Bikepacking the Olympic Discovery Trail: A Loaded-Touring Guide from Port Townsend to Lake Crescent

Why the Olympic Discovery Trail Deserves a Spot on Your Ride List

The Olympic Discovery Trail is a 130-mile multi-use route spanning the northern Olympic Peninsula from Port Townsend on Puget Sound to La Push on the Pacific coast. It's one of the Pacific Northwest's premier long-distance cycling routes — and it's built for exactly the kind of riding that panniers do best.

Most of the completed trail is paved. The terrain follows old railroad grade, which means the climbs are gradual, the surface is smooth, and the trail width (six feet or wider) gives you room to ride a loaded bike without white-knuckling past trees and posts. You're not grinding through gravel with frame bags bouncing on every rock. You're rolling steady on asphalt, through farmland and forest, over restored railroad trestles that span glacier-fed rivers, with the snow-covered Olympics rising to your south and the Strait of Juan de Fuca stretching north to Canada.

The best section for a first trip — and the one that works perfectly as a 3-day pannier tour — is the 75-mile stretch from Port Townsend to Lake Crescent. It's the most complete section of trail, with the fewest road-riding detours, the best camping options, and the single most scenic segment of the entire ODT: the Spruce Railroad Trail along the north shore of Lake Crescent, where the paved path threads through tunnels and past beaches accessible only by foot or bike.

Sequim, roughly the midpoint, sits in the rain shadow of the Olympics and averages less than 16 inches of rain a year — drier than Los Angeles. Port Angeles, ten miles farther west, serves as the gateway to Olympic National Park. And the trail connects them with almost continuous paved path, railroad bridges, river crossings, and the kind of gentle, rolling terrain that lets you ride fifty miles loaded and still have legs for setting up camp.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Mostly paved rail trail with gentle grades. Some road-riding sections between segments. Fully loaded bikes add effort on the few climbs. Surface: Paved asphalt (majority), compacted gravel (Port Townsend section, ~7 miles), short road-riding connectors between completed segments. Best for: Loaded tourers, pannier-equipped bikepackers, gravel and touring bikes. First-timers welcome — this is an ideal introductory multi-day route.

Getting There: Route Details & Coordinates

GPS Coordinates: 48.1126° N, 122.7571° W (Port Townsend waterfront trailhead, Washington Street)

• Start: Port Townsend waterfront trailhead, Washington Street at the City Pier. Parking available nearby. Bike rentals at Broken Spoke in Port Townsend.
• Direction: Westbound — Port Townsend to Sequim to Port Angeles to Lake Crescent.
• End: Spruce Railroad Trailhead, East Beach Road at Lake Crescent (Lyre River Trailhead). Shuttle, transit, or arranged pickup required for return. Clallam Transit operates bus routes between Port Angeles and other peninsula towns — bikes welcome.
• Distance: Approximately 75 miles one-way.
• Recommended schedule: 3 days / 2 nights. Day 1: Port Townsend to Sequim Bay State Park (~30 miles). Day 2: Sequim Bay to Port Angeles or Salt Creek (~25–30 miles). Day 3: Port Angeles to Lake Crescent (~15–20 miles, with time to ride the Spruce Railroad Trail).
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate — paved rail trail, gentle grades, some road-riding connectors.

Day 1 follows the Larry Scott Memorial Trail out of Port Townsend — seven miles of compacted gravel through forest, then road riding through Discovery Bay to connect with the paved trail east of Sequim. The Blyn-to-Sequim segment crosses farmland and prairie, with four historic railroad bridges spanning the rivers flowing down from the Olympics. The 700-foot trestle over the Dungeness River at Railroad Bridge Park is the signature crossing — you can see the Dungeness River Nature Center and Audubon Center from the deck. Camp at Sequim Bay State Park, directly on the trail, with hot showers and a dedicated hiker/biker campsite.

Day 2 rolls the nearly continuous paved trail from Sequim through Port Angeles — 25 miles of separated bike path with views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic foothills. Port Angeles is the last full-service town before Lake Crescent, with grocery stores, bike shops, and the Olympic National Park Visitor Center. Camp at Salt Creek Recreation Area (County Park, 15 miles west of Port Angeles off Highway 112) or Fairholme Campground on the west shore of Lake Crescent (NPS, seasonal).

Day 3 is the reward — the Spruce Railroad Trail along the north shore of Lake Crescent. Four miles of paved trail through tunnels carved for a World War I–era spruce railroad, past sand beaches you can only reach by foot or bike, with the glacially carved lake glowing turquoise below. This is the single best cycling segment on the entire ODT, and riding it loaded and unhurried on a quiet morning is worth the miles that got you here.

Pro tip: Ride west-to-east if you want prevailing tailwinds. But ride east-to-west from Port Townsend if you want to build toward Lake Crescent as your finale — the visual payoff of ending at the lake is worth the occasional headwind. Check the Peninsula Trails Coalition trail alerts before every trip — segments close periodically for construction and weather events, especially the Lake Crescent section.

View Port Townsend trailhead on Google Maps

Best Time to Go

June through September is prime season. The Sequim-to-Port Angeles corridor is rideable year-round thanks to the rain shadow, but the western segments near Lake Crescent get significantly more precipitation, and the Spruce Railroad Trail can be affected by winter weather, landslides, and seasonal closures.

July and August are the sweet spot — long daylight, dry trails, and warm enough to camp comfortably without hauling a cold-weather sleep system. The lavender fields in Sequim bloom in July (the annual Lavender Festival draws crowds mid-month), and the Olympic Mountains carry snow on their peaks well into summer, making every southern vista from the trail a postcard.

Weekdays are quieter. The trail sees recreational walkers and day riders near Port Townsend, Sequim, and Port Angeles — bikepacking traffic is light, and midweek you'll have long stretches effectively to yourself.

