September, 2024
I promised to show you some of my travels along Hood Canal during this camping trip so you can see how beautiful Hood Canal is. Here’s that photo from last week’s blog post. It’s so gorgeous.
As you might have guessed, Hood Canal isn’t really a canal. It is not a man-made canal. It’s about 62 miles long, with the widest point being about 6 miles wide (just north of Seabeck on the Kitsap Peninsula). That’s big! No human beings dug this waterway! The original name given to this waterway was “Hood’s Channel”, but the name got switched to “Hood Canal” and was never corrected.
The view in the photo above is from the shore along the edge of Right Smart Cove (north of Dosewallips). The view is looking south from that spot on the Olympia Peninsula towards the Kitsap Peninsula in the distance. Because the view is looking south down Dabob Bay, then over to the Kitsap Peninsula, this view isn’t considered to be looking “across” Hood Canal, even though Dabob Bay is considered to be part of Hood Canal. The view in the photo above is more than seven miles from beach to beach.The water is all ocean salt water that comes in from the Pacific Ocean, then through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, then comes down a few miles of the most northern part of Puget Sound, then that ocean salt water splits, part heading down the rest of Puget Sound, and part heading south into Hood Canal. Here’s a wikipedia article about Hood Canal. And here’s a map below. Ok, two maps.
The image above shows pretty much all of Puget Sound, from Olympia in the south to the top of Whidbey Island in the north. Puget Sound is about 100 miles long (top to bottom, in a straight line). A bit of Canada is in the upper left.
The image BELOW has lots of description. Notice the HUGE population centers on the east side of Puget sound … Everett, Edmonds, Redmond (Bellevue is immediately east of Seattle and is one of the largest centers of population in Washington State). Then Seattle, of course, and then Renton, Kent, Federal Way, Tacoma. This corridor of human population is all just one long huge population of humans. I’ve always wondered why so many people settled on the east side of Puget Sound. Sure, there are cities on the west side, Bremerton is one, but Bremerton is a Navy town with large Navy facilities and the Navy did NOT want to be near a major city like Seattle. The west side of Puget Sound is known for its many small towns.
In the image below, Hood Canal is the YELLOW line. Hood Canal starts at the north and is fed by the same ocean salt water that feeds all of Puget Sound. At the south end of Hood Canal it’s a dead end. It does not connect with Puget Sound. The RED star is where I’m camped.
At the south end of Hood Canal, you’ll see I added a short RED line. Several decades ago, there were plans to build/cut a canal (a real canal) through the land and connect Hood Canal with “south sound”, south Puget Sound. But when it was realized that the water height was many meters different between those two waterways, then the canal idea was dumped. Still, the idea was pushed forward to build a large lock between those two southern waterways, to allow boat traffic to pass through a set of locks that would lift or lower the boats in either direction. But when fisheries folk and environmental folk stepped in and said how negatively that would affect both Hood Canal and “south sound” (since water and wildlife would then flow in both directions), and when it was realized how much the canal and a set of huge locks would cost, then all ideas were quashed.
Today, Hood Canal remains one of THE hot spots for crabbing and fishing hereabouts. Hood Canal has been an important source of food for thousands of years, long before northern European immigrants arrived. So I’m glad that the little RED line at the bottom of Hood Canal never happened.
As well, Puget Sound cities are major destinations for international shipping … Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma … all receive huge international ships. Those ships come in through the Strait of Juan de Fuca along the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula. Many ships enter the USA along that route, but an equal number of ships enter that route and then head to Canada, mostly to the city of Vancouver, but also to other destinations. This is an international shipping destination equal to, or larger than, the destination of San Francisco and Los Angeles combined.
With all of the busy-ness of shipping in this area, with huge ships heading up and down Puget Sound along the east side of Puget Sound, you might see then how quiet that side route of Hood Canal might be. There are NO destinations for large ships there, there are no major towns. It’s just us folks and our little boats … and our campers winding our way along the roadways. It’s so peaceful along Hood Canal.
Today as I was driving up and down Hood Canal in the area around Dosewallips in my big white truck, I came upon this location (below). How pretty!
It’s privately owned and is a day-use-only area for paddle board and kayak rentals. It does offer parking for campers, with electricity, but it is truly day-use only. Oh my gosh, I wish they offered overnight camping! I could back my trailer right up to that beach and have an exquisite view out over the water.
Below … standing on the beach and looking to the left.
The view below is looking to the right. Ah me, what a peaceful life that would be to live here.
