Living in Clallam County

Clallam County is in northwest Washington, bordering Canada, the Pacific Ocean and the Olympic National Park. The close to 70,000 people living here and the thousands of visitors enjoy the diversity of our region.

Port Angeles is a modern community, rich in cultural events and history. Port Angeles was discovered in 1769 because of its sheltered harbor and deep water access. The Port is a safe haven for large ships and the many local marinas attract some of the finest cruising anywhere. There are not very many locations that can offer the diversity of boating that the Northwest has to offer. Smaller boat enthusiasts can enjoy exploring the Strait of Juan de Fuca or lakes such as Lake Crescent, with its turquoise blue water and mountainous shorelines and rivers abound. Or you can ride a ferry from Port Angeles 18 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the city of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, Canada.

Bike, hike, walk or horseback ride the Olympic Discovery Trail as it meanders through valleys and across creeks with the glorious Olympic Mountains to the south and the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canada to the north.

East Clallam County centers around Sequim and its farmlands. Sequim is the Lavender capital of North America. During the summer months, most lavender farms are open to the public for U-pick and the Sequim Lavender Festival, held the third weekend of July, attracts thousands of visitors to the area. You can come into close contact with wildlife right from your car at the Olympic Game Farm or in the nearby fields, wildlife areas and parks throughout the county. Or bird watch for any of the thousands of birds from over 200 different species that call the Peninsula home.

West Clallam County’s 2,000 miles of area has only one stoplight on a 160 mile stretch of highway to hundreds of miles of rugged coastline, to one of the lushest rain-forests in the world and to endless miles of streams and rivers.

Our community boasts excellent schools, medical care, parks and great events. Peninsula College offers two-year degrees and several four-year degree options or non-credit adult learning. The Olympic Medical Center is a full-service hospital and has received numerous national awards for quality patient care.

Doesn’t the beautiful Olympic Peninsula sound like a great place to live, work and play – where within minutes or a couple of hours you can be walking a remote beach, kayaking a river, hiking to a glacier or discovering the secrets of a rain forest? Here’s some of the fun stuff we do.

Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park is the local haven for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, downhill skiing and tubing. And for the backcountry hiker-camping enthusiast there are few better places to retreat to than the Olympic National Park.
Get the appropriate license and within a short distance you can test your fishing skills in salt water, lakes, streams, rivers and even catch shellfish. We are home to the famous Dungeness Crab highlighted in local restaurants and at the Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival in October.
Kayaking is also popular here. From one destination you have access to flat water, white water and sea kayaking.
The Olympic Peninsula is world famous for its Roosevelt Elk which boast some of the largest racks in the world. The Olympic Forest is also home to a large number of black-tail deer and black bear. Trophy class black bear hunting on the Olympic peninsula can be the biggest thrill any big game hunter could ever encounter.
We are fortunate to have the Olympic Discovery Trail, a non-motorized, multi-user transportation system connecting the communities of the Northern Olympic Peninsula for biking, walking and running. The Trail will ultimately stretch approximately 100 miles from Port Townsend at the East end to the Pacific Coast at the West end. Currently 30 miles of the Olympic Discovery Trail from Blyn to Port Angeles are completed. The Olympic Discovery Trail follows portions of the now defunct Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The North Olympic Discovery Marathon and Half Marathon is held annually in June on the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Blessed with a location of mild seasonal swings, Clallam County offers year-round golf at several courses.
Local entertainment also flourishes here, from the 7 Cedars Casino in the east to the Makah Tribal Culture Center in the far west.
Several local wineries produce great wine and over the last several years have gained a good deal of notoriety. Do your own taste testing or visit during the many special events the wineries hold throughout the year.
All the necessities are here for shopping too with big name grocers and merchants, plus local businesses for unique and custom items.

Check out these links that tell more of the beautiful Olympic Peninsula’s story.

Newspapers and Local Radio Stations. Each link has additional links to learn more about the Olympic Peninsula.

Events and Activities around the Area

Schools

Medical Facilities

Webcams around the Peninsula