Damon Point

With four miles of beach walking and water on three sides, Damon Point is one of the best places to hike and view wildlife in the North Beach area of Washington's Pacific Coast.

Start your walk just south of the RV campground. Head east to Protection Island, across a narrow spit that connects the mainland to your destination. At one time a road connected the two, but one too many storms and the growing spit has made it a thing of the past. Even though this area is within Grays Harbor, the south side gets buffeted by waves and wind. Dress for the conditions.

After crossing the spit you have some choices: hike around the point along the beach or head down the old road to the point. It's about four miles to circumnavigate the point. Sunny days will reveal views of Mount Rainier, the Olympics and Westport on the other side of the harbor. Bring your binoculars, telephoto lenses and tripods to capture bald eagles and scores of shorebirds. In the winter, look for visiting snowy owls and endangered snowy plovers along the beach or in the dunes. Just be sure to keep a respectful distance from these magnificent birds.