new dungeness lighthouse

The lighthouse is a five mile hike so take water and snacks, best at low tide as the spit is narrow and when the tide is in may have to walk around driftwood and logs. From 9am to 5pm you can tour the lighthouse and walk up to see the light. There is a small museum with history and pictures, also a restroom at the lighthouse. There are picnic tables to have lunch. The house is closed to the public, members of the lighthouse association stay there for a week at a time.

Fun to see this spit of land out into the water. We had good weather and were able to see the lighthouse from a distance.

My husband and I hiked to the light house, leaving in the morning at low tide. It felt like we walked for hours and hours and hours before we finally got to the lighthouse, but the view from the lighthouse was fantastic! We quickly enjoyed our lunch, and started on our way back, as the tide was starting to creep back in. It looks like it is an easy, not so far trek out, but be prepared, it is much farther than it looks. And when the tide starts to come back in, it makes for a trickier walk back, as you are forced to move off the firm packed sand to the logs and loose sand.

My husband and I did the hike across the spit at low tide to get to the New Dungeness Lighthouse. We had a packed lunch that we quickly ate and then we explored the lighthouse and surrounding areas. We are not the fittest people and by the time we headed back the water had come in leaving stones and hard sand that alternated all the way back to the carpark. We didn't care that are feet were sore. This walk and seeing the New Dungeness Lighthouse was a wonderful experience that few people would do. Make the time and do this walk. Check the tides and maybe walk with some locals too. Highly recommended from a couple of Aussies lucky enough to visit this Lighthouse.

We walked to the lighthouse on a lovely warm day and were glad we did. The distance is longer than it looks, but it well worth it. The lighthouse is well kept up and interesting to tour. The volunteer keepers were knowledgeable and delightful to visit with. We enjoyed the beautiful views and the fresh sea air!

This is a very nice place at one of the most beautiful towns in the entire west coast, sequim and the surroundings make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.

OMG. You must know I've done this twice, only because I forgot how tough it was the first time. I'm not a serious hiker and did this when I was 50 and 62. First time, the lighthouse looked so close and my daughter really wanted to do it. OK. I was not prepared for the difficulty. 1) you're walking in gravel - think 2 steps forward, slip 1 step back, 2) You are on a slant the whole way. This is not a level hike. It is dead level from an elevation standpoint, but your left side is lower for five miles. First time saw a dead cow washed up on shore. Second time, dead seal. Cool. If weather is nice, it is an intimate walk with the sea and the ships passing. When you get to lighthouse, the history exhibit and turret experience are not to be missed as well as chat with volunteer lighthouse keepers. Picnic tables and restrooms. As I was leaving to go back on the second hike, I cast an envious eye at the kayakers who had leisurely paddled their way over. Doh.

It's a tough hike to get here, make no mistake about it. You walk along the rocky beach for five miles each way. The lighthouse is a nice "oasis" in a sense as it is an active station that in the summer is manned by a volunteer family that lives on site and maintains it. The views are spectacular as you have a 360 degree view - the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island, the San Juans, and the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge. Tours are given by the volunteers who provide some great historical information.

If you are a hiker, do not miss the five-mile trek out Dungeness Spit to the lighthouse. The light station is well kept and a wonderful place for a picnic. The lighthouse is open to the public (no charge to go to the top of the tower) and the view of Mt Baker, the Olympics, the harbor seals, and many birds is unbeatable. Worth the walk along the beach but come an hour or two before low tide and return before high tide. Approximately two hours, plus or minus, each way. Allow time to enjoy the lighthouse area.There is a fee for the wildlife refuge where the trail starts. About 3 per car or free if you have a federal park pass.

The lighthouse sits on the longest natural sand spit in North America. To get to it, it's a 5 1/2 walk - one way. Located on the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, the area gets in excess of 80,000 visitors a year. Well worth a visit.

Accommodations are excellent. Large kitchen to prepare your meals. Great bedrooms. Not all relaxation. They do ask you to preform some duties of cleaning, watering and cutting the lawn, polishing the brass in the lamp tower and giving tours to those that make the 5.5 mile walk.This light house has been manned 24/7 since 1857 and to be one of the keepers doing this was an adventure never to be forgotten or regretted.

We walked out to the lighthouse along the spit with some friends a few weekends ago. The walk is longer than you'd think - we do a lot of hiking and are young and in good shape, but it still took several hours each way. (Roundtrip, it's about ten miles.) Walking in the sand can be tiring and time consuming, so if you are just looking for a stroll, don't try to make it all the way to the lighthouse.That being said, the lighthouse is an excellent destination! We enjoyed the walk and saw lots of seals and birds along the way. The volunteers at the lighthouse were incredibly friendly and fun. We learned a lot about the history of the area and got a kick out of seeing the views from the top of the lighthouse tower. Worth the hike.

First of all, getting to the Lighthouse is not for wimps - It is a five mile hike along the beach - one way! If you are out for a liesurely stroll, this isn't it. If you want to bask in the glories of the Pacific NW and the Straight of Juan de Fuca, this could be for you. For the hike, wear appropriate clothing and carry water and snacks. When you get to the lighthouse, you will be able to climb up to the top and will be "entertained" by the volunteer "Keepers" who belong to the Association and pay to stay and work for a week. They will tell you all about the history and the site and the buildings - and tell you how you can join and sign up to stay there, too. Plenty of fresh water and clean bathrooms and grassy lawns and picnic tables - Sooner or later you will have to hike back, but you will remember this visit for a long, long time. Bring your camera! Eagles and seals and numerous birds - plus ships and great views all around!

To get to the lighthouse you walk thru a beautiful Pacific Northwest wood then down to the beach along the majestic San Juan deFuca and out a long sand spit. This is not a short walk so be prepared because you'll have to walk back! Once you reach the end you'll be glad you did.

This is a beautiful place to visit. Unfortunately, when we were there the tide was coming in, so we were not able to walk out on the spit. We did enjoy the beach. It was very relaxing watching the birds.