April/May Oh...The Places We Have Seen!
The Oregon Coast
April 18-20th, 2019
After leaving the beauty of Crater Lake, we retrieved the RV and made our way to the Timber Valley SKP in Sutherlin, OR where we spent our time doing many of the "chores" we had been postponing, i.e., cleaning, defrosting the refrigerator, laundry, grocery shopping, finding a place to get my hair cut, etc. We met several interesting members in this SKP, including a gentleman who had been a camp host in many of the National Parks. One memorable aspect of this park was the abundance of Tom turkeys and wild rabbits that freely roamed about.
April 21st - 26th, 2019
We left the Timber Valley on Easter Sunday morning. We continued to travel on the 101 along the coast in Oregon. Its Pacific coastline stretches for 363 miles. We had experienced many spectacular views along this route beginning in California, but the Oregon coastline was just as amazing. We stayed at the Jessie M. Honeyman State Park in Florence, OR for the night. This state park is a popular site for ATV enthusiasts since it is situated within a 47-mile stretch of dunes from Florence to Coos Bay. ATVs can drive directly onto the dunes from the H-Loop in the campground.
On Monday, we left Jessie Honeyman and continued a bit further north to South Beach State Park in Newport, OR where we stayed for five days.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
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| Our view driving to South Beach State Park |
South Beach Campground
A Walk to the Beach
On Monday we took a ride around town to familiarize ourselves with the area. Tuesday was a rainy day, but by Wednesday we were ready to do some exploring. Of course, we continued along the Oregon coastline where we saw amazing views and vistas. Our first stop was Boiler Bay, a rugged, basalt-rimmed bay which is touted to be a place to watch wild surf action on the rocky spurs. It is also a great spot to view migrating gray whales. Unfortunately, we did not see any. Boiler Bay got its name when an explosion sank the ship, the J. Marhoffer. At low tide, the ship's boiler can be seen, hence its name.
A stop at Schooner Bay in Lincoln City, OR afforded Dave the opportunity to take this interesting photo.
We continued to Beverly Beach where a walkway passed under the highway and emerged to a long expanse of sandy beach extending from Yaquina Head to the headlands of Otter Rock.
Beverly Beach
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| Otter Rock |
Our next stop was Bob Straub State Park in Pacific City, OR a 484-acre state park, named for former Oregon Governor Robert W. Straub. The park encompasses the Nestucca Sand Spit and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Nestucca River to the east. The Nestucca is legendary for 50-pound Chinook salmon, thus making this park popular with fishermen. Horseback riding is also allowed on this beach.
Bob Straub State Park
After leaving Bob Straub, we continued along the coast to Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area in Pacific City. This was one of the three Capes we planned to visit. It is also the home of the Pacific Dory Fleet. South of Cape Kiwanda is the dory fishing boat launching area. Boats are launched from and return to the beach. There are warning signs to beware of fast moving boats and high winds. Red and yellow sandstone cliffs are readily viewed from the beach as well as tide pools. If you're feeling energetic, you can climb the massive dune cliff.
Cape Kiwanda
Haystack Rock
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| Sand Dune |
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| Warning! |
"As beautiful as this area is, it is also a very dangerous one. Since 2009, seven people have died because they did not heed the warnings not to pass through the fences. Over the past several years, rangers have tried to educate the public about this area. It is its geology that makes it dangerous. Cape Kiwanda is composed of sandstone that is gradually being destroyed, piece by piece by ocean currents navigating around Haystack Rock. Tannish-orange towers, cliffs, caves and bowls are carved in bizarre shapes against the ocean, and the wind and waves are sculpting a landscape that will eventually become an island and someday disappear completely. There is a popular hiking trail that leads up the cape to the fence line and the warning signs, but because the fence sits a long way back from the tip of the cape, it creates the belief that the "hiker" is perfectly safe and can get a better view by stepping in front of the fence. However, the sandstone bluff is anything but stable. Cliffs give out without warning and waves rise quickly with devastating consequences."
After leaving Cape Kiwanda, we headed north toward Tierra del mar where we noticed several vehicles driving along the beach, so we decided to give Cherry (our Fit) a thrill and drive her on the beach for a bit. The sand was very hard-packed and not having a 4-wheel drive was no problem at all.
