight species of water mammals. Its trails and picnic areas offer breathtaking views of the beaches, Dungeness harbor and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Bogachiel State Park
Bogachiel State Park is a thickly forested 123-acre camping park on the banks of the Bogachiel River. Remotely located on the tip of the Hoh Rainforest on the banks of the Bogachiel River, this thickly forested camping area abounds in lush vegetation.
Summer: 8 a.m. to dusk. Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk. The park is open year-round for camping and day use. Some campsites are closed in winter.
State Parks Information Phone: 360-902-8844 Web Site: www.parks.wa.gov
Hiking in the Hood Canal Region
Quilcene and Brinnon are nestled between the beautiful Hood Canal and the Hood Canal Ranger District of the Olympic National Forest. This unique location leaves endless opportunities for hiking and visiting viewpoints. One-hundred and ten miles of trails and viewpoints exist within the Hood Canal Ranger District of the Olympic National Forest and are accessible from the Quilcene/Brinnon area.
Ozette Wilderness Hike
Travelers will find the northwest entrance to Olympic National Park’s 57 miles of coastal wilderness at Lake Ozette.* (From Hwy 112 past Clallam Bay, turn southwest onto the Hoko-Ozette Road, follow 21 miles to the Ozette Ranger Station.) Three miles of plank-and-stair trail lead the hiker to Cape Alava, with rocky shores and reefs to explore at low tide. Cape Alava is near the site of an ancient Makah village partially buried in a mudslide over 500 years ago. Artifacts recovered from this site can be viewed at the Makah Museum in Neah Bay.
