Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway - SR 112
Driving Along the Strait
| Departure: | Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, Washington |
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| Destination: | Makah Indian Reservation, Washington |
| Time to allow: | 1 day |
Filled with rocky bluffs and sandy beaches, the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway provides you with countless views, amazing pieces of history and unique places to visit.
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Start: Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center
Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour Use Hurricane Ridge as a gateway to the Olympic National Park and take in its sweeping views. During the winter, you can enjoy a day of skiing.
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Stop 2: Wilderness Information Center and Olympic National Park
Directions from previous place: Drive northwest on Obstruction Point toward Hurricane Ridge, after 5.4 miles, turn right onto Hurricane Ridge Road and continue for 16.9 miles before ending at Olympic National Park.
Distance from Previous Site: 22.47 miles / 36.0 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 49 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour This center is a great place to begin your exploration of the Olympic National Park. Stock up on some bear canisters to keep your food safe, and pick up some tips and tricks for traveling the backcountry roads. The park includes Lake Crescent, nothing but ten miles of beauty, and a coastal strip that is home to Lake Ozette. With the many scenic trails criss crossing the park, take a stroll through landscape thick with wildflowers and wildlife.
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Stop 3: Elwha River Viewpoint and Old Bridge
Directions from previous place: Drive northeast on Hurricane Ridge Rd and turn left onto Mt. Angeles Road; road becomes S. Race St after .2 miles, make a left onto E. Lauridsen Blvd and then continue onto US-101. After 3.3 miles, turn right onto S. Dry Creek Rd, left onto W. Edgewood Road, then right onto Lower Elwha Rd. Drive for 3.0 miles before turning right onto Charles Rd and the Elwha River Viewpoint.
Distance from Previous Site: 9.61 miles / 15.4 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 22 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 15 minutes This area provides a thrilling view of the rushing river, and don't leave without crossing the bridge itself. When you cross the Elwha River on the old one-lane wooden bridge, let your cameras capture the spectacular views of the rushing river below.
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Stop 4: Salt Creek Recreation Area/County Park
Directions from previous place: Drive south on Charles Rd, turn left on Lower Elwha Rd and drive for 3 miles. Turn right onto W. Edgewood Dr, left onto Laird Rd, then right onto W Edgewood Dr. Take a slight right onto Elwha River Road and drive for 1.1 miles before turning right onto WA-112. After 5.2 miles, turn right onto Camp Hayden Rd and drive for 3.4 miles to end at Salt Creek County Park.
Distance from Previous Site: 14.45 miles / 23.1 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 34 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour 30 minutes Enjoy upland forests, rocky tide pools, a sand beach access area, playground and play fields, and hiking trails to Striped Peak. Or wander around the original bunkers that were once part of Fort Hayden during World War II.
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Stop 5: Crescent Bay Loop
Directions from previous place: Drive north on Camp Hayden Rd toward Tongue Point Rd, turn left onto Crescent Beach Rd to end at Crescent Bay Loop.
Distance from Previous Site: 1 miles / 1.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 3 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 45 minutes This scenic side tour from the highway provides beach access. Park your car to walk barefoot in the sand with the waves lapping at your feet, or take a picture of the numerous seashells and other wind swept beach scenery for a souvenir of your day along the water.
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Stop 6: Joyce General Store and Depot Museum
Directions from previous place: Drive southwest on Crescent Beach Rd and after 2.2 miles, turn left onto Agate Beach Road before making a sharp right onto WA-111 to end at Joyce General Store.
Distance from Previous Site: 2.72 miles / 4.4 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 7 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 45 minutes Step into the past as you browse through general store items from the 1920s through the 1940s. The nearby general store provides you with food and other items to help you continue on your trip. The general store still has it's original false front from when it was first built.
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Stop 7: Pillar Point
Directions from previous place: Drive west on WA-112 toward Crescent Beach Rd for 22.5 miles, then turn right onto Pysht River Road to end at Pillar Point.
Distance from Previous Site: 24.28 miles / 38.8 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 45 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour 15 minutes If you enjoy fishing or crabbing, Pillar Point is one of the best places along the Byway to pull out your fishing pole. Rest at this halfway point along the byway at one of the camping grounds provided here.
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Stop 8: Clallam Bay County Park
Directions from previous place: Drive west on Pysht River Road and turn left, then continue on Pysht River Rd. Turn right onto WA-112 and drive for 5.5 miles before turning right to continue on WA-112. After 6.8 miles, end at Clallam Bay.
Distance from Previous Site: 14.08 miles / 22.5 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 25 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour Relax at a beautiful park along the beach, and pull out those picnic items you got at the general store. Wander over to the tide pools at Slip Point to catch a glimpse of marine life.
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Stop 9: Sekiu
Directions from previous place: Drive west on WA-112 toward Front St and drive for 1.4 miles before turning right onto Front St. Drive for .6 miles to end at Sekiu Point.
Distance from Previous Site: 2.04 miles / 3.3 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 5 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours This is the one of the best places on the road for fishing, and if you have a boat--this is the place to dock or cast it off, as Sekiu is the home to the numerous marinas in the area. Or if you're more of a trail person, hike the "Sekiu Trail" also known as the one mile beach.
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Stop 10: Sail and Seal Rocks
Directions from previous place: Drive southeast on Front St. Ext. toward Thompson St, then turn right onto Washington St before making a left onto Sekiu Airport Rd. Take a right onto WA-112 and drive for 13.6 miles before making another right to end at Sail and Seal Rocks.
Distance from Previous Site: 14.41 miles / 23.1 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 29 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 15 minutes Near the end of your trip, pause by these twin offshore rocks to catch a glimpse of gray whales.
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End: Makah Indian Reservation
Directions from previous place: Drive northwest on WA-112 toward 500 Line Rd and continue for 2.7 miles before turning left onto 200 Line Rd. After 3.7 miles, turn right onto South Educket Rd and drive for 1.7 miles. Make a left to end at the Makah Indian Reservation.
Distance from Previous Site: 8.35 miles / 13.4 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 20 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 3 hours End your trip at the Makah Indian Reservation, which has not only the most widely recognized museum in the SR112 corridor, but is the gateway to the the Cape Flattery trail. Viewpoints on this trail allow striking views of sea caves, otters, sea birds and Tatoosh Island, the only piece of land between Cape Flattery and Asia.
