Dungeness

The Dungeness ramp provides boat access to Dungeness Bay and the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Sequim. This is a relatively sheltered launch point compared to other Strait access sites, making it a good choice for paddlers new to open water conditions. The area typically has ample parking and light boat traffic. Contact the Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex at (360) 457-8451 for current conditions and any access updates.

**Important Tidal Considerations:** Dungeness Bay experiences significant tidal fluctuations and dries to extensive mudflats at low tide. The boat ramp only extends a short distance onto the exposed mudflat before transitioning to soft, unstable ground. Plan your launch and return around tide tables, and exercise caution when navigating the mudflat area. Be prepared for challenging conditions if you misjudge the tide cycle.

The nearby Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge offer scenic paddling opportunities, though landing restrictions apply to protect wildlife. This location is best suited for experienced paddlers comfortable with tidal waters and variable conditions on the Strait.

The San Juan Wilderness now contains a total of 353 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service's Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Washington. In 1976 the San Juan Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System.
The tips of submerged mountains collectively thrust above the sea...

The San Juan Wilderness now contains a total of 353 acres and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service's Washington Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Complex. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Washington. In 1976 the San Juan Wilderness became part of the now over 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System.
The tips of submerged mountains collectively thrust above the sea where two straits--Georgia and Juan de Fuca--meet up with Puget Sound, forming the San Juan Islands. Of the 700 or so islands, islets, rocks, and reefs that make up the San Juan Islands, fewer than 200 have garnered official names. The large islands of San Juan, Lopez, Orcas, and Shaw make up more than 80 percent of the landmass. Of the rest of the land, much of it wave-drenched, 83 pieces are included in the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, a sanctuary for gulls, cormorants, guillemots, puffins, brants, oystercatchers, auklets, bald eagles, and harbor seals. Of these 83 specks of land above the line of mean high water, 80 have been designated Wilderness: Aleck Rocks, Bare Island, Barren Island, Battleship Island, Bird Rock, Black Rock, Boulder Island, Brown Rock, Buck Island, Castle Island, Center Reef, Clements Reef, Colville Island, Crab Island, Davidson Rock, Eliza Rock, Flattop Island, Flower Island, Fortress Island, Four Bird Rocks, Gull Reef, Gull Rock, Half Tide Rock, Hall Island, Harbor Rock, Lawson Rock, Little Sister Island, two named Low Island, Matia Island (with the exception of the five acres camping area managed under an Memorandum of Understanding with Washington State Parks), Mouatt Reef, Mummy Rocks, Nob Island, North Pacific Rock, North Peapod Rocks, Parker Reef, Peapod Rocks, Pointer Island, Puffin Island, Rim and Rum Islands, Ripple Island, Secar Rock, Sentinel Island, Shag Rock, Shark Reef, Skipjack Island, Skull Island, Small Island, South Peapod Rocks, Swirl Island, The Sisters, Three Williamson Rocks, Tift Rocks, Turn Rock, Viti Rocks, White Rocks, and Willow Island, along with various unnamed islands, islets, rocks, and reefs.

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