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Trip Report

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge - Dungeness Spit — Saturday, May. 11, 2024

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
Lighthouse is just under Mount Baker

Nice leg stretcher after getting chased by animals at the Olympic Animal Farm in the morning!  Parked at the trailhead and headed out past the information kiosk where our America the Beautiful Senior pass let us through. The first 0.4 miles is paved through a leafy forest or you can take the “primitive” trail, which is a normal forest trail that is a bit longer but much less crowded. On arriving to the beach, there were many families playing along the shore and in the water. It took us 1 hour 40 minutes to get to the lighthouse, seeing sea birds along the way. Apparently there were seal sightings but we did not see them. At the lighthouse, we took the tour with the light house keepers heading up the spiral steps and a short ladder at the end. 

   The lighthouse itself is automated but we found out that the keepers are volunteers who sign up for a week at a time and stay at the little house next to the lighthouse. We may come back another date as volunteers! 

   Hurried back since the tide was coming in and we had dinner reservations in town. Gorgeous views of the Olympics and Mount Baker!  Made up for the bison, elk and llama slobber all over the car windows from the morning drive!!

Lighthouse
The lighthouse was originally at the end of the spit. Another half mile of spit have been added since the lighthouse was built
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