Introducing Cedarduck and Sequim to CSHA members
For CSHA members who saw our ad in the November issue of The New Horseman (special thanks to editor Jill Kraut for helping us with the ad layout!), we just added this page to our website to give you more information about horse trails, clubs, and shows in the Sequim area.
Horse trails near our home
In our “Location video”, you see the gate to the Washington state Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) forest land. There’s over 50 miles of trails on the other side of that gate! Normally the gate is closed to vehicles. It is peaceful. No noise. No buildings. Solitude. Even on weekends, I can go in there anytime and only see a few people, if any. But you will sometimes encounter fellow horsemen — either people along Olson Rd. who own horses, or those who come with horse trailers and park at the end of the county road where our driveway begins.
Here is another video clip showing more of these trails…
Olympic Discovery Trail
As you will also see in “Location video,” we are only about 10 minutes from Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT). Their website here describes equestrian facilities on/near the trail for Sequim. The photo you see on the right captioned “Horse traffic near Robin Hill Park” is exactly one mile west of Carlsborg Rd. intersection with ODT. This intersection is where I was standing when I made the “Location video” for our website. I often go running on the trail here and see horses like those pictured.
The paved portion of the trail is for walkers/bikers and there is a dirt path next to the paved trail for horses. Along the ODT, you will find such facilities as hitching post, toilet, picnic tables, etc.).
Robin Hill Farm
You will get to Robin Hill Farm in about three miles from Carlsborg Rd. A short trail connects the ODT to this county park. Within the park, horses have trails separate from the “people” trails. These are forest trails with attractive scenery. Their website says, “Ride your horse through stands of tall Douglas Fir and along rolling meadows. Visit one of several ponds that dot the landscape or stretch your legs, with a stroll along an irrigation ditch.” It truly is a pleasant detour from the ODT. Alternatively, you could begin your ride at this park, because it has a two entries with large parking areas, hitching post, toilet, picnic tables, etc.
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
Another popular horse trail not far from our house is at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. You will be riding through meadows with spectacular views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the 5-mile long Dungeness spit. See photos here.
If you like walking or jogging on ocean beaches in California, here in Sequim we don’t need to drive 70 miles west to the Pacific coast. We just go a few miles to the Dungeness spit to get the same experience. As their website states, “No need to head all the way to the Pacific if it’s a good beach hike you seek. One of Washington’s best saltwater strolls is along its “north coast, “the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Actually, this hike heads directly into the strait on the longest coastal spit in the continental United States. A narrow strip of sand, dune, and beached logs, the Dungeness Spit protrudes over 5 miles straight into the strait. Prone to breaching during storms, the spit is also resilient and well-established-and well-hiked and loved by those who explore it.”
Wilderness Exploration
If you enjoy riding your horse deep into pristine wilderness areas with majestic mountains and rivers, then you will love Olympic National Park (ONP). We get over 1 million visitors per year, but you won’t feel crowded on the trails, because there are 365 miles of trails in the ONP that are open to horses.
The Olympic National Forest surrounding the ONP adds hundreds more miles of options for backwoods riding or camping. All the trails listed here under Dungeness area are close to our house.
Horse clubs
The Washington State Horsemen organization is a statewide association of horse enthusiasts who share many of the same goals as CSHA. They have posted this listing of horse clubs around our state. As you can see, there are currently three horse clubs right here in Port Angeles, which you might join to meet new friends and learn more about the horse trails on the Olympic peninsula.
Horse shows
Washington State Horsemen also posts a listing of horse shows in the state. You can see the current list here. Gig Harbor and Port Orchard seem to be active show horse communities, and they are both on the Olympic peninsula (not far from Sequim).
Come visit us!
Why not come to the Olympic Peninsula for your next vacation? Even if you do not decide to join all the other Californians who have retired in Sequim, you will at least have had a wonderful and memorable vacation. Let us know you’re coming, and we’ll be ready to greet you.
Meanwhile, please have a look at the video tour of our house and the accompanying photos.