Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge
If you love biking and hiking the Discovery Trail leading through Sequim -
just as we do - you know by now that one of our big outdoor attractions, the
Railroad Bridge crossing the Dungeness River, got severely damaged by a big
winter storm in February 2015 and has been closed ever since.
Bikers and walkers lane up the bridge
View of Railroad Bridge still impressive
Damage to Olympic Discovery Trail in Sequim
James Town tribe is the owner of the Bridge and considers a short term or
long term plan for fixing the bridge. Alas, nothing has been done so far. We -
and probably many other residents and visitors - loved to bike beyond the
Railroad Bridge all the way to Robin Hill Park or just to Sequim Airport
watching small planes take off and land. Now our ride has become a short one
from Carrie Blake Park to the Railroad Bridge because the detour available via
Old Olympic Hwy is more for the serious bikers. Nevertheless we feel our blog is
a good place to list it in addition to the Olympic Discovery Trail site
Old Dungeness River Bed covered with trees
Damaged Railroad Bridge from high flood waters
Closed part of Railroad Bridge
Bikers' Detour to circumvent Railroad Bridge Closure
The route (east to west) leaves the trail in
Sequim at 5th Ave, goes north on 5th to Old Olympic Hwy, turns west across the
river on the Hwy bridge, then south on Heath Rd to rejoin the trail. See Trail Status
Visit to Railroad Bridge in Sequim
Old riverbed of Dungeness
Most parts of the bridge are still accessible
General Discovery Trail
Information
The route of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT)
traverses almost 130 miles of lowlands, bordered on the south by the Olympic
Mountain Range and on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It starts in Port
Townsend and ends on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The trail is a wide, paved
pathway designed for bicyclists and hikers with a shoulder for equestrians where
appropriate.
The Olympic Peninsula is Washington State’s
premier destination for non-motorized touring, filled with views of snow capped
peaks, ocean vistas, fast flowing rivers and pristine lakes, and everywhere the
majestic forests of the Pacific Northwest. The presently completed trail winds
through fields and farms, parks and towns over creeks, rivers and ravines, past
beaches and national recreation areas.The trail exhibits a wide diversity of fauna and flora of
natural beauty.
