So you’re heading out to Olympic National Park? And you’re wondering if Cape Flattery is worth going to? Cape Flattery is not part of Olympic National Park. It is part of the Makah Tribe’s land and it is the The Most Northwest Point in the Contiguous United States. You will pay an extra fee to do this hike.
Getting to Cape Flattery
If you’re driving from Port Angeles the drive is roughly 2 hours. The GPS might route you to go on highway 112 instead of going on highway 101 passing through Lake Crescent because it’s a “faster route” but I found it to be a much less enjoyable drive and the views aren’t as good!
If you’re driving from Forks, it’s an only an hour and 20 minutes! The road close to Cape Flattery are very windy and steep!
Entering Cape Flattery
There’s a $20 recreational fee for trail. We got ours at the Makah Cultural & Research Center Museum. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to explore the museum but I would have if time permitted
There are a few other places that sell the recreation pass but you need to be mindful of when they close! Otherwise you’ll do the long drive for nothing! You can also buy the pass online BUT it has to be PRINTED and placed on your DASH to enter the trail area! For more information visit the Makah website for a complete list of how to get a recreation pass for the trail!
When you get your recreation pass they should give you a map with directions to the trial head. The man at the museum told us service and GPS as very spotty out there so stick to the directions and you won’t get lost. And yes we did lose cell service!
Cape Flattery Trial
Cape Flattery is a 1.5 mile round trip hike! Now i’m not a huge hiker but I found this trail to be absolutely stunning. The trees were magical and you felt like you were in a fairytale. Walking the the wooden planks at the end of the trail was so cool! I had never experience anything like that. After exploring Olympic National Park and visiting Cape Flattery. I would say if you have the extra time you should make the drive to Cape Flattery! It’s so worth it!
I was actually concerned the trial would be a disappointment because on the drive out there. We were the ONLY car driving towards Cape Flattery so I was thinking we were gonna be in for a disappointment. The road out to Cape Flattery is super hill and windy FYI!
Read more of the blog!
- Visiting Beautiful Cape Flattery Worth It? The Most Northwestern Point
- Must see Olympic National Park – Sol Duc Falls, Lake Crescent
- Roadtrip from Minnesota to Washington State
- Beautiful Northern Minnesota Roadtrip Must Stops
When we arrived there were only a few cars in the parking lot and we were the ONLY people on the trial. We arrived around 5:30 pm. At the lookout points there were only a handful of people there as well. Which I think really added to the experience.
At the entrance of the park there is someone checking if you have a recreation pass. Oh, and the recreation pass should be good for the rest of the year as well!
What else is there to do near Cape Flattery
You can check out the Makah Cultural & Research Center. I heard really good things about the museum and it looked cool when we stopped there just before close to get the recreational pass!
What to know before visiting Cape Flattery
There is only one gas station in town so I would recommend filling up before you arrive!
There a few restaurant but I heard the hours could be touch and go so if you’re planning on being there at a specific time and want to eat there maybe call the restaurant ahead of time to make it will work with your schedule!
For a more complete things to do and know before you go the Makah Tribes website has all the information you need!
If you like what your read and need more Ideas for Olympic National Park? Check out my Olympic National Park Post
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