Inquiring about Olympic Peninsula Lighthouses

Hello,

I'm starting to plan for our (almost) annual trip to San Juan Island in Washington State. Before we head to San Juan Island for a week of whale watching and relaxation, I'm thinking of spending a couple of days on the Olympic Peninsula to do some birding and lighthousing. It looks like we would be too rushed to see every lighthouse on the coast and would prefer to spend quality time at just a couple instead of rushing to get them all in. We'll probably see Point Wilson on the way to the ferry to Whidbey Island. It looks like New Dungeness and Cape Flattery are both full day trips.

Darlene & others who have visited these lights, do you have a recommendation? Can you get a good few of Cape Flattery from land? Have you walked or kayaked to the New Dungeness Lighthouse? Though I walk every day, I'm not into walking 12 - 14 miles...

Any advice will be appreciated.

Tammy

About the only way you will see Cape Flattery is by land. It is on an Indian Reservation. After signing in and obtaining a pass ( less than $10) you drive several more miles to the trail head. Then is is a 3/4 mile or so walk down the trail. Bad thing about the trail, as I recall, was sometimes slick surface and especially uneven steps. You do get a nice view from the end of the trail, and there are some observation platforms.

New Dungeness is a bit of a walk or kayak out. One of our members (I won't name names, but they live in Colorado) served as keepers for a week out there. There is also a nice restaurant in town that overlooks the light - had a great lunch there.

If you go back about 3 years, you should find some stories about these lights - the Brady's I were in the area in September 2002.

Here's a link to the start of the Brady\'s adventure . Don't think I ever posted my adventures for the PNW area since Paul had just posted their adventure.