Dosewallips State Park: Weekend Getaway for May 7

Dosewallips State Park

WHAT: Dosewallips State Park on Hood Canal has 5,400 feet of freshwater shoreline and 5,500 feet of salt water shoreline. The park offers camping all year and has a new bunkhouse available for rent. The park also offers trails for hiking and picnic facilities. Check out the rough-skinned newts in the pond along the hiking trail. But don’t touch them.

WHEN: The park is open 8 a.m.-10 p.m. in the summer and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the winter.

WHERE: On the west side of Hood Canal, just south of Brinnon.

ACTIVITIES: Many visitors swim and fish in the river. The park is also popular during clamming season. It draws visitors for beachcombing and bird-watching. It is closed to metal detecting.

GETTING THERE: From Shelton, drive north on U.S. Highway 101 for 40 miles and follow the signs to the park.

ALSO: The campground could be noisy because of construction work on the sewer system, according to an alert posted on the campground’s website. The park has 5 miles of hiking trails, picnic facilities, an amphitheater and two horseshoe pits. Campsite fees range from $12 for a primitive camp to $37 for a full-utility premium campsite. Camping check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and checkout time is 1 p.m. Platform tents rent for $40-$59 per night and cabins rent for $45-$69. The Rustic Ranger Bunkhouse has three bedrooms, two bathrooms with showers, a kitchen and room to sleep eight people. It rents for $99-$129 per night.

HISTORY: Before becoming parkland, the “Dose Meadows” were homestead sites. Old rail beds used for transporting logs from the woods to the water are still in place.

INFORMATION: parks.wa.gov.

Craig Hill, craig.hill@thenewstribune.com

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Dosewallips State Park: Weekend Getaway for May 7."