BIRD watching
bird watching in the south sound & hood canal area
Walk through Olympic Peninsula's beautiful lush flora as you revel in the opportunity to observe the rich and varied bird life of Hood Canal. With a majestic and varied landscape for your birding endeavors, Hood Canal is a gorgeous place to search for 250+ species that call the Olympic Peninsula home. With premiere birding trails full of life, view birds like bald eagles, rhinoceros aucklets & more. View helpful self-guided trail maps from the US Forest Service and the Olympic Bird Trail.
Potlatch has year-round moorage off of its 5,700-foot shoreline. The typically calm Hood Canal waters are a popular place for swimming, boating, paddling, water skiing, crabbing and fishing (with a permit).
A hidden gem only reached by watercraft, Hope Island Marine State Park is a special place to those who live in the area. Visitors may explore the trails, catch a glimpse of seals in the water, watch eagles soar in the sky or have a picnic under historic fruit trees.
This year round park (2.8 acre) supports a small boat launch providing salt water access to Hammersley Inlet (low tide advisory for launch/load of boats).
Ingvald J. Gronvold is owned by the Port of Hoodsport. It offers a public boat dock with beach access and picnic tables. Two sets of concrete stairs lead down to the beach from the sidewalk along Highway 101.
Wetlands, pebble beaches, tidal flats and salmon runs are the stuff that Puget Sound is made of. Discover and explore these features and more at Belfair State Park.
Allyn Waterfront Park features, Dock, Launch Ramps, Pump-out Station. Playground & Restrooms, Gazebo for Events
Check out Hood Canal’s many spots for Camping, Hiking, Parks and Waterfalls.
The Olympic Bird Trail
The Olympic Peninsula region is the perfect destination to explore the unique places that these birds call home. Mountains, old growth forests, lakes, rivers, estuaries and rugged coastlines add up to a vast ecosystems supporting an array of migrating & year-round birds. Renowned guidebook writer and trail advocate, Craig Romano, shared 25 of his favorite bird viewing destinations with us. Start planning your trip now!