Phnx51's October 2010

RainForest Country

When you visit the Rain Forest Country, you are surrounded by wonders of nature. Visit the  temperate Hoh Rain Forest (a World Heritage site), with its huge five hundred year old trees and Elk herds.   There are trails to walk through the forest all beginning near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center. FUrther south visit Lake Quinault Rain Forest and walk the trails. 

Port Angeles

Visit www.portangeles.org to find everything you need to know about Port Angeles.

Explore the Northwest Coast Hwy 112

Head to the most Northwestern tip of the continental US exploring Cape Flattery, walk along Hobuck Beach and visit the internationally-known Makah Museum.

Along Hwy 112 are the communities of Clallam Bay, Sekiu and Neah Bay with spectacular views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. Birders will delight in the variety of sea and migratory fowl found in this region, a list of sites and species is available by request or on-line.

Location

Northwest Coast Neah Bay, WA
United States
48° 21' 40.4532" N, 124° 39' 24.2568" W
See map: Google Maps

Salt Creek Recreation Area

With its stunning views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Victoria BC, Salt Creek Recreation Area is the perfect setting for exploration and discovery.  Salt Creek is home to some of the most exceptional tide pools in the Northwest.  Come during low tide and you'll see starfish, sea cucumbers, crabs, sea anemones, and urchins among the plentiful sea life on display.  Many of these tide pools are located at the Tongue Point Marine Life Sanctuary (which is underwater at high tide). 

Location

Salt Creek Recreation Area
Camp Hayden Road
Port Angeles, WA
United States
48° 8' 12.6744" N, 123° 40' 47.7732" W
See map: Google Maps

Breathe Mile-High Air at Hurricane Ridge!

Hurricane Ridge, 17 miles south of Port Angeles, in Olympic National Park, will make you feel like you're on top of the world. And, in fact, you are!  Hurricane Ridge is reached by taking Hwy 101 into Port Angeles.  Look for the Olympic National Park Visitor Center and Hurricane Ridge signs.  Turn south on Race Street, and taking a slight right curve on the Hurricane Ridge Parkway. From there you will see signs leading to the Park Entrance.

Location

Olympic National Park WA
United States
See map: Google Maps

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.

Location

Rialto Beach
United States
48° 13' 14.8224" N, 124° 7' 6.186" W
See map: Google Maps

Port Williams Beach Is a Hidden Gem

Port Williams is a great beach for families, lovers, birdwatchers, dog lovers and kayakers. Usually, overlooked, it is seldom busy except for the birds. Be sure to keep an eye out for an elk herd along the way.

Port Williams official name is Marlyn Nelson County Park at Port Williams. This 1-acre gem was deeded to the Clallam County Parks in 1976. The state owns tidelands to the north that link with 1,000 feet of County tidelands ending at the privately-owned Graysmarsh Farm property.

Location

Marlyn Nelson County Park at Port William
Port Williams Road
Sequim, WA
United States
48° 5' 51.1548" N, 123° 4' 31.08" W
See map: Google Maps

Kalaloch Beaches

Scenic ocean shores with easy access are found in the Kalaloch (pronounced clay-lock) area, 15 miles south of the Rain Forest Road on Hwy 101. Beach Trail 4 is a pebble beach with dramatic surf (beware of the strong undertow), tidal pools and is a popular place to dip for smelt (schools of small fish that spawn in the surf in warm, calm weather and can be caught with a large net). Picturesque Ruby Beach with a meandering creek, dramatic sea stacks, and drift logs is named for its sometimes garnet-colored sand. A gold mining operation was located here in the early 1900’s.

Location

Kalaloch Beaches
United States
47° 36' 16.92" N, 124° 22' 15.96" W
See map: Google Maps

Waterfalls and Scenic Walks on Hood Canal

Spend an hour, and afternoon or a week exploring our local treasured places. Clean air, clean water and spectacular scenery combine to create an unforgettable visit. Here are some of our favorite places:

Falls View Trail Waterfall in Quilcene, right off US Highway 101 (US Forest Service)

Rocky Brook Falls Waterfall in Brinnon, Dosewallips Road

Location

Rocky Brook Falls
3000 Dosewallips Rd
Brinnon, WA 98320
United States
47° 43' 32.7468" N, 123° 0' 17.2404" W
See map: Google Maps

Hoh Rain Forest

Among the only protected temperate rain forests in the Northern Hemisphere, the Hoh Rain Forest is a not-to-be-missed attraction on the West Side of the Olympic Peninsula. Moisture-laden air from the Pacific brings an average of 140 inches of annual rainfall to the Hoh Valley,(record of 190 inches) in addition to condensed mist that contributes another 30 inches. Nineteen miles inland from Hwy 101 you’ll find the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.

Location

Hoh Rainforest WA
United States
See map: Google Maps

The Olympic Peninsula Waterfall Trail

A Magical Misty Tour
A delightful way to explore the Olympic Peninsula, the Waterfall Trail offers year-round adventure and dramatic beauty. From the cliffs of Cape Flattery, to the glacial fjord of the Hood Canal to the Enchanted Valley of the Quinault Rainforest, waterfalls of all sizes and shapes abound! Some are easy walks on fores trails, others reached via paved, wheel-chair accessible paths, still more are in the backcountry of Olympic National Park. Two falls can only be reached by boat.

Location

Waterfalls WA
United States
47° 57' 38.1168" N, 123° 32' 58.0632" W
See map: Google Maps

Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway - Hwy 112

One of the nation's newest National Scenic Byways, it follows the shoreline of a glacial fjord that connects Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean, separating the Olympic Peninsula from Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This dramatic stretch of coastline with rugged cliffs and forests, reaches farther into the cold waters of the North Pacific than any other mainland point in the lower 48 states. Eagles, otters and gray whales are common sights, depending on the time of year.

Location

Highway 112 Scenic Byway Clallam Bay, Sekiu, Neah Bay
United States
48° 9' 38.9448" N, 123° 57' 14.1624" W
See map: Google Maps

Makah Cultural Center

The Makah Cultural and Research Center is world famous. Many of the items in the museum are from the "Ozette Dig," which yielded Makah artifacts from a village partially buried in a mudslide in the 1500s. The Ozette archeological collection is the largest pre-contact Northwest Coast Indian collection in the country. Whaling, sealing and fishing gear, basketry and replicas of a 60-foot cedar longhouse and oceangoing canoes are displayed. The center also houses the Makah language program, working to preserve and teach Makah language and culture.

1880 Bay View
Neah Bay, WA 98357

Location

Makah Cultural Center
1880 Bay View
Neah Bay, WA 98357
United States
48° 22' 3.0504" N, 124° 37' 21.6048" W
See map: Google Maps

Olympic Peninsula Native American People

The Olympic Peninsula is home to many tribes of native people, including the Quinault , Hoh, Quileute, Makah, Elwha Klallam and Jamestown S'Klallam. From culinary influence, native art, traditional song, dance and festivals, there are many ways to experience our wonderful native cultures.

Each Tribal community offers places and/or activities for respectful visitors.

The Makah Museum in Neah Bay is a world-class cultural center, with many objects of Makah art available in the gift shop. There are demonstrations of carving and basket making nearly every day.

Location

Olympic Peninsula WA
United States
See map: Google Maps