Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Travel as far west and north as you can and still be in the lower 48 states and you’ll find a big land. Big mountains and ridges overlooking the world’s biggest ocean, which harbors some of the world’s biggest mammals. It’s all populated by big birds, huge trees, and big scenery.
Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is a big place with a big list of beautiful places to see. It’s a haven for culture and nature enthusiasts who crave big scenic vistas, deep rain forests, seashore strolls, backpacking challenges, excellent birding, and, well, lots of cool stuff. There’s even vestiges of the World War II days when coast watchers were deployed to scan the horizon in anticipation of an enemy invasion.
Decide on your sightseeing priorities before you go and plan accordingly.
Stay on the seashore in Sequim and you’ll enjoy beaches, salt marshes, a phenomenal view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the amazing Dungeness Spit and the crabs that share its name, the New Dungeness Light, and, when the weather cooperates, long views on the horizon of the Cascades including the snow-covered peaks of Mounts Rainier and Baker. If you’re lucky, you’ll be treated to sightings of the local herd of Roosevelt elk, known to cross the main road southeast of town. A slam dunk will be expansive looks at fields of lavender, so many that it’s known as the “Lavender Capital of North America.” Time your visit right and you can enjoy Sequim’s annual Lavender Weekend festival in mid-July.
Sequim, by the way, is pronounced “Skwim,” a heritage word derived from the Klallam indigenous term sx”c^k”iyen. Try saying that once, let alone three times quickly. But seriously, it’s roots like this that are such a big part of the aura you feel on the Olympic Peninsula. You relish the sense of the overwhelming grandeur of its nature, accented with the dignity and respectfulness imparted by those who have come before – long before – us. Tribal elders, who are keepers of Klallam language and traditions, tell us that word references the area’s rich abundance of wildlife, and its role as an important source of food. It’s not a new thing. Local archeology digs have produced evidence that hunters were there 14,000 years ago taking mastodons.
But the Olympic Peninsula is so much more than Sequim. It’s worth base-camping there for part of your visit, but many of the peninsula’s other features are several hours drive away and you’ll find yourself spending significant parts of your days simply driving to and from.
Sequim is east of the coastal range, which causes so much rain on the west side that there is a temperate rain forest, while the east is nearly desert-dry.
It’s a must to include some of the spectacular west-slope landmarks and enjoy huge redwoods, entire forests festooned in ferns and mosses, waterfalls and an unusual and picturesque shoreline of cliffs, offshore islands, ocean surf, and cobble beaches. Some of the must-consider destinations include Lake Crescent and nearby Marymere Falls, Ruby Beach, the Hoh Rain Forest, Hurricane Ridge, and Sol Duc Falls. See it all against a backdrop of the sea and the dramatic peaks of the coastal range.
Wildlife is plentiful throughout the region. Black-tailed deer, bald eagles, herons and egrets, and pelicans are expected. If you have time, add a whale watch to your schedule and be on the lookout for Puget Sound’s renowned orcas and humpbacks as well as porpoise, seals, puffins, auklets, murres, and more.
If you plan a visit, know that there are many great accommodations from full-service campgrounds, to cabins, lodges, motels and beach cottages. Check reviews carefully because there are also a number of less desirable accommodations that could detract from your enjoyment.
