Category: Trails

Mother Nature does her thing

We walk in the Dungeness Recreation Area a lot. When we first came to Sequim we walked a trail that led us along the bluff from one overlook to another, and then beyond, to the north and south. The overlooks afford views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca with Victoria and Vancouver Island, British Columbia in the distance. Over the years first one section of the sandy bluff and then another and another still gave way to forces of erosion. The overlook shown above started its slide last June, shown here. A month or so later it looked like this. Today, above, there’s a fence where the trail has been routed inland. You can see the approximate location of the former trail where the wooden fence is in the distance.

Vegetation was cleared to allow more parking. The former overlook is in the distance at the left of this photo.

Dungeness Recreation Area

The trail meanders a short distance through a wooded area and then opens onto this view. Access to the bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca near here has recently been moved inland because of erosion. But this view helps make up for the loss of a beautiful water vantage.

Return to slippin’ and slidin’

A couple of weeks ago the exit side of the road through this lookout at the Dungeness Recreation Area was blocked. When we arrived the other day the whole pullout was blocked, as you can see here. This is the entrance.

Erosion at this part of the bluff has picked up since I last showed it to you in June. It’s worth a look for comparison; the change is dramatic.

The fence post I showed you last month is now hanging freely in space. It was very windy when I took this shot yesterday. The fence blew back and forth like a wooden flag.

Slippin’ and slidin’

Another big piece of the bluffs at Dungeness Recreation Area has taken a tumble. The bumpers you see on the right side of this shot are at the edge of a pullout road that passes this spot, bringing the bluff ledge within about five feet (1.5 m.) of the road.

There is virtually nothing beyond the right side of the post here. The sandy soil under the post is starting to crack away and you can see some daylight where the erosion has eaten under the fence on the right.

Clallam County Parks, manager of the recreation area, plans to realign trails and roads away from the bluffs. It looks like their timetables may have to be set in motion sooner than anyone wants. I wish it weren’t so. This is one of the few remaining areas with an unobstructed water view and it’s a nice place to stop.