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Cape Flattery is the most northwesterly point of the contiguous 48 states. It’s located in the Makah Reservation in Washington, near Neah Bay, and offers dramatic views of sea stacks and caves.
Permits
First of all, to park at the trailhead, you have to purchase a recreation permit from the Makah Reservation. This can be done at the Makah Museum, Washburn’s General Store, the mini-mart, and other businesses in Neah Bay. It costs US$20 (as of January 2024) and is good for the whole calendar year.
Cape Flattery Trail
The trail is about ¾ mile one-way with a 200 foot elevation loss, so coming back will be a bit tougher. You’ll walk on combination of boardwalk and dirt through a forest, and there will probably be a few muddy bits along the way. There are picnic tables near the end of the trail, but no garbage cans. A restroom is located at the parking lot.
First Viewpoint
The first viewpoint you come to allows you to see the south side of the cape. This was my favorite view, which included some gorgeous sea stacks.
The rocks and sea stacks just off Cape Flattery are part of the Flattery Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, which stretches from the cape several miles to the south along the coast. The refuge is a section of the Washington Islands Wilderness.
Second Viewpoint
A second two-tiered viewpoint lets you see the north side and some sea caves.
Third Viewpoint
Finally, after climbing a short ladder, you come to the end of the cape and the third and final viewpoint. To the south, you can spot Kessiso Rocks, and to the north, the Cape Flattery Reef. The Makah ancestors used this vantage point to spot early European expeditions entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Tatoosh Island
Across the way is Tatoosh Island, where a decommissioned lighthouse has stood dating back to 1857. The island was once used seasonally by Makah fishermen and later by the US Coast Guard, Navy, and Weather Bureau. It’s constantly beaten by waves and wind, and we wondered how lonely it would feel to have been stationed there.
