Hurricane Hill
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We made our way to Dungeness Recreation Area, just outside Port Angeles. Port Angeles sits at the northern side of Olympic National Park. To avoid Seattle’s infamous traffic, we opted for the scenic ferry from Coupeville to Port Townsend. No gridlock, no honking, just sea breezes and a smooth ride.
View while waiting on ferry in Coupesville
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Dungeness is home to the longest natural sand spit in North America, stretching over five miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Lining the spit was a graveyard of driftwood, except this wasn't your average beach driftwood. These were full-on fallen trees, sun-bleached and massive. We headed to the spit not long after arriving, marveling at the views and experiencing some very gusty sea winds. At the very tip sits the historic Dungeness Lighthouse, which is open to visitors… if you’re willing to huff it 5.5 miles one way. We weren't. But we did catch a fiery sunset that evening.
The next day, we ventured into Olympic National Park and headed up to Hurricane Ridge. Rather than battle for a parking spot at the top, we played it smart: drive to Port Angeles and hop on the shuttle. Easy breezy. We hiked Cirque Rim first, a short loop trail offering panoramic views of alpine ridges. The fog over the distant water added some drama in the morning, giving it a mystical vibe. We saw a male deer being harassed by a relentless horsefly, violently shaking his head like he was in a rock concert.
Then we tackled Hurricane Hill, only 1.6 miles round trip, but we had to walk 1.5 miles up the road to get to the trailhead. The trail meanders along a paved path with a fairly steep elevation gain of 700 feet offering a serious calf burner. The wildflowers — lupine, paintbrush, and more — were in full bloom, adding bursts of color. By the afternoon, the fog curtain lifted, revealing the glittering blue of the strait stretching all the way to Canada.
At the summit of Hurricane Hill, we saw a few more deer. One doe crossed right in front of me, just five feet away. Another doe came by to show off her fawn. Under the tree cover, we were greeted by a flurry of pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches darting around. I kept my eye out and vigilantly scanned rocks for the elusive Olympic marmot who is found only in this park and nowhere else in the world. No luck.
On the way back down, we met a nice couple on their honeymoon. He studies memory, and she researches air quality. Very interesting and educational conversation on their subject matters, and definitely not your average small talk. They were kind enough to give us a ride back to the main parking area so we could catch our shuttle.
That wasn’t the only good conversation of the day. On the shuttle ride up, we talked with a friendly family of three. We ran into them again on the return shuttle (which runs hourly)... and then again at dinner, seated right next to us at Downriggers on the water. We capped an amazing day off with some delicious Dungeness Crab.
The next day, we ventured into Olympic National Park and headed up to Hurricane Ridge. Rather than battle for a parking spot at the top, we played it smart: drive to Port Angeles and hop on the shuttle. Easy breezy. We hiked Cirque Rim first, a short loop trail offering panoramic views of alpine ridges. The fog over the distant water added some drama in the morning, giving it a mystical vibe. We saw a male deer being harassed by a relentless horsefly, violently shaking his head like he was in a rock concert.
Then we tackled Hurricane Hill, only 1.6 miles round trip, but we had to walk 1.5 miles up the road to get to the trailhead. The trail meanders along a paved path with a fairly steep elevation gain of 700 feet offering a serious calf burner. The wildflowers — lupine, paintbrush, and more — were in full bloom, adding bursts of color. By the afternoon, the fog curtain lifted, revealing the glittering blue of the strait stretching all the way to Canada.
At the summit of Hurricane Hill, we saw a few more deer. One doe crossed right in front of me, just five feet away. Another doe came by to show off her fawn. Under the tree cover, we were greeted by a flurry of pine siskins and red-breasted nuthatches darting around. I kept my eye out and vigilantly scanned rocks for the elusive Olympic marmot who is found only in this park and nowhere else in the world. No luck.
On the way back down, we met a nice couple on their honeymoon. He studies memory, and she researches air quality. Very interesting and educational conversation on their subject matters, and definitely not your average small talk. They were kind enough to give us a ride back to the main parking area so we could catch our shuttle.
That wasn’t the only good conversation of the day. On the shuttle ride up, we talked with a friendly family of three. We ran into them again on the return shuttle (which runs hourly)... and then again at dinner, seated right next to us at Downriggers on the water. We capped an amazing day off with some delicious Dungeness Crab.