A Quick Tour of the Dungeness Prairie

Description

Cycling across the Dungeness Prairie might sound a bit daunting, but if you’re looking for a short, mostly flat, easy ride–most of which is on a paved bike path (well, multi-use–it is a segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT), after all)–through prairie, farmland, and woods, this section of the ODT is ideal.  

Start at the intersection of the ODT and Kitchen-Dick Road, riding west for a half mile to Vautier Road, then south on this chip-sealed, low-traffic road for about 500 yards to pick up the ODT again at the entrance to Robin Hill County Park.    Continue following the ODT west another half mile before dropping down to cross McDonald Creek and heading up the first of two short, moderately steep climbs on the route.  From here the route winds through farmland and pasture to Spring Road, where you’ll turn right (north) towards the junction of the ODT and Old Olympic Highway.  Glance right and you’ll see the Agnew store sitting on the north side of the highway, a great place to stop and have a snack while getting to meet the rabbits and goats out back.  (Caution: do not leave your bike propped up against the goats’ pen; you might come back to find half your bike seat chewed up).  

The route continues west on the ODT as it parallels Old Olympic Highway just south of the road.  At this point you’ll drop down to cross Siebert Creek, going under the Old Olympic Highway overpass.  Here’s where you’ll encounter the second short, moderately steep grade before easing onto a winding, gently rolling path through woods for another two miles to Lake Farm Road.