Local Flavours: The Complete Guide to Riding Port Angeles, Washington

 







Port Angeles, quietly perched in the upper north west corner of Washington State on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is the largest city in Clallam County. Sheltered from the open Pacific by the Olympic Peninsula and the spectacular Jurassic Park-esque Olympic National Park, there’s just enough space between the mountains and the sea for the town of 21,000.

The earliest evidence of human history in the area was unearthed in 1977 when a farmer outside of Olympic National Park unearthed the remains of a Mastodon - a large elephant like creature - with a spear point dating back 13,800 years. Today, the region is home to eight Native American tribes: the Lower Elwha Klallam, Jamestown S’Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam, Skohomish, Quinault, Hoh, Quileute and Makah. The first Europeans arrived in 1791 and dubbed the harbour Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Port of Our Lady of the Angels). The natural deep water harbor protected by Ediz Hook attracted the attention of the government and in the 1860’s was dubbed the Second National City behind Washington DC. The town itself used to sit one story below its current street level, and it needed to be raised due to flooding concerns.

The timber trade exploded in 1914 and larger mills, railways and pulp production supported the local economy well into the 21st century. Tourism is also a major draw to the area with Olympic National Park geographically and culturally at the center. The nearly million-acre park is home to glacier-capped peaks, dense temperate rainforest, and a vibrant marine ecosystem.


By Land - There’s really not much west of Port Angeles as far as population centers go, so chances are you’ll be arriving from the south or easy by road. Seattle is the closest major city just over 80 miles (130 km) east and depending where you are, there is a combination of ferry options or sticking to solid ground around Tacoma. Portland is 230 miles (370 km) or roughly 4:15 minutes drive south on highway 101.

By Sea - Blackball Ferry Lines run from Victoria, BC to Port Angeles three times (each way) per day and takes just 90 minutes. It’s worth it for the scenery and the 1950’s jingle they play at the start and end of the voyage.

By Air - Port Angeles lacks a commercial airport, but if you have your own private plane, William R Fairchild (CLM) would be a pretty sweet way to get here. For the rest of us, the closest major airport is Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) which services international and domestic flights from all major carriers. It’s easy to rent a car and make your way from Seattle via ferry or by driving through Tacoma, Washington.


















Rain is as synonymous with the Pacific Northwest as plaid and lumberjacks. It’s what feeds the forests that give the area its identity and character, but fortuitously Port Angeles is in one of the drier areas of the region. Low pressure systems slam into the Pacific coast and climb their way into the Olympic mountains, or spin off the Olympic Peninsula and stick to the coast of Vancouver Island creating a ‘rain shadow’ over Port Angeles and Sequim. Rain shadow is in quotation marks because the area still receives 25” (635mm) of rain per year and has the lush forest to show for it, but Forks which is only 50 miles (80 km) to the west receives well over 100” (2540+mm) of rain annually so as far as being a dry area, it’s all relative.

Expect summers to be cool with average temperatures between the high 60s (19ºC) and low 50s (9ºC) due to the maritime climate. Winters are quite mild and riding at lower elevations can take place year-round apart from a few days or weeks of wet snow generally around January.





Like a lot of smaller mountain bike scenes, the trail network here is predominantly built and maintained by volunteers. There are a few more organized groups that advocate for expansion and protection of trails.

Olympic Dirt Society and the Top Left Trails Co-Op are the main advocacy groups, which look after the trail networks with Olympic Dirt Society focusing on Dry Hill. Top Left was the catalyst behind the Colville trail network and is also home to the Laser Kittens women’s mountain bike club, which has done some trail development in the Petting Zoo area (the lower south side of the Zoo Loop area directly west of Colville).

Olympic Discovery Trail - A team of dedicated volunteers and the board of directors of the non-profit Peninsula Trails Coalition work with local government to create and maintain the Olympic Discovery Trail, a network of multi-use paved and unpaved trails that span over 130 miles across the North Olympic Peninsula and connects the communities of Port Townsend, Blyn, Sequim, Port Angeles and La Push.

Nearly all of the riding here is on Department of Natural Resources (DNR) land and they are one of the main trail stewards of the area looking after both motorized and non motorized networks.


