Port Angeles, WA

Ediz Hook is a 3-mile-long sand spit that extends from northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula at Port Angeles northeasterly into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, located about 15-mile west of the larger Dungeness Spit. It is relatively narrow at points, but broader toward the base and the northeast tip.

Much of the spit is accessible by car on the Ediz Hook Road, which passes several turnouts and picnic areas, with broad views of Port Angeles and the Olympic Mountains. To the north marine traffic can be observed, and orca pods, harbor seals and other marine life can be spotted. Several long stretches of public beach facilitate beachcombing and birdwatching. The end of the spit is used by the Coast Guard.

"The Hook" was created by wind and tidal action along the southern edge of the Strait, that carried sediment from the delta of the Elwha River eastward. The presence of the sand spit creates a natural harbor to the south, with the spit sheltering the area off Port Angeles from the large ocean-sourced swells that roll eastward down the Strait.