Cherry (and Dave) on the Beach
As we continued our drive north to Cape Lookout, we stopped at a viewing area which marked the Gammon Launch Site. After a bit of research, we found that Dick Gammon was a hang glider who launched from this site. The site faces north toward Netarts Bay with Cape Meares beyond. After launching, Mr. Gammon landed on the beach below the cliff where a state park was located. He was met by the authorities and was ticketed for having taken flight from this spot. Gammon petitioned the Tillamook county commissioners to allow hang gliding from this viewpoint. He was successful in his efforts and now Anderson's Viewpoint in Cape Lookout is a popular hang gliding spot. A stone plaque on the site honors Dick Gammon as a "Pioneer Hang Glider Pilot".
Cape Lookout
Hang Glider Enthusiast
It was in Oceanside that we caught our first glimpse of the Three Arches in the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge. The arches lie a mile offshore from the community of Oceanside. One of the Oregon coast's best-known landmarks, the refuge consists of three large and six smaller rocks totaling 15 acres. "The rocks provide habitat for Oregon's largest breeding colony of tufted puffins. It also supports the largest breeding colony of common murre south of Alaska and is the only pupping site on the north Oregon coast for the federally threatened Steller sea lion. In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Three Arch Rocks a National Wildlife Refuge. Today, it protects over a quarter million nesting seabirds and is a favorite haul-out site for marine mammals. It is the oldest National Wildlife Refuge west of the Mississippi River."
Three Arches
Cape Meares was the final cape in our Three Capes Scenic Route. According to the Oregon State Parks website, Cape Meares Scenic Viewpoint is situated on a headland over 200 feet above the ocean. Cape Meares provides an excellent view of the largest colony of nesting common murres. The site is one of the most populous colonies of nesting sea birds on the continent. Bald eagles are frequently seen in this area, and peregrine falcons also nest here. The park features an 1890s lighthouse which is no longer active. We walked down the trail to see the lighthouse but it and its gift shop had not yet opened for the season.
View from Lighthouse
Another unique attraction at Cape Meares was the Octopus Tree. According to the Friends of Cape Meares website; "The Octopus Tree is a massive Sitka spruce with branches growing like giant tentacles from its 50-foot base. It is situated approximately 600 feet from the scenic viewpoint. The tree's odd shape, according to local historians and Tillamook tribal descendants, comes not from the ravages of wind, but from its function as a ceremonial site, shaped to hold cedar canoes and other ritual objects. One of the many sacred evergreens on the North Coast, the Octopus Tree was specially venerated. Typical of such specially chosen trees, the branches of this spruce were forced downward toward a horizontal position when they were still flexible, finally extending about 16 feet from the base. When allowed to resume vertical growth, each branch reached skyward to more than 100 feet, creating the distinctive shape."
Before returning to South Beach State Park, Dave visited the Tillamook Air Museum. The museum is housed in a former US Navy blimp hangar, called "Hangar B". It is the largest clear-span wooden structure in the world. Its length is 1072 feet; height, 192 feet (over 15 stories); width, 296 feet; doors, 120 feet high, ( 6 sections each weighing 30 tons. 220-foot wide opening sections roll on railroad tracks); area, over 7 acres--you could play 6 football games at once; catwalks, 2 catwalks, each 137 feet above the hangar deck. The aircraft collections in this museum include a F-14 Tomcat, A-7 Corsair II, Lear Jet 24, 1940 Fairchild GK-1, Bell Helicopter, Cessna 180, and many, many more.
Our tour of the area continued on the 26th when we visited the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. According to its website, "Yaquina Head ONA extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is Oregon's tallest lighthouse, standing 93 ft. tall. It has been operating since 1873. Abundant wildlife such as whales, harbor seals and seabirds, especially murres, can be viewed from many vantage points around the 100-acre site."
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| View from lighthouse |
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| Murres in Water |
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| Harbor Seal Nursing Her Pup |
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| Look at those teeth! |
April 27th-May 12th, 2019
On Saturday, we left South Beach State Park. As we made our way to Corvallis, OR to meet our nephew JP for lunch, we couldn't resist taking a photo of this sign.
We met JP at the stadium on the Oregon State campus and he gave us a tour of the campus and the downtown area. JP is working on his doctorate and will complete his studies in March of next year. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Taco Vino. It was a great visit, but ended all too soon as we needed to continue up the coast to our next campground, Silver Falls State Park.
