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.

Like many beaches here, this is one that you need to visit at low tide, as there would be little, if any, of the beach at high tide.

The park entrance sported a warning against eating clams from the beach due to biotoxin.

A short walk down a gently sloping gravel path through trees with views of the bluffs leads to the beach. Depending on how ambitious you feel, how much time you have, and if you have strong ankles to walk a pebble and cobblestone beach, you could walk all the way to Klapot Point at the end of Travis Spit at the mouth of Sequim Bay, about 4 miles. I was not that amibitious, walking just over a mile down the beach, before heading back.

Tree on the bluff, with its roots hanging over air.

25 fairly steep steps down to the beach, but what looks like shingles on the stairs keep it from being slippery.

Beach still life, with Protection Island in the background.

A better view of Protection Island.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the New Dungeness Lighthouse just visible in the distance (it’s the tiny white splotch in the middle). The land you see in the way back is Vancouver Island (I think). The Strait is only about 25 miles wide around here.

Looking west, you can see Sequim and the Olympic Mountains.

A tsunami about to inundate the seaweed clinging to the barnacle-crusted rock. Of course, the rock is only 3 inches above water, so it’s a question of perspective.

The inside of a chiton shell, showing the overlapping plates.

I find the trees and bluffs along the beach just as pretty as the ocean views. So here you go…

Someone didn’t read the sign about not defacing or destroying the bluffs. 

Things to keep in mind:

  • Check the tide charts and time your arrival for low tide.
  • Parking space limited to four cars, though there is street-side parking.
  • No facilities, no picnic tables, no amenities, though there is a bench at the top of the stairs. This is a bare-bones park with great views.

Location:

282 Buck Loop Road, Sequim, WA 98382