Traveling to the most northwesterly point in the contiguous United States was an experience that I will never forget. The Cape Flattery Trail is gorgeous and a feast for your body, soul, and mind. The best part about it was that I was able to take the trip with my family!
Traveling with kids isn’t always easy. We did a two-week road trip, pulling our trailer, and camping each night. From Utah, we drove up into Washington and then down the coast on the 101 in Washington, Oregon, and California. (I should get an award, lol ;).
You can make this a little easier by having travel games, activities, books, etc. to help keep them occupied. We also planned a lot of stops so that kept them worn out.
The morning that we went to Cape Flattery, we dropped our trailer at Klahowya Campground. (We came from Salt Creek Recreation Area). Klahowya is a first-come, first-serve campground, so we got there about 10 am so we could find a spot big enough for our trailer. There are no hookups here, but it is really beautiful. Keep in mind, it is in a rain forest, so be prepared for rain.
Driving to Cape Flattery
The drive up to Cape Flattery is beautiful. You drive through Neah Bay and have to have a Makah Recreation Pass to go up to the Cape. This is all managed by the Makah Tribe. The pass is inexpensive and we got ours at the Museum. There are a few different places you can get a pass.
The parking lot is pretty long, but I don’t know if there is a lot of room for RV’s and trailers. If you have a chance to drop it as we did, I would highly recommend it. There is a bathroom at the trailhead, but not on the trail. We took hiking packs with water and snacks as well as hiking poles since we weren’t sure what to expect from the trail. They did come in useful in some parts. There are handmade hiking sticks you can buy at the entrance too.
Hiking to the Cape
The hike up to the Cape is gorgeous. I love the different materials they used to make the trails. There are some really cool looking trees (one like an upsidedown octopus) as well. You will be able to stop at three different places to enjoy Cape Flattery. One on the left as you first come in, one on the right a little further up, and then the tip.
All three locations have incredible views, so be sure to visit all three. From the Cape Flattery Lookout, you will be able to see Tatoosh Island with the lighthouse. You can also see Canada across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The colors of the water are beautiful against the rock walls and green trees, moss and plants.
We found several starfish as well attached to the rocks in the water. Soak it all in and enjoy every minute. Take as many pictures as you can. Hopefully, you will able to catch it on a clear day as we did so you can see for miles and miles.
More places in Washington State to explore…
Be sure to read more about our road trip through Washington, Oregon, and California. We have shared the following so far:
- Top 5 Favorite Things to Do at the Thunderbird RV & Camping Resort
- Thunderbird RV & Camping Resort Review
- Lodgepole Campground in Washington
- Grove of the Patriarchs
- Narada Falls in Mt. Rainier National Park
- How to spend 1 day at Mt. Rainier
- Salt Creek Recreation Area
Happy Travels!
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