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| LUNCH! YUM! |
On Sunday morning, we were up bright and early to begin our Trail of Ten Falls hike. This is a spectacular, nationally recognized hiking trail that passes a series of breathtaking waterfalls along a rocky canyon and descends to a winding creek at the forest floor. Three of the falls; South Falls, Lower South Falls, and Middle North Falls, have paths that pass behind the falls providing an amazing visual and auditory experience. The hike is approximately 8.7 miles with a 600 ft. change in elevation. As far as I was concerned, it felt like 20 miles with a 2000 ft. gain.....but that's what happens when you're old! We completed the whole loop and did it in about five hours. Here are photos of all of the falls we saw.
Trail of Ten Falls
Silver Falls State Park
South Falls
177 Ft.
(From the top)
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| Behind South Falls |
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| Bottom of South Falls |
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| Gail under hanging moss |
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| Dripping Moss |
Lower North Falls
Double Falls
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| Sunlight illuminating the moss |
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| D & G at Double Falls |
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| Multi-directional Sign |
Winter Falls
Along the Trail
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| Water Running Over Moss |
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| Tree Blocking Trail |
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| Section of Tree in Trail |
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| Water Along the Trail |
Birds Along the Trail
After completing the Trail of 10 Waterfalls, we returned to the South Falls Lodge. It was quite an impressive structure.
Exterior Views of Lodge
Interior of Lodge
After leaving the lodge, we drove to Silverton where we toured the Gordon House which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is the only building in Oregon designed by Wright and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an example of Wright's Usonian vision for America and is one of the last of the series that Wright designed as affordable housing for the American working class consumer, which in 1939 was considered to have an annual income of $5000-$6000. The house was designed for Evelyn and Conrad Gordon in 1957 and was finished in 1963, four years after Wright's death. It was originally located near Wilsonville, OR. After Evelyn Gordon's death in 1997, the house was sold to David and Carey Smith, who wanted to tear it down to make room for a larger, more contemporary structure. The Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy became involved in attempts to preserve the historic house, and in early 2001, they obtained a three-month reprieve to dismantle it, and move it to the Oregon Garden, about 21 miles from its original location. The house was moved in four large pieces, with the upper floor, containing two bedrooms and one bath, moved as a single unit. A new foundation replicating the original was constructed and the house opened one year later as the only publicly accessible Frank Lloyd Wright home in the Pacific Northwest.
Exterior of the Gordon House
Interior of the Gordon House
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| Entrance Way |
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| Fireplace |
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| Windows |
Kitchen in the Gordon House
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| Evelyn Gordon's Loom |
By the time we returned to our campsite, we had walked over ten miles (20,000+ steps!) for the day. We poured a much needed glass of wine and relaxed in front of the fire.
On Monday, we left Silver Falls and proceeded to Mount Hood. Our campground, Spring Drive RV Campground was about 25 miles from Mt. Hood. When we arrived, we quickly realized that we were the only campers on site. We had reserved a site, but it was not the best, so we chose another. We figured a ranger or a campground host would stop by sooner or later. After getting settled with the RV we drove back to Mt. Hood. We planned to drive to Lake Trillium. We had heard this is the place where we could get the best view of Mt. Hood, elevation 11,245 ft. When we arrived at the turn-off to the lake, we discovered that the area was still closed due to snow. Dave spoke with the camp host and learned that the area was not scheduled to open for a week or so. We could have hiked to the lake, but we were not prepared with our gear. The host suggested we drive to the Timberline Ski area. We took him up in his suggestion and were definitely glad that we did. The land and historic lodge are owned by the US Forest Service, but the ski area has been family-operated since May of 1955. Timberline Lodge was constructed in 1937 and stands on the south slope of Mt. Hood at an elevation of 6000 feet. The lodge was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977. We were told that skiing here often occurs throughout the year.
Mt. Hood
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| Mt. Hood from Rt. 216 |
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| Mt. Hood behind the Timberline Lodge |
Timberline Lodge
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| Snow Cat at Timberline Lodge |
We left the Mt. Hood area on Wednesday, the first of May. Our first order of business was to find an RV service/repair shop. It seems the dead bolt to our door had broken and we were "locked" inside the RV. Luckily, the rig is a Class C model and we had access in and out through the cab. Not the best situation, but at least we didn't have to break anything to get out. Our third stop was successful. Funtime RV was just outside of Portland, OR and they had the part in stock. After a couple of hours, we were on our way once again.
