Olympic Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge closed

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.