Adventures Through Kayaking offers daily half-day mountain bike tours on the Adventure Route trails, biking shuttles and MTB rentals.

Sound Bike and Kayak is the go to shop for any major repairs or specialty mountain bike items. The super friendly staff can give you suggestions for trails and loops to keep you stoked.

The Bike Garage is also a full service shop with bikes, spares and some great knowledge about the trails.

Discover E-Bike rents electric bikes from the Port Angeles’ waterfront near Hollywood Beach and the City pier. You can also opt for a one to almost three hour guided tour or rent your own bike to explore the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Elwha E-Bike Adventures offers a variety of tours further out from downtown Port Angeles, including the Olympic Adventure Trail, the Olympic Discovery Trail’s Spruce Railroad Trail, Olympic Hot Springs and more. They also rent ebikes and offer shuttle service with their ebike rentals.

MicroShuttles - Scott Tucker, co-founder of the NW Cup series also runs MicroShuttles which can organize shuttle days at Dry Hill. Enquire through the Dry Hill Facebook page for more information.






The Olympic mountains provide the riding canvas here and are characterized by deep river valleys and steep slopes descending right to sea level. Given the topography, there’s not a lot of what you would consider classic XC riding compared to the zone's gravity trails. That being said, everything that I rode was easily handled on a mid-travel bike. Also, there’s not a lot of shuttling access which means that you have to earn that elevation, so being able to pedal your rig is a necessity. Finding that happy medium between a bike that can handle DH trails of Dry Hill while also being able to make it to the top for multiple laps is the key here.











Port Angeles has a large range of accommodations with hotels centered around downtown, bed and breakfasts scattered throughout town and some camping options further afield.

Red Lion Hotel - conveniently located downtown, there are waterfront rooms, a pool and hot tub, and cruiser bikes to get around town or take on the Olympic Discovery Trail.

Maitland Manor B&B - This quaintly restored heritage house is known for its Strait of Juan de Fuca and mountain views and five-star breakfasts to fuel you up for a big day of riding. Guests can easily walk downtown from here and they offer a secure rack for bike parking. They also provide guests with their delicious house-made Protein Balls to keep you out on the trails longer!

Salt Creek Camping - Salt Creek is a beautiful beach and less than a 10 min drive from the Colville and Zoo Loop riding areas. Options are the Crescent Beach Campground, which has tent or RV sites and cabins directly across from Crescent Bay beach (which is private land) or the Rec Site on the headland.

For a more extensive list of accommodations, Visit Port Angeles has a complete list.

Dining options abound downtown with loads of international and domestic cuisine to choose from.

Breakfast:
Great Northern Coffee - Nice specialty coffees and some seriously massive breakfast burritos to get you through the biggest days of riding.
Fogtown Coffee Bar - Trendy little place to start your day and they support the trails and the new pumptrack!
First Street Haven - A cozy diner-style spot in downtown serving breakfast and lunch until close. They get creative with their brunch, sandwich and burger selections and are popular for their home-made cinnamon rolls, pastries and pies.

Lunch:
New Day Eatery - Sandwiches, juice bar, and I’d be surprised if you can walk past the pastry window and not buy something. Also highly recommended for breakfast.
Devils Lunchbox - Quality Tex Mex with tacos, burritos and a large selection of sandwiches made to order.
Toga's Soup House - Known for their made-from-scratch daily soup and sandwich specials, you can find yourself enjoying a bowl of Creamy Beer Cheese Soup with Pretzel Bites, but only during the week – they are closed on weekends.

Dinner:
Next Door Gastropub - The local favourite with upscale pub fare and a solid beer selection.
Jasmine Bistro - Large plates of traditional Thai cuisine with nice ocean views from the patio.
Spruce - Known for having some of the best cocktails in town, their mixologist never disappoints. Pair it with their elevated comfort food like a famous Fried Chicken Plate or The Grilled Cheese which is anything but a standard grilled cheese sandwich.
Bella Italia - If you’re a fan of upscale Italian, fine wine and the Twilight movie and book series, you’ll want to reserve a table here.

