Olympic Peninsula
NAVIGATE TO
Olympic Peninsula to the Pacific
The far northwestern point in the continental U.S. is within an easy day’s drive from Hansville, as well as Olympic National Park, spectacular beaches and amazing coastal scenery.
The Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula lies across Puget Sound from Seattle, and contains Olympic National Park. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Hood Canal. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous United States, and Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point, are on the peninsula.
Olympic Discovery Trail
From Port Townsend to the Pacific Ocean, the 130-mile Olympic Discovery Trail offers a year-round route for adventurers who want to experience the North Olympic Peninsula on bike, horseback or foot. More than half the trail is dedicated to non-motorized use.
Dosewallips State Park
A 425-acre, year-round camping park with both saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal and freshwater shoreline on the Dosewallips River. The park offers several breath-taking views of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains.
Shine Tidelands State Park
A 13-acre seasonal day-use park. At high tide, there is little beach available to the visitor. Shellfishing, kayaking and windsurfing are popular on the tidelands and beach.
Chimacum Valley View Forest
65-acres of working forest, known as the Valley View Forest, open to the public. Less than two miles south of Chimacum Corner, this working forest greatly benefits the surrounding community.
Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary
A 150 foot high monolith rising above the trees with a panoramic view of Chimacum Valley from the top. An ancient sacred ceremonial and gathering site for the Chimacum people, now part of the Port Gamble S’Klallam and Skokomish tribes. Its hiking trails are open to the public.
Marrowstone Island
About 15 miles from Port Townsend near Port Hadlock, this sparsely populated island is an ideal destination for a day trip or weekend getaway. Attractions include sweeping vistas of Puget Sound, locally sourced farm produce, wineries, and Fort Flagler State Park.
Fort Flagler State Park
The most popular attraction on Marrowstone is Fort Flagler Historical State Park. where visitors enjoy hiking, boating, kite-flying, beach combing, fishing, crabbing or clam digging.
Port Townsend
Port Townsend is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County. In addition to its natural scenery at the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, the city is known for the many Victorian buildings remaining from its late 19th-century heyday, numerous annual cultural events, and as a maritime center for independent boatbuilders and related industries and crafts.
Fort Worden Historical State Park
Fort Worden Historical State Park is a 432-acre multi-use park with more than 2 miles of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities, including a full-service conference center that can be booked for daylong or multi-day events.
Point Wilson Lighthouse
The lighthouse, marking the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, was built in 1914. At 51 feet above the water, the lens is the highest of all the lighthouses on Puget Sound. The lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Washington State Heritage Register.
Dungeness Spit & Lighthouse
A natural sand spit that is home to a wildlife refuge for hundreds of species of birds and mammals. Trails and picnic areas offer breathtaking views of the beaches, Dungeness harbor and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Dungeness Lighthouse sits near the spit’s end.
Port Angeles
Established in the 19th century, Port Angeles is the gateway to a million acres of Olympic National Park, including one of its most popular destinations, Hurricane Ridge.
Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway
One of the most scenic drives in the Pacific Northwest, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway follows 61 miles of Olympic Peninsula coast highway (WA-112) between Joyce and Neah Bay.
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park offers a vast and diverse landscape that attracts visitors and adventurers from around the globe. It’s a natural playground of glacier-carved lakes, waterfalls, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, and dozens of campgrounds and scenic vistas.
Salt Creek Recreation Area
This spectacular and popular coastal destination offers diving, surfing, hiking, tide pooling and camping as well as abundant wildlife, including marine mammals and whales.
Cape Flattery
The far northwestern most point in the contiguous US, the lookout at Cape Flattery is reached by a brief and easy hike. From the viewing platform at the end of the trail, you can view Tatoosh Island with its lonely lighthouse. Observation decks on the trail provide spectacular views of the rugged rocks, birds, and waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Shi Shi Beach
Famous the world over, the Shi Shi Beach trail consists of a great mix of rainforest hiking and beach walking. At 4 miles from trailhead to beach, this is an easy day hike. For longer hikes, it's also possible to continue south and hook up with the Ozette Loop hike or on to Hole in the Wall at Rialto Beach.
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent lies about 18 miles west of Port Angeles) on the route between Port Angeles and Forks. The pristine waters of this deep, glacially carved lake make it an ideal destination for those in search of natural beauty.
Lake Ozette
The Ozette area offers a wide range of activities for visitors, including the highlight of hiking along the coast. Two three-mile boardwalk trails lead to the coast where seals and gray whales can be spotted during migratory months. There are longer coastal hiking trails as well, including the Ozette Loop.