But, on I went down the road in search of other interesting things. I pulled off the road when I saw this sign below.
There was no camping here, but there was access to the beach and the water. And, again, such a beautiful view. You can see a small boat launch ramp, and a dock that you can temporarily tie your boat to while you park your vehicle and boat trailer … and you can fish from that dock.
What a pretty little cove. And look at the large RV parked in among the trees on that outcrop of land. I could live there!
What a view they have! Notice the mountains, the Cascade Mountains in the distance. What a gorgeous view that would be in the winter when those mountains are covered in snow and ice.
And, again, those views are to the left or straight ahead. The photo below is to the right side of Triton Cove. Very few homes here, almost no boats on the water, very few cars on the roads. It’s so quiet here.
And then, on down the road I went again. 🙂 The two photos below are of a large grassy wetland area that extended quite a way out into Hood Canal. You wouldn’t be able to walk out there, even though it looks like land. It’s really soaking wet with the salt water of Hood Canal and with fresh water from a stream that feeds in here. This is great bird habitat because of all the food available for them, and because no humans are out there to bother them.
On down the road again, and I came across this place (below) … an RV park! And it was right on the edge of the water!!
The campsites were cheek-to-jowl close together, but it was truly right on the beach, right next to the water. Depending on who your neighbors were in the campsite next to you, this could be a great place for a week’s worth of relaxation, beach walking, bird watching, and enjoying gorgeous sunrises over the water. Ok, it’s on my list.
Finally, it was time to head back to Dosewallips and my campsite. As much as I loved those waterfront views, the cozy warm welcome of this campsite really pleased me. Any time I’m gone for a few hours in the big white truck or especially if I’m out for an all-day exploration, when I finally get back to Towhee the Trailer and she’s sitting there comfy as can be, it sure feels like I’ve come home.
Please share thoughts and questions … information about these locations that I may have missed … ideas about other similar sorts of locations/explorations. Where have you been that’s similar? Or quite different! It’s all good. I love your comments. 🙂 Thanks for coming along!
More local explorations coming soon! 🙂
Have been a boater all my life on Puget Sound and the San Juans and up into Canada many times, but never been down Hood Canal. I’ll go for a drive now! Thank you.
Hood Canal was a great cruise, Rob. It’s long, north to south, and then back up, and not many marinas, but there are a few, or you can anchor out lots of places safely, and there are a few things at the south end to do/see. Yes, take that drive, and dream that you’re out there on the water, relaxing with no traffic around you. 🙂
I have good friends in Port Townsend. I drive up there 2-3 times a year and always take the road along Hood Canal. It’s my favorite drive too. I say let all those millions of people live with each other over there on the Seattle side of Puget Sound, and let’s keep Hood Canal quiet and peaceful and beautiful. Great photos.
Ha, good thought … let all those people in the greater Seattle/Tacoma east side of Puget Sound live there … and keep Hood Canal quiet and peaceful and beautiful. Thanks Ben. 🙂
I don’t know how or when I stumbled upon your blog, but I am so enjoying it! Oh, now I remember. I think I was looking up rv camping near Lake Chelan or Leavenworth, maybe. Anyhow, we have camped at Dosewallips several times (including the loop you were in, but in the sites closer to the highway – maybe #6 or #7), and have loved seeing the resident herd of elk. We were just there in June and didn’t see any, but we see a large herd whenever we stay at Elk Country in Trinidad, CA. We were surprised that the camping sites on the other side of Hwy 1 (in Dosewallips) are no longer in use and the whole area is overgrown with vegetation. I wonder if this happened after Covid.
Anyhow, if you love the idea of camping along the water, Point Hudson in Port Townsend is a great spot. We were there after our time in Dosewallips this past June and stayed for 4 glorious days.
I look forward to perusing your archives. We now have a Class C motorhome, but our first was an Escape 19′. We do love our RV travels!
Hi Lesley! Wow, nice blog that you produce! I looked for just a few minutes and find TONS of books I “need” to read. 🙂 I can recommend your blog highly to readers here!
Dosewallips has elk inside the park almost every September, usually late in the month, or early October. Otherwise, I’m told it’s hit and miss through the rest of the year. I was surprised too, this last camping trip, that a large bunch of the campsites along the river were closed, tho not all of them were. They don’t have electricity or water over there, but they are less expensive and I was planning on staying there in the future. I don’t understand why they are closing them down. They are gorgeous spots.
Oh, when I had a boat, I took my boat to the Point Hudson marina several times. It’s glorious. The restaurant there (still there?) is/was fantastic. Ok, I’ll put that on my list of camping destinations. Port Townsend is a really super town to explore on foot.
