Once again, my wandering car, prompted by my usual "I wonder where that road goes," led me to an unexpected bonus. Heading down Hwy 104 toward the Hood Canal Bridge, I turned down Shine Road. And then I saw the sign -- Hicks Beach County Park. Well, I had to investigate.
The Port Angeles City Pier is a wonderful place for a stroll, and whenever I have a little bit of time, and the day isn’t too rainy, I love to head in that direction.
A gorgeous summer Saturday, so it’s time to hit the road. Tossing my camera, a few bottles of water, and no game plan into the car, I picked up my mother for a spur-of-the-moment drive to Lake Crescent.
Dungeness Landing County park is small (5.6 acres with 13 acres of tideland) but lovely county park. With views of Mount Baker, the Dungeness Spit and the Dungeness Lighthouse, half a dozen picnic tables, benches, an observation tower, and a restroom, this is a great spot to walk the beach, eat lunch and bird watch.
The Chicago, Milwaukee, and St Paul Railway, later called the Milwaukee Road, built the Dungeness River Bridge (now just called Railroad Bridge) over 3-4 weeks in the summer of 1915. The last train crossed the bridge in March, 1985. Of course, the bridge is only part of the 53-acre Railroad Bridge Park, which is privately owned by the Jamestown S’Kallam Tribe.
Once a 200 acre farm owned by the Blake family, Carrie Blake Park is a 52 acre park on the east edge of Sequim.
This wonderful park has just about everything – picnic areas, an off-leash dog park, two playground areas, a Japanese garden, three ponds, pickleball and tennis courts, soccer and softball fields, a skate park, an amphitheater with a large expanse of lawn, a water reuse demonstration area, but my favorite are the lovely, peaceful, well maintained walking paths.
Fort Townsend Historical State Park has all but returned to nature. Other than a World War II era munitions tower, no structures from the fort remain. What it does have is 417 acres, 6.5 miles of wooded trails, and secluded campsites, only 3 miles from Port Townsend.
Anderson Lake State Park is a 496-acre day-use park surrounding a 70 acre lake. There are 8 miles of hiking trails, 7 miles of bike trails and 5 miles of equestrian trails.
Perched at the northwest corner of the Miller Peninsula, Panorama Vista County Park lives up to its name. The views of Sequim to the west, the Strait of Juan de Fuca in front of you, and Protection Island to the east are impressive.