Our destination was Wyeth Campground located in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area. It was the first day the campground was going to be open for the season. When we arrived, the entrance was blocked by workers cutting down trees and branches. We were directed to ignore the one-way signs. As we were going through the narrow road (in the wrong direction) to find a site, we heard a loud bang. The curbing was very rough and sharp and as we rounded a narrow corner, the right back tire hit the curb and blew! We parked the Fit, got in the RV and brought it to a tire place in Hood River. They put on our spare and ordered a new tire for us. We hoped the tire would be in by Friday so we could leave according to our schedule. May Day proved to be an expensive day for us, but as Dave always says, "Just think of the stories we have to tell!"
On Friday we set out to explore a bit of the scenic area. The Columbia River Gorge is a canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Up to 4000 feet deep, the canyon stretches for over 80 miles as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range forming the boundary between the states of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area was established in 1986. It protects nearly 293,000 acres of trails, forest, waterfalls, parks and historical sites within the river canyon.
We chose to take a drive on part of Historic Route 30. We began by stopping at the Mitchell Overlook off Rt. 84. It was extremely windy on the overlook which was above the highway. However, we had a good view of the Columbia River and if you looked up you could see where the old highway once stretched along the sheer basalt cliff and through the Mitchell Point Tunnel. This segment is the final stretch of the old highway remaining to be restored. Fundraising efforts are underway, but it will probably be some time before this is completed.
Views From the Mitchell Overlook
We continued along Rt. 84 until we reached Mosier where we began to follow the "old highway"-historic Rt. 30 towards Rowena Crest where there is a popular viewpoint and two trails that lead through the Tom McCall Nature Preserve. The winding drive took us through gorgeous farmlands and orchards. The road to Rowena Crest is one of the most photographed roads in Oregon due to its horseshoe shape. From the viewpoint we could see sweeping views of the surrounding hills, cliffs, and the gorge below. Once again we were lucky enough to witness a spring wildflower bloom. The Preserve and the Crest were bursting with yellow balsamroot and purple lupine flowers.
The Drive to Rowena Crest
Views from the Crest
Wildflower Bloom
This Ford was parked at the Tom McCall Preserve.
On our way back to Wyeth, we stopped in Hood River, changed out the tire, got fuel and propane and returned to our campsite for dinner and a relaxing night by the fire.
Campsite at Cape Disappointment
Saturday we headed back to the coast. We arrived at Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington in the early afternoon. Cape Disappointment got its name in 1788 when English Captain John Meares could not locate the entrance to the river. Meares, therefore, named the headland Cape Disappointment. It is a 1882-acre park on the Long Beach Peninsula, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. There is dramatic scenery from atop steep cliffs as well as long stretches of sandy beaches and wind-blown forests. The crashing of waves could be heard at our campsite even though we couldn't see the beach. We were a little concerned when we pulled into our site because we saw several tables set up in the next site leading us to believe there was a large group camping there. We didn't see anyone so we took a walk to the beach.
The Beach at Cape Disappointment
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| Same shot....notice the man fishing at the top of the cliff. |
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| Lots of Driftwood! |
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| "Octo" Driftwood |
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| More Driftwood |
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| View of North Head Lighthouse from the Beach |
As we walked along the beach we met a young man who was prospecting for gold. It looked like a complicated process to me involving a wheel barrow, car batteries, buckets and lots of wet sand and salt water. We asked what his success rate was and he told us he's collected 11 grams which was enough to pay for his gas. Let's hope he doesn't quit his day job. Unfortunately, we did not take any photos of his setup.
After our beach walk we went to see the North Head Lighthouse. This is usually an operating lighthouse, but it is currently closed due to restorations until June 2019. However, we were able to walk around the grounds.
