Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Craig Romano/The Mountaineers Books Dungeness Spit
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula,
by Craig Romano.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. The Dungeness Spit was formed by wind and water currents that forced river silt and glacial till to arch into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Over the centuries the spit has grown to over 5 miles. You can hike all the way to the tip, where a lighthouse has been keeping guard since 1857. The extreme tip, however, like the Dungeness Bay side of the spit, is closed to public entry to protect important wildlife habitat. Because the spit is protected and managed as a wildlife refuge, many recreational activities are restricted. Please respect areas closed to public visitation. Try to do this hike during low tide for easier walking. Lying within the Olympic rain shadow, the spit receives less than 20 inches of rainfall annually, making it a great winter destination when surrounding areas are socked in. Pack your binoculars too, as the bird-watching is supreme. Over 250 species have been recorded on the spit and in Dungeness Bay, including many that are endangered or threatened. Marbled murrelets, harlequin ducks, and snowy plovers frequent the area. Follow the refuge trail 0.5 mile through cool maritime forest. Before descending to the beach, take in sweeping views of the spit from an overlook. Now drop 100 feet, emerging at the base of tall bluffs and at the start of the spit. It's a straightforward hike to the lighthouse. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen. If the 11-mile round trip seems daunting, any distance hiked along the spit will be rewarding. If you head south from the trail, you can wander for over a mile on oft-deserted beaches under golden bluffs. Mount Angeles hovering in the distance may very well lure you this way. No matter which way you venture, expect some of the best beach hiking around.
Driving Directions:
From Sequim head west on US 101 for 5 miles. (From Port Angeles drive east for 12 miles.) Turn right (north) at milepost 260 onto oddly named Kitchen-Dick Road. At 3.3 miles, Kitchen-Dick sharply turns right, becoming Lotzgesell Road. In another 0.25 mile, turn left on Voice of America Road (signed "Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Dungeness Recreation Area"). Proceed through the Clallam County park and campground, and in 1 mile come to the trailhead. Water and restrooms available. Recent Trip Reports
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Dungeness Spit
— Dec 06, 2011
— Mr. Pays-Bas
Day hike
Issues:
Water on trail | No water source
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Coming from The Low Countries and now hiking at the low levels of Washington, it was just great to be...
Coming from The Low Countries and now hiking at the low levels of Washington, it was just great to be at this part of the coast. Such a completely different setting: the gravel, the pebbles, the logs, the different forms of sea weeds.
The sky was overcast, the air was cold when I started the hike. Coming close to the lighthouse the sky opened up a little and there were some blue spots. Only for a short while, however. At the lighthouse I watched some Coast Guard crew working on replacing the vent on top of the tower, and was welcomed by some of the volunteers and learned about the lighthouse's history. After a while I set of and left Serenity to return to Reality.
Dungeness Spit
— Sep 04, 2011
— Steve & Eydie Vaschakas
Day hike
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Mountain goupies take note, this is a great 10 mile beach walk with picnic tables in a beatiful lawn and...
Mountain goupies take note, this is a great 10 mile beach walk with picnic tables in a beatiful lawn and a bathroom with running hot water at the lighthouse station ;) A nice change of pace if you wanat to do some sight seeing and take in a hike. See you back in the hills next hike!
Dungeness Spit
— Aug 14, 2011
— John P
Day hike
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The Dungeness Spit offered incredible weather as my wife and I embarked on a brisk hike at 8:30 am on...
The Dungeness Spit offered incredible weather as my wife and I embarked on a brisk hike at 8:30 am on Sunday the 14th. The temp was low 60's with little wind and only a slight marine haze. Wildlife abounded in several variety of sea birds. Two eagles perched on driftwood and eyed us walking past. Seals played and hunted in the water and a baby seal napped on the beach. Overall, the trip was rewarding as we toured the light house at the end of the spit while enjoying some snacks and water. The return walk back to the trailhead found many more human visitors enjoying the sun and mild weather on the beach.
