Dungeness Natl Wildlife Refuge, WA

Background

"Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located along the northern coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Clallam County, Washington. President Woodrow Wilson established the Refuge on January 20, 1915 by Executive Order as a refuge, preserve, and breeding ground for native birds. Eelgrass beds and tide flats teem with migrating shorebirds in spring and fall; flocks of waterfowl find food and rest in these protected waters during the winter; eel grass beds also provide a nursery for young salmon and steelhead. The Refuge currently consists of 636 acres, including a sand spit, second-class tidelands and bay, and a small forested upland area. Dungeness NWR boasts one of the world's longest natural sand spits, which softens the rough sea waves to form a quiet bay and harbor, gravel beaches, and tide flats. Dungeness Spit is one of only a few such geological formations in the world which was formed during the Vashon Glacial era ten to twenty thousand years ago."---taken from the official DNWR site.

August 2009

In August 2009 I visited the Olympic Peninsula and stayed in a home adjoining this refuge. The entire coastline in this area is protected and absolutely beautiful. At five miles Dungeness Spit is one of the longest natural spits in the world and certainly one of the most unspoiled. There is camping and picnicking nearby with ample parking. If you are planning to visit and hike bring your own water and snacks and definitely a camera. The entry cost for hiking to the beach is $3 per family or free if you have certain passes in your possession.

Activities

Hiking, picnicking, photography, and birdwatching are popular in the Refuge while camping is allowed in the adjoining Dungeness Recreation Area. No pets are allowed in the Refuge to avoid affecting the wildlife.

Images

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