There are so many beautiful places in Washington and to boil it down to just one is almost nearly impossible and really it might differ depending on someone’s likes. If you prefer cities, Seattle may be your choice. If you prefer hiking, you might choose the Hoh Rainforest. History, maybe Mount St Helens. I love it all and on our family trip to the Pacific Northwest we went everywhere – the beach, the rainforest, the river, the mountains and the cities. However, one of the places that stood out the most to me was Cape Flattery. If you love beautiful landscapes, then this is a must go place. It was absolutely stunning.
A few quick facts (because I love history), Cape Flattery is the northwestern most point in the contiguous United States. It is located on the Olympic Peninsula and it is part of the Makah Reservation. It is also the oldest permanently named place in Washington. James Cook in 1778 named it as he sailed into the harbor. It is said that he wrote that it had “a small opening which flattered us with the hopes of finding a harbour”.
To get to Cape Flattery you will pass through the Makah reservation. I wish we would have had more time to spend there but the sun was setting and we were on a tight schedule to get out to the point. You have to stop at the Tribal office and get a visitor pass that allows you to be on the reservation. It’s a quick process so please don’t skip it. I believe you can be fined if found without one. Once you have your pass you’ll proceed to Cape Flattery and park in a gravel parking lot. There’s a large blue chair that is used for souvenir photos, so take the photo and then take the short hike through the park to the edge. There are plenty of walking paths and lookouts. You’ll be able to see the waves crashing against the rocks and the caves that have been carved out by the water. The ocean seems so rough that I can’t imagine how a boat could possibly enter. We happen to arrive at sunset which made our view feel like we were looking at a watercolor painting.
FYI, these pictures were not taken with a special camera and there are no filters used. They were taken with a simple iPhone. The place is just that beautiful.
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