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Our group of 11 from various parts of the Sound met at Star Lake P&R, 65th St. P&R, Hood Canal...
Our group of 11 from various parts of the Sound met at Star Lake P&R, 65th St. P&R, Hood Canal P&R and the trailhead. I was uncharacteristically accurate in my time estimates, and we about 10 minutes early at each stop. The weather forecast was not the best, but the Sequim rain shadow abided, and we were treated to some patches of blue sky.
The walk to and from the lighthouse was excellent as always. It's a bit too early for newts on the road walk to the beach, but a volunteer was there to ask us to avoid stepping on them just the same. I never really noticed the pitch from the "ridge" to the surf -- no wonder my hips are so after this trip! When we arrived at the lighthouse, a new set of residents had just arrived to take over tour guide duties. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and took lots of pictures. On the return leg, a subgroup of seven Superwomen formed -- they made it back to the road to the trailhead in under 2 hours -- about a 2.8 mph pace. Day hike
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The Sequim area had a recent small layer of snow making it quite picturesque. All roads to the trailhead...
The Sequim area had a recent small layer of snow making it quite picturesque. All roads to the trailhead were easily navigated. I left the trailhead at about 9:20 AM. There are a couple of lookouts near the trailhead on the wooded bluff above the beach. There are sweeping views of the spit, lighthouse and surrounding waterways below. The trail through the forest is about half a mile before the beach is reached. It is another 5 miles to the lighthouse. It was about 1 to 2 hours past high tide but the beach was accessible so I did not have to walk over the driftwood in the middle of the spit. I saw the first bald eagle before the half mile mark, sitting on a large pole. It flew off when I got close. I would see a few more later in the walk. I also saw several large ships go by as well as smaller watercraft. Weather conditions were fairly calm although it started to cloud in a bit more. I encountered no rain or snow during the entire walk. There are mile post markers along the spit. I saw what I believe were a few harlequin ducks and also a snowy plover. At around 3 miles the beach became more gravelly and a bit harder to walk on than the hard sand. This is also around the point where the lighthouse comes into view from the beach. I encountered no other hikers on the walk in but did meet 2 women who are caretakers at the lighthouse a little ways up from the lighthouse. They were combing the beach, picking up litter. It took me about 1 H 45 Min to make it to the lighthouse. There were 2 other women at the lighthouse who were the volunteer tour guides when I arrived. The lighthouse has a lot of artifacts and pictures from its history, which dates back to 1857. It's called the New Dungeness Lighthouse as it was rebuilt in 1927 and is now shorter than the original version. Wikipedia states:
Today, the lighthouse is manned weekly by society members who pay a fee to stay at the light. People are welcome to take the 5½ mile hike on the worlds longest sand-spit to reach the station. The society members are always excited to see new hikers and are more than happy to give you a tour of the station all the way to the lantern room. I can vouch for the above, I was given a tour and really enjoyed it. There is a museum in the lighthouse building, but the room that normally houses it was being remodeled. The artifacts and other history are still on-site. And they take you all the way up to the light beacon (unless you have a fear of heights!). Some nice views from up in the top of the lighthouse. Had lunch at picnic table on the grounds. There is also a short memorial loop trail that goes slightly beyond the lighthouse, although the extreme tip, like the Dungeness Bay side of the spit, is closed to public entry to protect important wildlife habitat. The tip has grown since the construction of the lighthouse at a rate of about 15 feet per year. I met 2 hikers on my way back. The tide was going out, exposing more sandy beach for walking. A golf cart sized vehicle passed me later on the way back with 2 men, I’m assuming, going out to be keepers of the lighthouse. There were no other folks encountered until I was heading back up the bluff. A great way to spend a winter’s day. Will have to come out in summer when weather is warmer. I would recommend this hike any time of the year. |
Dungeness Spit. Photo by Trekkers C & H.
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