Breweries / Wineries:
Barhop Brewing - The local brewery has a solid IPA selection and more traditional offerings like lagers and ales. They also do a mean pizza.
Angeles Brewing Supplies & Taproom - This isn’t a brewery, but a cool place to hang out in downtown and sample an extensive craft beer selection with rotating seasonals and a well stocked take away fridge.
Hangar 19 - Another beer tasting room and brewery owned and operated by Bar Hop Brewing located at Port Angeles’ William R. Fairchild International Airport.
Harbinger Winery - An award-winning artisan winery where the locals hang and the Washington wine is made with “out of the ordinary” varietals.
Camraderie Cellars - The relaxing atmosphere of the tasting room is a great spot to sample the traditionally made wines that are meant to be paired with a good meal.

Port Angeles is known for having the best restaurants on the Olympic Peninsula. For a complete list of all restaurants, breweries, bars and wineries, click here.





Olympic National Park - The nearly one million acre park has some of the most spectacular coastal temperate rainforest in the lower 48 with tons of hiking and climbing opportunities. Highlights include Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh Rainforest, Sol Duc Hot Springs, and Mount Olympus. To get more intimate with the park's diverse ecosystems, take a tour from Carolyn Wilcox at Experience Olympic. She can provide custom tours and is a wealth of knowledge about the edible and medicinal plants of the region and works with the local Native American tribes.

Sea Kayaking - The strait of Juan de Fuca has some incredible paddling opportunities. Adventures Through Kayaking can get you set up with boats and guides who know the best spots to look for whales and other marine life. They also offer bike tours and are attached to Harbinger Winery which is a must do apres spot after paddling or riding (it’s right near the base of Dry Hill). And being a Washington establishment - they’ve got beer on tap if that’s more to your taste.

Downtown Port Angeles - From dozens of restaurants, bars and breweries to fashion-forward boutiques, art galleries, antique stores and gift shops, you’ll want to spend some time exploring downtown Port Angeles’ waterfront wharf, City Pier, beaches and attractions. Keep an eye on their event calendar for annual sporting, cycling and mountain bike events, art and music festivals, and even one of the most acclaimed Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festivals in the country happening every October.

Ediz Hook - Bike, walk or drive out to this natural three-mile long sand spit for some of the best views of the Olympic mountains, the Port Angeles Harbor and even Victoria B.C. Canada.

Whale Watching - Daily half-day whale watching tours are available from May - October at the Port Angeles Wharf with Puget Sound Express.

Lake Crescent - For flat water fun, Lake Crescent offers opportunities for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, swimming and floating. You can rent kayaks and SUP boards from either the historic Lake Crescent Lodge or the Log Cabin Resort. There are numerous trails for hiking as well as biking, including the Olympic Discovery Trail’s Spruce Railroad Trail.

The Pathway to the Pacific - The Olympic Discovery Trail is an impressive 130 mile (210 km) long multi-user trail that is mostly paved connects the communities of Port Townsend, Blyn, Sequim, Port Angeles and La Push. Grab your bike and pedal along the scenic Salish Sea, or up to Lake Crescent and beyond to the Pacific Ocean beaches in La Push. The Olympic Adventure Route is a 25 mile (40 km) singletrack section of mountain biking trails.

Beaches - Explore several sandy and rocky beaches along the Port Angeles waterfront. It isn’t uncommon to see seals, sea otters and even Orca whales from the shores along Port Angeles. Hollywood Beach provides a sweet spot to launch a kayak or paddle a standup paddleboard – the Port Angeles Harbour area is usually quite calm for paddling. Head to Elwha River Beach for epic birding and to see where the Elwha River meets the Salish Sea. Freshwater Bay and Salt Creek Recreation Area offer some of the best tidepooling, kayaking and scuba diving spots on the Olympic Peninsula.

Surfing - Port Angeles itself rarely gets open ocean swells, but larger swells from the NW do make it to the local beaches to produce ridable waves - more consistently in winter. A better option is to drive 70 miles to the coast and stay in La Push for a few days. The tiny coastal community gets consistent waves year-round with peaks along picturesque First Beach.

For more things to do in Port Angeles and the Olympic National Park, check out VisitPortAngeles.com




Port Angeles mountain biking trails

Dry Hill mountain biking trails

Zoo Loop mountain biking trails

Foothills mountain biking trails

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