Down at the end of Sequim Bay, across from the 7 Cedars Hotel & Casino, is a gem of a beach that exists due to the herculean restoration efforts of the Jamestown S’Kallam Tribe, Clallam Conservation District, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and a host of others.

Until the late 1990s, there was a log yard / log rafting facility here and the area was known as the “log yard.” After restoration was completed in 2004 (more on that below), the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe was successful in renaming the beach Littleneck Beach in December 2018, because of the clams that are harvested there. It’s one of the few native colonies of littleneck clams in Washington.

The beach is tribal land, and while access is not restricted, I felt rather like I was visiting in someone else’s house and was extra careful of my surroundings.

Several piles of old logs lined the gravel road on the way down to the beach.

I was serenaded by frogs on my few minutes’ walk down the path, and this lagoon was full of ducks before my approach startled them.

The soft muddy ground beneath the beach grass had me quickly backing up.  That old towel in the trunk of my car would come in handy once again to wipe off my muddy feet. 

Despite the dinghy, I didn’t see another person on the 1600′ beach, though the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe administration buildings are just a hop, skip and paddle away.

Looking north/northwest, the masts of the sailboats at the John Wayne Marina were just barely visible.

Looking down the length of Sequim Bay.

From the informational sign along the Olympic Discovery Trail, the wetlands were filled in and converted to a log yard during the late 1800s. The Tribe began purchasing the land in the late 1990s and restored the area in 2004. That effort was immense, involving the removal of 106 creosote treated pilings, more than 10,000 dump truck loads of wood waste, fill and garbage, realignment of Dean Creek and replanting of native trees and shrubs.

The photo from the North Olympic Heritage — Bert Kellogg Photograph Collection is titled “Snow Creek Logging Co. log dump Blyn, Washington”. It’s not dated but the names, birth and death dates of the men in the photo means it was taken before 1925.

Also from the North Olympic Heritage — Bert Kellogg Photograph Collection this 1914 photo of Blyn and a gondola car in the center of the photo loaded with railroad ties.

Links of Interest:

• Estuary Restoration Proposal (PDF), 2003, Jamestown S’Klallam tribe

Location:

Off the Discovery Trail, across Highway 101 from the 7 Cedars Hotel & Casino.