North Head Light House
Cape Disappointment
Views from the North Head Lighthouse
When we returned to our campsite we saw the BIG YELLOW BUS! We had been right. The site next to us was being used as the meal site for a group of middle school band members from Wishkah Valley School District. As a matter of fact, all the sites around us, except for ours and one yurt were occupied by these middle schoolers, their families and their chaperones. The kids had been in a parade in Ilwaco earlier in the day. We had had to detour through that town on our way to Cape Disappointment because of that parade. They were typical middle schoolers who were just having fun. We did speak to their band leader and asked that the kids not ride their bikes or run through our campsite. For the most part that worked, but when their dinner was served, about 8:00 pm, some of the adults were worse than the kids. They saw nothing wrong with cutting through our site so close to the RV that we could have opened our door and knocked them over! Oh, well, it was all over by 9:20 pm. They were marching in a bigger parade the next day in Long Point, so we guessed it was early to bed for them.
On Sunday, we stopped at the small store/cafe to make use of its wifi. After catching up on texts and emails, we drove to parking lot for our hike to the other lighthouse in the park, Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. This is also an active lighthouse, but it is currently in operation although it looked as if it, too, needs some restoration.
Cape Disappointment Lighthouse
Views from the Lighthouse
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| Entrance to the Columbia River |
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| Fishing off the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse |
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| View of Cove from Cape Disappointment Lighthouse |
As we walked back down the trail from the lighthouse, we saw a rather steep trail down to the cove pictured above. Dave walked to the beach while I sat on a log about halfway down....too steep for these knees.
The Cove
Dave spent the afternoon washing the vehicles, waxing the Fit, and keeping the campfire going. We did take a quick look at one of the Yurts. It was quite roomy and seemed to be a good alternative to sleeping on the ground in a tent. The band kids had departed so we had a quiet afternoon.
On Monday morning we once again set off for another National Park. This time our destination was Olympic National Park, located on the Olympic Peninsula. The park has four regions: The Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest, and the forests of the drier east side. Within the park there are three distinct ecosystems--rugged glacier-capped mountains, more than 70 miles of wild Pacific coast and magnificent stands of old-growth trees and temperate rainforest. 95% of the park has been designated as the Olympic Wilderness. No roads traverse the 1-million-acre park. Therefore, we decided to begin our exploration on the west side of the park. We chose Kalaloch (pronounced clay-luck) Campground. This campground is 30 miles south of Forks, WA. Many of the sites are perched on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We were lucky enough to find one of these sites.
Kalaloch Campground
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| At Last from the Road |
At Last from the Beach
Views from the campsite
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| Enjoying the view |
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| Awesome Sunsets! |
On Tuesday, we began our day with a stop at Beach No. 1 a few miles south of our campground. The trail to the beach tunnels through Sitka spruce, and ends at the rim of a 100-foot-high cliff with views of the beach. There is a path down to the beach, but we chose to take a walk through the Spruce Burl Trail instead.
View of the Beach from the Cliff
Many of the trees sported huge burl knots. Although, the formation of burls on trees cannot always be explained, it is thought that some kind of stress such as bacteria, fungi, insects or environmental stress causes them.
The Trail
Our next stop, about 9 miles north, was at Ruby Beach, considered to be one of the crown jewels of Olympic National Park. We were awed by its stunning beauty. It is a dramatic Pacific coast beach with a rugged shoreline. It is said to be the most beautiful beach on the West coast and we agree. The trail down to the beach is somewhat steep and it ends in a huge pile of large driftwood that one must cross to get to the actual beach where you will find sea stacks being pounded by waves, shorebirds skittering around the edges of tide pools which teem with sea stars, sea urchins, mussels, and hermit crabs. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear because Ruby Beach is rocky, not sandy.
Driftwood
Views of the Water
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| Rocky Beach |
Our view on the way to the Hoh Rain Forest
Our next stop was the Hoh Rain Forest. It is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the US. Rain averages 140 inches annually, or 12 to 14 feet of rain a year.
Even during the fairly dry summer months, the valleys trap moist fog. The result is a lush, green canopy of both coniferous and deciduous species. Mosses and ferns that blanket the surfaces add another dimension to the enchantment of the rainforest. According to literature distributed by the NPS, large, old trees such as Sitka spruce and western hemlock take center stage, some reaching over 200 feet tall and living over 500 years. The plot thickens when powerful winter storms bring down large, shallow-rooted trees each year. Death now sets the stage for life. Dead wood plays a key role. Coastal temperate rain forests in North America produce the largest accumulation of organic matter on the planet, surpassing even the tropical rain forest. Nurselogs open the next phase of life. Mosses and seedlings colonize downed trees. Ninety-six percent of all spruce and hemlock seeds get their "big break" when they land and germinate on a nurselog. Competition is intense; only one seedling in ten thousand will survive to take its turn center stage. Epiphytes, "plants that grow upon plants", use tree limbs as props and do not harm the trees. More than 130 species of mosses, lichens, liverworts, and ferns costume the trees, adding to the forest's character.