September is beautiful but daylight shortens, and you'll want to plan camp arrivals earlier. Morning fog in the Dungeness Valley can be thick, but it typically burns off by mid-morning.

Temperature range: Summer highs of 65–75°F on the Sequim-Port Angeles corridor, cooler near Lake Crescent. Nighttime lows of 45–55°F. The rain shadow effect means the eastern segments are noticeably warmer and drier than the western ones.

Gear Up: What to Bring

A loaded tour on the Olympic Discovery Trail is the kind of ride panniers were built for — steady paved miles, predictable rack geometry, and the luxury of carrying camp comfort instead of shaving ounces. Your tent, cook kit, sleep system, and spare layers all travel on the rear rack, balanced and secure, while your cockpit stays clean for navigation and snacking.

The ODT's mix of paved trail, short gravel sections, and Pacific Northwest weather means your gear has to handle morning dew, afternoon sun, occasional road spray, and the mist that rolls off Lake Crescent without warning. Here's what earns its rack space:

• Bike Panniers: Your sleep system goes in one, your kitchen and camp layers in the other. On paved rail trail, the structured shape and secure rack mounting mean zero heel strike and no sway on the gentle grades between Sequim and Port Angeles — exactly where a floppy bag starts costing you energy. Roll-top closure keeps morning dew and road spray out of your dry layers for three days straight.
• Explorer™ Dry Bag: Your sleeping bag lives inside this, inside your pannier. Double-dry is the rule on any multi-day tour — one wet night in a damp sleeping bag at 48°F at Lake Crescent ends your trip early. The Explorer seals the insulation layer against the condensation that builds inside panniers overnight, even waterproof ones.
• E-Merse™ Waterproof Cases: Your phone is your camera, your map, and your lifeline if you need a ride from Clallam Transit. On the Lake Crescent segment, where mist and tunnel spray are real, the E-Merse keeps it touchscreen-accessible in your handlebar bag without risking moisture damage. Also protects your ID and cash for the Port Angeles resupply stop.
• Bike Lights & Gear: The road-riding connectors between trail segments put you on Highway 101 shoulders and rural roads shared with logging trucks. Rear visibility isn't optional on the Discovery Bay road section or the Highway 112 connector west of Port Angeles — daytime running lights and a solid rear blinker are the difference between seen and not-seen on a loaded bike.

Beyond Seattle Sports gear: A helmet, always. Front and rear lights with USB recharging (towns are close enough to top off between camps). A basic tool kit — multi-tool, tire levers, spare tube, pump. Fenders if your bike takes them — road spray on the wet sections will coat your panniers, legs, and everything strapped to your rack. A camp stove, pot, and one mug. Layers: arm warmers, a wind vest, and a rain shell that packs small. The temperature can swing 20 degrees between a sunny afternoon in Sequim and a foggy evening at Lake Crescent. Carry two liters of water capacity — the trail passes through towns frequently enough that you won't need more, but the Lake Crescent segment has limited services.

Know Before You Go

• Permits: No trail permit required. Washington State Discover Pass not required for trail use (required for state park vehicle parking if you leave a car).
• Fees: Sequim Bay State Park camping: approximately $35–45/night for standard site, hiker/biker site significantly less. Fairholme Campground (NPS, Lake Crescent): approximately $22/night, no reservations — first-come, first-served. Salt Creek Recreation Area (Clallam County): approximately $28/night.
• Facilities: Full services in Port Townsend, Sequim, and Port Angeles — grocery stores, bike shops (Broken Spoke in Port Townsend, Ben's Bikes in Port Angeles), restaurants, lodging. Restrooms and water at most trailheads and parks along the route. Limited services west of Port Angeles.
• Cell service: Strong in Port Townsend, Sequim, and Port Angeles. Spotty between towns, especially on the Lake Crescent segment.
• Transit: Clallam Transit operates bus routes across the peninsula. Bikes are welcome on buses. Useful for shuttling between start and end points or bailing out of a segment if weather or mechanicals hit. Jefferson Transit covers Port Townsend area.
• Trail status: The ODT is approximately 75% complete. The remaining gaps require road riding, mostly on Highway 101 shoulders. The Discovery Bay section (between Port Townsend and Blyn) has narrow road shoulders with traffic — consider taking Jefferson Transit bus to bypass this section. Always check trail alerts before riding — construction closures and weather events (landslides, downed trees) can close segments, especially the Spruce Railroad Trail at Lake Crescent.
• Hazards: Road-riding connector sections with vehicle traffic (primary safety concern — use daytime lights, wear visible colors). Highway 101 shoulders between Discovery Bay and Blyn are narrow and carry logging truck traffic. Fog in the Dungeness Valley (reduced visibility for both riders and drivers). Rain and mist west of Port Angeles, even in summer. No camping directly on the trail — use designated campgrounds and state parks. Black bears are present in forested sections — standard food storage practices apply.

The Bottom Line

The Olympic Discovery Trail from Port Townsend to Lake Crescent isn't the longest bikepacking route in the Pacific Northwest. It's not the gnarliest. It's the one where everything works — the trail surface, the camp spacing, the towns, the views, and the way a loaded touring bike rolls exactly as it should on six feet of smooth rail-trail asphalt.

Three days, two panniers, and seventy-five miles of Olympic Peninsula. Railroad trestles over glacier-fed rivers. Lavender fields in the rain shadow. And that final morning on the Spruce Railroad Trail, when the tunnel opens and Lake Crescent fills the frame and your loaded bike has carried everything you need to be exactly here.

That's the ride you planned for. The gear just has to show up and do its job.

We build bags for miles like these. You bring the legs.

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Seattle Sports Co. — Built for the Water Since 1983