Ah! another Escape owner, good for you. At some point, I suppose we don’t want to tow a rig any longer, hence the camper van or motorhome.
Anyway, thank you Lesley! Great comment. And I suspect I’ll be heading to Point Hudson asap! Best to you and yours. 🙂
We’ve been to Dosewallips State Park, as mentioned. We MUST have driven down that road, but we don’t remember it. Wow, we need to go again. Lovely photos, Ann.
And yes, wouldn’t it be so wonderful to actually live in places like that with views like that, even if it was in our motorhome. Wow, gosh. Even just looking at your photos made our blood pressure drop and put smiles on our faces. I hope everyone has a large screen to open those photos in/on. It’s so peaceful! Thank you. 🙂
Janey (BC, Canada)
Thanks Janey. Yes you really should drive down here again, bring that motorhome and come explore Hood Canal. And … do it slowly. Let cars pass you, pull over, stop and walk, take photos, sit and look, wander down that road. It’s so beautiful here. Best to both of you. 🙂
Native people too worked against having those two waterways connected. The natural life of the planet works perfectly, if only humans would stop destroying it. Stop mining coal, stop digging natural gas, stop cutting native trees and then planting one-crop trees, stop destroying our home. You are one of very few who seem to understand. Your photos are beautiful.
When I researched the history of the possibility of connecting those two waterways, there was no mention of native/tribe/nation inclusion in that discussion/decision. I’m really glad to hear that there actually WAS such inclusion. The more I learn, the longer I live, the more I respect and love and admire and follow the teachings of native nations. Thank you Mary.
I certainly agree with Mary about the destruction of our planet and wanting humans to stop destroying it!
Your photos of Hood Canal are beautiful. I’ve not lived in Washington State but I’ve visited there a number of times tho I don’t think we ever drove up along Hood Canal. We got over to Bremerton by ferry and car, but not way over along Hood Canal. We’ve owned boats too, but not as large as you’ve owned. Gosh if we had lived around Puget Sound, what a glorious place on the planet to own a boat.
Ah, so you’ve seen the beauty of the Pacific NW and Puget Sound, and understand how/why boating here is so incredibly, unimaginably, marvelous. But I bet you have wonderful memories too, Shawn, and you’ve had glorious views from the water. Wouldn’t it be fun to sit and talk? I sure like that you’re here on this land journey of mine but that you also share that water journey. 🙂
You travel in places that have the coolest names!
I usually don’t think about the names of places here much, Dawn, I’m so used to them. But “Dosewallips” is pretty cool. 🙂
Used to have a boat too, and friends and I took three trips down (and back up) Hood Canal. Oh, the views of the Olympic Mountains when you are out on the water of Hood Canal and looking west … absolutely stunning views of the Olympics. Where you are, this camping trip, and the road you’re on, is on the west side of the “canal” so you won’t get those views of the Olympics, but holy gosh your photos of the water are so wonderful, sure takes me back. If you ever move there, please let me know and I’ll come live in your yard! ha! 🙂
Oh, yes! On one of my trips down (and up) Hood Canal, the Olympic Mountains were out in full view. It was spectacular. I’d forgotten that, thank you for the reminder, David. Ok I’m trying to find my photos … back then they would be print photos, sheesh. You would be welcome in my yard. 🙂
What a gorgeous place! Oh my word. I was born and raised in Wisconsin and have always thought that where I was raised is the most beautiful place on the planet, but I think I have to revise my opinion. Oh yes, I suppose winters here on Hood Canal are not so pretty, or when storms come through, but your maps show that Hood Canal is really protected. Winters in Wisconsin were horrid! I live “down south” now where it’s boringly warm all year round. Might have to take a little trip to WA one of these days. More photos please … even of those elk butts. 🙂
LOL! Thanks Pat. Butt photos will be coming, even more than the one I already shared. 🙂 And, sigh, you know, there are so many excruciatingly beautiful places on our planet, especially in our memories of where we were raised. Please do take a trip and get away from “boringly warm” and let me know when you’ll be here … happy to have a visit.
We’ve touched on the north corner of the Olympic Peninsula, but I’ve never understood the rest of it, so thanks for the excellent geography lesson.
You are welcome, FG. I love your blog posts too, I learn about flowers, and I learn about history, and I learn about Canada. What a cool thing that we can all learn from each other.
So beautiful. So peaceful!
Indeed. It sure was. 🙂 Thanks Ruth.