Day 1.  Hike the Dungeness Spit, Port Townsend
After meeting in Seattle at 9:00 a.m., we enjoy a scenic shuttle around Puget Sound to Port Townsend, located on the Olympic Peninsula.  We arrive in time for a full afternoon of hiking on the Dungeness Spit.  The Spit is a National Wildlife Refuge and one of Olympic Peninsula’s most remarkable natural features.  Almost seven miles long, it is the longest natural sand hook in the world.  The spit’s surrounding bay and estuary are home to a variety of seabirds, seals, fish, crabs and clams.  From the spit, the view of the Olympic Mountains is spectacular!  The historic Lake Crescent Lodge, our home away from home for the next two evenings, is located along the shore of the jewel of the Olympics. 
• Dungeness Spit Trail [3-11 miles, time and energy permitting; negligible elevation change]

Day 2.  Hike the Grand Ridge Trail, Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park has received international recognition as both a Biosphere Reserve and as a World Heritage Site.  The park contains over 1,200 species of plants, 300 species of birds and 70 species of mammals, and is one of the most pristine wilderness ecosystems in the contiguous United States.  We will hike to the broad summit of Elk Mountain, where we will be rewarded with colorful blossoms of phlox and dwarf lupine, and grandstand views of the Olympic Mountains, including the park’s highest peak, Mount Olympus.  From the summit we will descend through rolling tundra and into a pine forest at Deer Park. 
• Grand Ridge Trail Hike [7.4 miles; 1260 feet of elevation gain, 2120 feet of elevation loss]
• Shorter hike to Hurricane Hill and back [3 miles; 800 feet of elevation gain / loss]

Day 3.  Hike the Sol Duc Valley, visit the Sol Duc Hot Springs
In the morning, we hike through the deep woods of the Sol Duc valley (native words for “sparkling water”)past a majestic waterfall on a trail known as Lover’s Lane. Our trail begins at Sol Duc hot springs and winds through towering ferns and cedars along the Sol Duc river.   

 In the afternoon, we have a few hours of free-time to explore Port Angeles before we embark on an unforgettable experience, a ferry ride across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Upon arrival in Victoria, we settle into our Bed & Breakfast and then enjoy a gourmet meal at one of Victoria’s fine restaurants. 
• Moderately Easy Option:  Hike Lover's Lane [4 miles round trip; elevation change negligible]
• Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria [approximately 90 minutes]

Day 4. Sea Kayaking Becher Bay
Revered as one of the premier destinations for sea kayaking, the west coast of Vancouver Island is a naturalist’s paradise. The bays and coves brim with intertidal life, with bald eagles and sea birds flying overhead. After learning the basics of sea kayaking from local guides, we explore the niches of Becher Bay and a spectacular small island group.  With luck we will see seals and sea lions in their natural habitat and possibly an occasional passing gray whale.  Killer whales have also been known to frequent the area.    Tonight’s lodging is in the town of Sooke, a quaint sea-side community on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.  Sooke is  “where the rainforest meets the sea”. 
• Sea Kayaking Becher Bay [mileage variable, full day]

Day 5. Hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail
Today we hike the famed Juan de Fuca Trail from Parkinson Creek to Botanical Beach.  Hiking a mild portion of this otherwise rugged trail affords us the beauty of both the beach and a wonderland of temperate rainforest. The trail passes through lands that have been occupied by humans for perhaps 6,500 years.  This area is home to the Pacheenaht First Nation, who traditionally lived on the coast during summer.  At low tide, we canmeander along the tidal pools at Botanical Beach & look for anemones, sea stars, and sea urchins. 
• Juan de Fuca Marine Trail [moderate section of 6 miles; approximately 4-5 hours, several short sections of up and downs]

Day 6.  Hiking East Sooke Park  
Today we hike along the jagged headlands that rise above the crashing waves on the Coast trail of Vancouver Island’s East Sooke Park.  Where rainforest meets the sea, we will experience the lushness of mosses and ferns, as well as the windswept coastline bluffs against emerald green water. Along the Coast trail we will see evidence of the Coast Salish people in a few ancient petroglyphs bruised into rock.  At the end of the day, we return to Seattle via the Victoria Clipper, a super-fast passenger ferry that travels across the Juan de Fuca Strait and through Pugent Sound.  Trip concludes at approximately 8:00 pm in Seattle.
• Hiking East Sooke Park’s Coast Trail  [up to 7 miles; Moderately Easy ]
• Ferry from Vancouver Island to Seattle.  [approximately 2 hours]