Hiking to the Beach at the Lyre Conservation Area on the Olympic Peninsula

Looking for more hikes and things to do on the Olympic Peninsula, including Olympic National Park?
Drive to Hurricane Ridge for a ridgetop hike, pay a visit to Sol Duc Falls and soak in the hot springs, or head to the coast to explore Rialto Beach & Hole-in-the-Wall

CURRENT INFO

For information about the Lyre Conservation Area, visit the North Olympic Land Trust website, a local group dedicated to protecting both natural habitats and working farmland. Trail reviews are available on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website.

GOOD TO KNOW

Free parking is available at the Lyre Conservation Area trailhead. There is no restroom at the trailhead, but there is a port-a-potty not far from the beach, provided by the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. A few picnic tables and benches are located in the meadow near the beach and along the trail. There are no garbage cans, so please pack everything out with you. Pets on leash are welcome.

The road to the Lyre Conservation Area isn’t well signed. Look for the sign for Reynold Road, about four miles west of Joyce. Turn north onto Reynold Road, and follow the short gravel drive to where it dead-ends at the Lyre Conservation Area.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Lyre Conservation Area is a wonderful place to experience the beauty of the Olympic Peninsula without the crowds that flock to Olympic National Park. Take a peaceful walk through the woods, and relax on the beach to the sound of lapping waves. If you’re lucky enough to visit on a clear day, take in the view across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the mountains of Vancouver Island.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

As usual, the kids were ambivalent about taking a hike. That soon changed when they learned we were hiking to the beach — now there was a worthy destination! They were also enthusiastic about the wide, easy trail. It was perfect for running, and straightforward enough that I could let them run ahead without worry. Basically, it’s a perfect low-key family beach hike.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Campers will find a quiet, little-known campground tucked away on the Lyre River near the Lyre Conservation Area. Check the Washington State Department of Natural Resources website for more information about this and other DNR campgrounds on the Olympic Peninsula, as well as local trails. Salt Creek Recreation Area, with tide pools, trails, and a busy campground near the beach, is also close by.

Head down the road to the tiny town of Joyce, where you can visit the Joyce Depot Museum or try a meal at the Blackberry Cafe. A little past Joyce, Port Angeles offers many good restaurant options. On our recent visit, we enjoyed delicious sandwiches and biscuits with gravy at New Day Eatery.

Of course, Port Angeles is also the gateway to Olympic National Park! The main visitor center for the park is located at the edge of town. From there, head uphill for unparalleled views atop Hurricane Ridge. Want to camp? We stayed at Fairholme Campground on gorgeous Lake Crescent. The Sol Duc Valley is another beautiful area to visit, with a hot springs resort and a hike to a stunning waterfall. Heading to the coast? Check out the incredible Rialto Beach.

One of the great things about spending a full week on the north Olympic Peninsula is having time to explore not just the big sights, but the quiet, hidden spots that so many pass by. We chose the Lyre Conservation Area primarily because it was a convenient spot to meet up with friends from Port Angeles. Lucky for us, it turned out to be an ideal place to while the day away, simply enjoying the beauty of nature and each other’s company.

The trail at the Lyre Conservation Area follows the route of an old road that once led to a small settlement on the coast. The initial stretch was open to the blue sky above, offering glimpses of tree-covered hills to the southwest. Along the way, a series of signs, created by a local Girl Scout, describe the benefits of time spent outdoors.

The trail led us into the forest, where soft light filtered through towering evergreens. Another sign on our left indicated a path to the nearby Lyre River Campground. The kids slowed their pace (for the moment, at least) to walk with us as we gradually made our way down toward the beach.

There isn’t much elevation change on the Lyre Conservation Area trail, but we encountered a few moderate switchbacks as we made the final decent to the beach. Near the end of the forest we discovered a porta-potty, placed there by the local chapter of the Surfrider Association. This is a great benefit if you plan to spend a long time on the beach — thank you, Surfriders!

My information about the Lyre Conservation Area indicated that there was a short loop trail at the end of the hike. As we left the forest behind, a small wood sign pointed to a trail to our right. Indeed, it was so overgrown that it’s likely none of us would have noticed it without the sign. Rather than bushwhack through the tall grass, we decided to stick with the main trail ahead of us.

The path edged around a meadow lined with wild current bushes. This was the former site of Gettysburg, a tiny logging settlement which had disappeared completely by the 1970s. Signage along the trail provides a brief history of the town, which faded into obscurity after the railroad line was built five miles further inland. Word to the wise: don’t both with the wild currents here. The boys and I sampled them and found them so seedy and bitter that we immediately spat them out. Save your berry picking for huckleberries on another trail!

Impatient to reach the beach, the kids eagerly ran of us ahead once again. Just beyond the trail, the rocky shoreline lay shrouded in mist. The tide was out, and seaweed-covered stones lay exposed along the mouth of the Lyre River. Across the river, houses stood on a bluff overlooking the Strait, a reminder that we weren’t far from civilization.

The real excitement began when the kids rounded the corner to discover a driftwood fort nestled along the bank. J immediately began planning his modifications, directing his younger brother to bring back wood to fortify the walls. The adults wandered back up to the trail along the meadow, hoping for some shelter from the wind that so often kicks up along the coast.

Besides escaping the wind, we were also happy to find a picnic table in the meadow, the prefect lunch spot. Now the only trick would be tearing the boys away from their fort. I found T beachcombing for rocks and shells. It wasn’t too hard to convince him to join us for some food. J, on the other hand, had decided that the driftwood fort was his new home, and he was determined not to leave. It wasn’t finished yet, after all! I finally convinced him to come for lunch with the promise that we would return to the fort afterwards.

True to my word, after a leisurely lunch at the picnic table, we headed back onto the beach. The wind had died down, and the skies were clearing. We could even glimpse Victoria, Canada, across the water before the clouds shifted once again and hid the city from view. The tide came slowly in, melding with the mouth of the Lyre River until it was hard to know where the river ended and the sea began.

At the fort, J was still making modifications, despite the fact that the adults were more interested in sitting and chatting. We pulled the boys into the conversation by encouraging them to share their favorite jokes. In life, it’s good to know people who can appreciate your children’s sense of humor. Shared laughter always makes the day brighter!

Before we knew it, hours had passed and it was time to head back. We packed up the sand toys and meandered down the beach, the boys still trying to stump us with their riddles.

Rounding the meadow, we left the now sunny beach behind. I was thankful for the reasonably clean port-a-potty, where we made a pit stop before heading up the trail.

Back in the woods, we ambled up the path, in no hurry to return. Just off the trail I noticed a lovely picnic area in the forest, with a table surrounded by a grove of trees. It was an inviting spot, with golden sunlight illuminating the surrounding greenery.

Back at the Lyre Conservation Area trailhead, we said our goodbyes and agreed that it had been a lovely hike. It just goes to show that you don’t need a famous destination. A trail, a beach, and good company are more than enough.