We decided to experience the Hoh Rain Forest by hiking the Hall of Mosses Trail. Once again we were not disappointed.
The Hike
As we walked throughout the trail we saw a deer relaxing among the trees. He was even lying down.
At the end of the trail, we also saw an elk enjoying his lunch. We were very excited because this was a male elk, with horns. We had seen many elk in the Grand Canyon, but none with a "rack".
The Poetry Walk is a partnership of the NPS and the Friends of the Port Angeles Library. Throughout the Hall of Mosses Trail, several poems are displayed reflecting the environment in which hikers find themselves. It is and interesting project.
On our way back to Kalaloch, we traveled north for 12 miles to the town of Forks. We stopped at the visitor center where we learned that Forks had been one of the settings for the filming of the Twilight movie series. Forks is also home to the Timber Museum which celebrates Forks' logging heritage. We saw many logging trucks and many parts of the forests that had already been "logged". Forks is also centrally located with easy access to the Hoh Rain Forest, Sol Duc Valley, Lake Crescent, Kalaloch and much more. Fishing is also a popular activity. Forks also had a grocery store where we were able to re-provision.
On Wednesday, I drove back to Forks to do some much needed laundry. Dave stayed in the campground and continued to explore. He walked the trail to the beach from the parking lot and found the Tree of Life, also known as the Tree Root Cave. According to the Kalaloch Lodge brochure: "This large tree continues to live even though its roots have no where to travel. Erosion, having taken away its life supply has not stopped the tree from thriving on the coast. The tree top remains green. Some people call it magical. Some call it a freak of nature since this tree goes against all the rules of science and biology. It shouldn't be standing. It shouldn't be alive. And yet, it is! At Kalaloch, they just call it one more reason to visit."
Tree Root Cave
or
The Tree of Life
We left our awesome campsite in Kalaloch on Thursday morning. We stopped in Forks to check texts and emails and to do some future planning regarding campsites. We left around 11:00 to make our way toward Port Angeles and eventually, Chimicum, WA. We had decided to stay at this SKP-Evergreen Co-op for a week and continue to do our travels from there. We still had the east side of Olympic National Park to experience. We decided to make a little detour to Cape Flattery, the most northwestern point of the contiguous United States on the Olympic Peninsula. We traveled along the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway (Washington State Route 112) to Neah Bay, the home of the Makah tribe. This scenic drive is winding with many blind curves and weather-related hazards and sometimes very little or no shoulder. It is a very busy road, used by commercial vehicles, including busses and logging trucks. It has amazing views of the Strait and the Canadian mountains. We stopped at Washburn's to purchase our recreation permit for parking at Cape Flattery as the Makah Indian Nation manages Cape Flattery.
Washburn's
When we arrived at the lot, Dave parked the RV and Cherry, and we made our way to the top of the trailhead.
We headed down a gravel trail to open forest. The trail then narrowed down to a boardwalk which then transitioned to a rooty tread. It eventually returned to a boardwalk. As we approached the point, there were three different viewing areas to see the scenery from all sides.
Views at the End of the Trail
The final viewing platform allowed for the most dramatic views. It was a raised deck that was accessed by a steep, but short ladder. Once on the platform, Tatoosh Island and the Cape Flattery Lighthouse were right in front of us.
To the north, we saw the rocks of Cape Flattery reef and to the south, the Kessiso Rocks. While on the platform, we were lucky enough to see a grey whale, but not lucky enough to document it with a photo. The round-trip hike was 1.5 miles. The return trip was uphill, but having been rewarded with the views we had seen made it all worthwhile.
We made our way down the Olympic Peninsula once again on the Juan de Fuca Highway until we reached the 101. We arrived at the Evergreen SKP around 7:00. We will be here until next Saturday. I will document our travels this week in our next post. We plan to explore the east side of Olympic NP and to take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC. Stay tuned. We are still traveling.......
Happy Mother's Day to all!
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