Kayaking

The sport of kayaking is truly turning into one of the more popular active oriented family outings. The Port Angeles area is unique because from one destination you can access flat water, white water and sea kayaking.

Listed below you will be led to just a few of the many popular sites in and around our community, and a few of the local merchants that can help you in town and online.

Ediz Hook - Rating: easy
 Travel along the waterfront of Port Angeles on Front Street and head out to Ediz Hook, a natural sand spit ending at the Coast Guard Station. Along the way are several areas to park and launch your kayak. Paddling around in the harbor is fascinating. The views are stunning of the town, with the towering Olympic Mountains behind it. But the up close and personal view of the log storage areas, ships at anchor, pilot boat activity, Coast Guard helicopters, and salmon fish pens will keep you entertained and busy looking. Also look for harbor seals, sea lions and bald eagles. A fun thing to do is paddle from the “hook” to Hollywood Beach by the City Pier. Here you can stop and rest and have a snack at a waterfront café or restaurant. You can proceed further east along the waterfront or head back to the “hook” whenever you have had enough.

Lake Crescent - Rating: easy
 Drive west from Port Angeles on Highway 101 for a beautiful 17 miles. This spectacular mountain lake within Olympic National Park allows you to schedule a full day of activities. There are waterfalls to explore, trails to walk and restaurants with views of the lake. The area offers some wonderful flat water lake kayaking and there are several points to launch from and over 30 miles of shoreline to explore. The lake is known for crystal clear water with visibility up to 100 ft. There are very few powerboats that use the lake and jet skis are not permitted. The wind can come up, especially from the west, in the afternoon and the area around the Log Cabin Resort is often the least affected.

Dungeness Spit - Rating: moderate
 12 miles east of Port Angeles is the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. Take Highway 101 and turn left on Kitchen-Dick Road. Proceed to the end of Kitchen-Dick and it turns into Lotzgesell. The boat launch area is well past the main entrance of the refuge. Proceed on Lotzgesell to Cays, turn left, follow Cays to Marine Drive, turn right and the boat launch area is about a half-mile on the left. The Dungeness Spit provides protection to this part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Dungeness Bay but pay attention to the weather and winds. The Wildlife Refuge is a national bird sanctuary so watch for the hundreds of species that come to area along with the eagles, seals, sea lions and abundant sea life. The Dungeness Spit is off-limits to water access except at the designated area by the Lighthouse with reservations (360-457-8451). You can paddle out to the Dungeness Lighthouse but remember to make reservations. From this vantage point you can see Mt. Baker, west to Port Angeles and south to the Olympic Mountains.

Freshwater Bay - Rating: moderate to advanced
 Proceed west on Highway 101 from Port Angeles to State Rt. 112. Take Rt. 112 to Freshwater Bay Road, turn right and you will end up at a Clallam County boat launch. The area is protected and offers an ideal area to start your paddle. This section of rugged coastline offers more wind and wave action than some of the other trips mentioned but vistas, wildlife and sealife make the little more work worth the effort. Be aware of your abilities and don’t over extend yourself. The tides and wave action can sometimes make it more difficult to get back.

Olympic Coast & Sol Duc River - Rating: Expert to Extreme
 Take 101 west to State Rt. 110 west and you will find yourself in the Quileute Indian Reservation and the town of La Push. Here during the winter months and into spring the waves are big and the rivers run fast, which means great conditions for the latest use of kayaks; surf kayaking, and white water river kayaking. The beaches of Rialto, First, and Second are some of the favorite spots with winter waves reaching 20 feet. Due to the high waters debris can often be dragged into the surf, so be aware and note that conditions here change quickly and should only be challenged by the most advanced paddlers.

The headwaters of the Sol Duc River start high in the Olympic Mountains, and winter through early summer the rapidly flowing water offers some terrific kayak opportunities for the expert rider. Local riders have favorite spots where the river forms continually cresting waves giving the rider great opportunities for surfing. Again this form of kayaking is only for the advanced and helmets, and dry or wet suits are recommended.

For additional information and more paddle experiences please contact:

Adventures through Kayaking
4821 S. Dry Creek Rd
Port Angeles, WA 98363
Toll Free: 1-888-900-3015
Phone: 360-417-3015
Fax: 360-417-3015
Email: tammi@atkayaking.com
Web Site: www.atkayaking.com
Complete kayaking service offering exceptional tours, sales and rentals to the waterways of the Olympic Peninsula.
Olympic Raft & Kayak
123 Lake Aldwell Road
Port Angeles, WA 98363
Toll Free: 1-888-452-1443
Phone: 360-452-1443
Fax: 360-452-5268
Email: info@raftandkayak.com
Web Site: www.raftandkayak.com
Guided rafting and kayaking adventures.
Canoe and kayak rentals.
Instruction and sales.
Sound Bikes & Kayaks, Inc.
120 E Front Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Phone: 360-457-1240
Fax: 360-452-0175
Email: sbkpa@hotmail.com
Web Site: www.soundbikeskayaks.com
Retail bicycle sales (road, mountain, BMX, recumbent, tandem). Kayak rental and sales (recreational, river, sea-kayaks). Full service shop, rental shop. All accessories, gear, sales.