Soak up the setting sunlight illuminating
the tide flats at Dosewallips State Park.
Washington is a state of diverse landscapes, from deserts and prairies to forests and mountains and breathtaking coastal lands – including Puget Sound.
Even among the dozens of awe-inspiring state parks around the great state of Washington, Dosewallips State Park is a standout. Right off scenic Highway 101 on the western shore of Hood Canal, Dosewallips is the perfect blend of Olympic Peninsula forest and the Puget Sound’s fjord-like coast. There’s so much to do here that you may need several visits to try it all. Before you go, here are a few adventure ”musts” at Dosewallips State Park.
Fishing
Let’s face it, Washington’s coast means great seafood! Now is the time to drop your craft in at the boat launch and cruise out for a day of fishing for chum salmon. Then take your catch back in for some dinner and a pleasant evening of cooking and chatting by the fire.
Kayaking or canoeing
Go for a paddle! It’s the ideal way to enjoy the Hood Canal. With summer behind us, the waters – which flow in from the Pacific Ocean and change with the tide – are colder now, so be prepared with a wetsuit and always wear a life jacket. New to paddling? Hood Canal is mostly land-locked, meaning its waters are fairly calm compared to ocean waters. Bonus: There are plenty of outfitters on the peninsula that rent canoes and kayaks and offer lessons and/or guided excursions. And when warmer days return, consider a new adventure on the canal – stand-up paddle boarding!
Nearby Attractions
Explore the Olympic Peninsula! Dosewallips State Park makes a great base camp for day-tripping to the peninsula’s extensive list of must-see hot spots. Scenic Highway 101 loops around to all the great visitor sites, including Forks, Port Angeles, Lake Quinalt, Sequim, Neah Bay and, of course, Olympic National Park. It even passes by the third longest floating bridge in the world, the Hood Canal Bridge.
Camping
Dosewallips is a major camping park with a whopping 70 tent sites, 55 utility sites, and two group camps. Want to stay overnight in true glamping style? We have you covered! Dosewallips has three cozy cabins and three ready-to-go platform tents. These have great amenities like heat, light and comfy beds for those who love Earth but would rather not sleep right on it. Here are some tips for booking a cabin or yurt. Got a bigger party? Why not rent the Rustic Ranger Bunkhouse, which, despite it’s name, has all the comforts of home and room for eight. In fact, vacation houses are perfect for home-away-from-home holiday adventures.Word to the wise: large and popular campgrounds can get noisy, so generally, when at Dosewallips, know that part of the experience is being around people. This time of year, with increasing rains and cooler temperatures, it’s likely to be a little less populated.
Hiking
Most folks connect hiking with alpine scenes and forests criss-crossed with rushing streams. Despite being relatively flat, Dosewallips has five miles of super hikes to explore. Stroll along the beach at low tide and look for sea stars, seals and whales. Steam Donkey Loop Trail and Maple Valley Trail snake through the lush forest at the back end of the park. Fall colors should be hitting their peak right now, contrasting with coastal pines. Here you will see cascading streams and may encounter elk herds munching among the ferns and trees velvety with thick moss. Want to see photos of the trail? Check out Hiking with my Brother’s recent adventure to Steam Donkey Loop Trail.
Ready to hit the trail? Before you go, use TMBER’s helpful trail review to stake out your hiking path. Here’s a little of what they have to say about Steam Donkey Loop:
“Steam Donkey Loop is one of several family-friendly activities in Dosewallips State Park. Situated on prime real estate between Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains, the park offers a wonderful mix of seashore, river, and forest exploration. This short trail can be accessed from several points in the park, although the most obvious is from the bridge along the entrance road…there are several trails that intersect along the way in case you want to modify your hike…
“…you’ll pass by a small pool used to power old logging winches nicknamed “Steam Donkeys.” From here the trail climbs up through fir and rhododendron as steep as it will get, crossing several streams on planked footbridges to a highpoint of 545′ at about 1.25 miles.”
Shake things up and try an overnight adventure in one of Dosewallips State Park’s platform tents.
The area that is now Dosewallips State Park was hunting ground to native people. The area later was used for loading logs brought by rail from the mountains onto ships bound for mills. While you’re exploring the park, keep an eye out for the old rail lines. The level meadow areas in the park were at one time dotted with homesteads.
Park hours:
Summer: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Camping:
The camp has 70 tent spaces, 55 utility sites, three platform tents, three cabins, one bunkhouse, one dump station, three restrooms (one ADA) and two showers (one ADA). Maximum site length is 60 feet (may have limited availability). Campsites 1 through 10 are partial utility sites (water/electricity). To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.
Discover Pass:
The Discover Pass must be displayed on your vehicle for day visits to Dosewallips State Park.
Location:
Located on the shore of Hood Canal on the state’s western side in Jefferson County.
Maps:
Want a handy map? Download one from the State Parks website.
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Photos courtesy Marius Strom (Feature photo), Blue~Canoe (Sunset photo), dolanh (Salmon photo and seagulls photo), Jonathon Coleman (Hood Canal Bridge photo) and Rick Gordon (Camping photo).
