Located in the northwesternmost portion of the continental United States, much of the Pacific Coast of Washington epitomizes wild and scenic nature in its most pristine form, stretching roughly 240 miles around the Strait of Juan de Fuca down the coast to the mouth of the Columbia River.
The coastline encompasses 40 miles of completely raw and undeveloped wilderness that is only accessible by hiking within Olympic National Park, three Native American reservations, countless islands and stack formations inhabited by protected wildlife, dense conifer old-growth forests, some of the most productive salmon estuaries and habitat, one of the southernmost snowy owl nesting areas, incredible tidal beaches for discovering shellfish, the longest continuous beach in the world (stretching 28 miles), six lighthouses, a World War II fortresses, and the state's oldest accommodation, the Tokeland Hotel. And all of it is best discovered by foot.
We've assembled a list the 16 best hikes to get yourself immersed in the best of what Washington has to offer. These hikes vary in length from a light stroll to a multi-day 21-mile backpacking excursion. Unlike the snow-covered trails of the Cascades, all of these hikes are accessible year round, and some are even best explored during the winter months.
Comments
We (I am not allowed out unsupervised) have done eleven of the sixteen--Cape Flattery twice.
Great web site; I look forward to exploring it more.
John Morelock
www.rungentlyoutthere.com
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