Riding the Olympic Discovery Trail Sequim to Port Angeles (River and Prairie Section)

This section of the Olympic Discovery Trail is around 26.1 miles one way. A marathon-length! And, yes, there is a marathon that runs the trail! But, of course, you can adjust your trip length by parking in one of the other parking areas along the trail to adjust it down or farther up the road if you want to lengthen your trip.

It depends on your fitness level, of course! I rode to Port Angeles several years ago on a hybrid bike when I was at a moderate fitness level and was fine- happy but tired- on my return. This time I chose to go one-way and stay the night in Port Angeles as I wasn’t sure how my ebike battery would hold out. It turns out I would have been fine — I kept the motor off or low most of the time, only used one bar of charge, and my body would have handled the adventure as well. So, yes.

7 Cedars Casino in Blyn is very close to the trailhead. You can find plenty of lodging down the road a bit in Sequim or in Port Angeles. If I planned to stay overnight again in Port Angeles, I’d opt for the Red Lion, as it’s right where the trail starts, near shops, and right across the street from a beach area. Not too far from the trail, though not at one end or another, Domaine Madeline is a terrific B&B and not too far from the trail.

There are also a couple of places to camp near the trail. The trail takes you right through Sequim Bay State Park, and you’ll also find camping not right on the trail, but not too far away (at least if you’re cycling) at Dungeness Recreation Area. Camping at Dungeness is part first come, first served and part reservation. Note that it’s been my experience that, for any campsite in the PNW, you need to either make reservations very early or get there before the weekend to stake out your spot for first-come, first-serve sites.

I would say “yes,” with a caveat. I’ve made this trip on a hybrid bike, which was fine, and on an e-bike, which was also enjoyable. I’ve seen plenty of road bikes on this section of the trail, but it was never something I wanted to try myself on a bike with 23″ wheels and no shocks whatsoever. Ouch!

Regarding e-bikes, the rule on most multi-use trails in Washington State is that you can use class one or two bikes. However, I also know that people have ridden their class 3 bike on this trail, and I don’t know that there’s any kind of rule or enforcement for what types of e-bikes you might use. But, generally, the speed limit on multi-use trails is 15mph. If you have a bike that will assist you at higher speeds (or you’re just fast), I’d recommend you slow down- both for your own enjoyment of your ride and for the safety of other people on the trail.

The Olympic Discovery Trail Sequim to Port Angeles section is mostly paved- some nice pavement as you’re going through Sequim and when you’re entering Port Angeles, but the majority is roughly paved. You’ll find a few areas with gravel, but not many. And, as mentioned above, you’ll encounter some wood trestles.

You’ll find chemical toilets (“Honey Buckets”) spaced strategically along the trail. Most don’t have any area to lock up your bike, but your chances of someone riding off with your wheels here isn’t too great (though after having a bike theft- in a very different place- it’s something I always consider). I haven’t listed all of the toilets on the map here as they may move, but they’re readily visible from the trail and frequent enough that you shouldn’t have trouble reaching one on time.

You’ll find public parking at one end of the trail behind the Jamestown Sk’lallam Library and at the other end at the Port Angeles Waterfront near the Fiero Marine Center. Several other parking areas along this section of the trail are listed on the map.

Me too! Fortunately, the signs marking the trail seem much improved from when I rode it years ago. That time, I found myself in several strange places and encountered many other souls wandering around with their bikes, with a lost look in their eyes.

This time, I mostly stayed on the trail. I find the area that I tend to go off-route is in Sequim, as it’s easy to miss the trail signs. Keep in mind that the trail goes THROUGH Carrie Blake Park. If you find yourself, instead, going past silos and into an area with farm animals, you’ve gone too far!

You’ll find a couple of large hills on this route. For one, you’ll see a warning sign before you go down as the hill turns abruptly just before a drop-off. I choose to walk my bike here because I’m very cautious.

There’s another large hill that I’ve found other cyclists walking up (I say this to make myself feel better). This time, on my cargo bike with a load of camera gear and overnight stuff, I told my spouse I was very grateful for “hill assist mode,” only to find that I had not been using hill assist correctly and had lugged the bike up the hill without any assistance.

You’ll find bike shops in either Sequim or Port Angeles. And I’ve read, but not experienced, that there’s a bike repair station at the Dungness River Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park. Make sure you bring some bike tools and tubes to take care of your own issues if you have them on the trail.