Hiking Dungeness Spit, The Longest Sand Spit In America

When we visited Sequim, WA for our Wing Walking experience, we had no idea that just north of this quaint town in the Olympic Peninsula is the longest natural sand spit in North America, the Dungeness Spit. Stretching almost 7 miles north into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Dungeness Spit continues to grow in length by about 15ft each year. This place has beautiful views, rich maritime history, plenty of seabirds, and wildlife. If you’re willing to hike that 10 miles roundtrip, you’ll get to visit the historic New Dungeness Lighthouse. It was a very unique experience. Also, the funny thing is, we could see the Wing Walking airplane flying from the spit!

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Dungeness Spit Trailhead:
715 Holgerson Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
48.141396, -123.190635

Parking

Decent sized paved parking lot

Restroom

There is are restrooms at the trailhead and at the New Dungeness Lighthouse

Fee

$3 permit fee for a party of four adults payable at the Kiosk. Children under 16 are free. There are no fees at the lighthouse.

Important Things

The trail to the spit is open daily from 7 am to 1.5 hr before sunset. You need to return to your car before the Refuge closes at sunset.
We recommend only hiking during low tide.

Distance

10.2 mile R.T.

Elevation Gain

137 ft

Level

Moderate because of how long it is.

Time:

At least 5 hours

Pet-friendly

Pets are NOT allowed.

Ideal Time

You can do this hike year-round, but we recommend going during low tide. Also, getting there early will make your hike cooler, especially in the summer. It can get very warm and there are no shades at all.

Weather

Video

Getting to the Start of Dungeness Spit Hike

Dungeness Spit is located in the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. To get there from US 101 west of Sequim, turn north on Kitchen-Dick Road. From there, continue for 3 miles on Kitchen-Dick Road to the Dungeness Recreation Area. Then, follow the signs to get to the parking lot for Dungeness Spit. There is a $3 permit fee for a party of 4 adults, payable at the Kiosk. Children under 16 are free. The lighthouse is free to visit. After parking, you should be able to find the trailhead easily. There are a few big signages right in front of it.

Important Info You Need to Know

Before attempting the Dungeness Spit Hike to the New Dungeness Lighthouse, there are a few important things you should know:

Before attempting this hike, you need to check the tide table in advance. There is a tide table posted at the kiosk as well. You should only do this hike at low tide. When the tide is high, you’ll need to climb over driftwood logs which can add several hours to your trip. If the spit is breached by storms, the lighthouse becomes an island until the next low tide.
Make sure to stay away from the protected area and walk only along the north side (left side) of the spit. There are boundary markers along the way, so be pleased to respect them.
Check the weather before starting. The weather changes quickly, and there is no shelter for the whole 5 miles until you reach the lighthouse.
It can get very warm out here, so bring tons of sunscreen and a hat.
The Refuge closes by sunset, so you need to get back to your car before then.
Bring comfortable shoes that are suitable for hiking on sand, rocks or climbing over logs.
You’ll need to bring enough water for that 5 miles hike. There is a drinking fountain at the lighthouse, but there is nothing on the way.

The Adventure

Getting Down to the Beach

Our Dungeness Spit Hike started on a paved road meandering through a dense forest. Along the way, there is a wooden overlook with a few informational signages. This overlook also gave us the first glimpse of the longest sand spit in Northern America. After this overlook, there is another smaller one with a better view of the spit. Once we passed the second overlook, it was a short distance before we got down to the sand where we got down to the sand, where we started our 5 miles hike to the New Dungeness Lighthouse.

Hiking to the Lighthouse

After we got down on the sand, we went right to go away from the mainland toward the long stretch of sand. There are tons of driftwoods lining the shore. Most of the driftwood was pushed toward the right side of the spit, where the Refuge is. So, you can only walk on the left side (the ocean side), but you aren’t allowed on the Refuge side. Please make sure to follow all the boundary markers and respect the wildlife. On the Refuge side, we could see seals popping out from the water of Dungeness Bay. There are also tons of sea birds either hanging out on the driftwood or circling above us.

At the beginning of our hike on Dungeness Spit, there were a good amount of people, mostly families with children. However, as we hiked further in, we only came across less than a handful of other hikers. It’s reasonable because that 5 miles walk in the sand is not fun. I can’t imagine hiking this in high tide. When it is low tide, there is plenty of beach to walk on. However, when it’s high tide, there are none, so you have to climb over the logs. That is not fun. We have to do a little of that on the way back because the tide got higher. It also got very warm as the sun got higher, so we were sweating a bucket.

First Glimpse of the Lighthouse

After what felt like an endless walk in the sand, driftwood, and never-ending ocean, we started to see glimpses of the lighthouse in the distance. It definitely seemed like a mirage. This newly built-looking lighthouse seemed to appear out of nowhere, mocking our desperation. Luckily, we didn’t hallucinate the lighthouse. We eventually found the cute entrance toward the lighthouse. We couldn’t wait to get into the shades and have our snacks.

The New Dungeness Lighthouse

The lighthouse is really cool. There is a nice grassy area with picnic tables, perfect for a break. Besides the beautiful ground area, there are also many artifacts and information signages so you can learn more about one of the oldest lighthouses in the Northwest, which has kept its light on continuously since 1857. Since we came between 9 am and 5 pm, we were able to take the guided tour inside the lighthouse. Once we were inside, we were able to climb the 74 stairs to the top, where we had a panoramic view of the spit. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to go outside the lantern room onto the gallery; however, the whole experience was still pretty neat.

Outside the lighthouse, there are a few short trails where you could take to check out the sceneries around. Again, please make sure to obey all the “Keep Out” signs. If you’re lucky, you can see whales and dolphins from the shoreline here. According to the Keepers, they saw a big whale the day before near sunset. Unfortunately, we had to be at our car before sunset because the Refuge closes at sunset. However, if you want to spend the night here and learn about the day-to-day life of a lighthouse keeper, you can participate in the New Dungeness Lighthouse Keeper Program. You can spend a week at the lighthouse, overseeing small upkeep, leading visitor tours, and enjoying the wildlife, peace, and serenity in the evening.

The Way Back

After we were done, it was time to go back. Don’t forget it is a 5-mile hike back in the sand, so make sure to budget your time appropriately. Also, keep an eye out for that high tide. We got back as the tide rose; therefore, at some spots, we had to climb over driftwood. Luckily, we were almost back, so it wasn’t that bad. If you’re visiting Sequim and the Olympic National Park area, don’t forget to check out our favorite waterfalls, Sol Duc Falls. And if you’re in the area, Ancient Groves is a short yet beautiful beginner hike. We also recommend checking out the Devil’s Punchbowl and Marymere Falls as well.

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.