After exploring the lush rainforests of Olympic National Park in the state of Washington, Dave and I made our way to the northwestern-most tip of the continental United States. We stayed in the small town of Sekiu, where the lone grocery store–a HessMart, was surprisingly well-stocked for a convenience store. Our campsite sat on a property with two cabins and a few RV sites with direct views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the rugged coastal peaks of Vancouver across the water. And for Murphy—just a short walk to the beach. Of course, he got his swim in and daily walks navigating around the large driftwood logs on the beach.
The northwestern tip itself lies within the Makah Reservation in Neah Bay, Washington, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The best part? A dog friendly trail winds right out to the point, walking on many boardwalks along the way. The three of us enjoyed a beautiful hike, and to our luck, the skies were clear. Just half of a mile offshore from the point sits Tatoosh Island–once a summer village of the Makah tribe, who own the island. A lighthouse, built in 1857 by the U.S. government to guide mariners from the Pacific into the strait, still stands on the island. Though automated since 1977, it continues to serve as a beacon for ships today.
On our way out of town, we stopped by the highly recommended Bigginz food truck for halibut n fish chips. Oh my…so very good. And, as much as Dave and I enjoyed the halibut, the French fries were some of the best I have ever eaten. Sorry Murphy, not as many for you!
Next up, it was time to finish our exploration of Olympic National Park. One could probably spend an entire summer exploring the Olympic Peninsula. We set off from Sekiu and traveled just a short distance to Fairholme Campground on the shores of Lake Crescent, a glacier-made lake in the national park. More water for Murphy! Our first sunrise provided the perfect backdrop of the sun rising above the lake, while Murphy swam out for his stick. Sadly, we watched his stick be driven by winds out to the middle of the lake, as it seemed, only two swims in the cool lake water were all he was interested in.
As mentioned in the prior blog, the Olympic Peninsula has such as diverse landscape. From the rugged Pacific beaches, temperate rainforests, glacier-made lakes, towering Olympic mountains and beautiful waterfalls. For our last two days, we hiked to two waterfalls and took a drive up to Hurricane Ridge for a view of the Olympic mountains. We were rewarded with a clear sky on the ridge.
Our next destination is North Cascades National Park. Our travel route includes taking a ferry out of Port Townsend to avoid a longer drive down and around Seattle. During our short stay in Port Townsend, we stayed at Fort Warden State Park which was a U.S. Army base from 1902 to 1953, providing coastal defense for the Puget Sound and the naval base at Bremerton. Many of the buildings are still standing and you can walk around the artillery units. The park has 12 miles of trails which Murphy and I enjoyed on our sunrise walks,
One of Dave’s old bosses (thank you Jack!) suggested we visit the town of Poulsbo while staying in Port Townsend, just an hour’s drive away. The charming little town sits on Liberty Bay off Puget Sound. Poulsbo was founded by Norwegian settlers in the 1880s. Today, it’s affectionately known as “Little Norway” and maintains Scandanavian architecture throughout the downtown area.
As luck would have it, our visit just happened to fall on my birthday—and Poulsbo just happened to have the perfect place for me and my love of sweets–a family-owned bakery where everything is made from scratch. I didn’t stand a chance! The line was out the door (always a good sign), and by the time the clerk was ready to ring me up, I had far more than we needed: freshly baked cinnamon bread, cheese rolls, a Viking Cup filled with cream cheese, a cinnamon roll, two bear claws, two donuts, and even a chocolate chip cookie. Thankfully, the RV freezer still had some space!
I found Dave and Murphy sitting on a bench near the bakery. Dave tackled the “Chocolate Raised Viking” donut, but he could only eat half. It was huge! I decided to try the Viking cup, which was loaded cinnamon and cream cheese. It was a 10 out of 10. Better than any cinnamon roll I had on our Alaskan adventure. We enjoyed walking around the small downtown area and had a nice picnic lunch of locally smoked cheeses and salmon at their waterfront park.
We ended the day at a nice dog-friendly waterfront restaurant in Port Townsend, which was located near the ferry terminal. It was fun watching the ferries come and go, knowing we would be on one tomorrow. The food was delicious. Fresh Halibut for me and a very reasonably priced, perfectly cooked rib eye for Dave (he could only eat half of it!). Since it was my birthday, I first celebrated with a Key Lime Martini and then a Chocolate Martini for dessert– which paired well with Dave’s decadent chocolate torte.
Keep an eye out for the next blog on North Cascades National Park. Chad (aka ChatGPT) has already laid out our itinerary. We can’t wait!
I think I gained 10 lbs visiting Poulsbo Brenda, Its all southeast from here Dave, so long beaches, I’ll miss you Murphy.
Happy Belated Birthday Brenda!!
Clearly, you celebrated in style!!
Busy life here with visiting relatives one week and painters the next. I finally caught up with
your outstanding trip through the Northwest. Such beauty and serenity! Stay safe.
Loved every gorgeous view, Reta