A living almanac of sky, tide, and season.

Live conditions for the Olympic Peninsula's wild places. See what's happening outside right now, and whether it's worth the trip today.

Alive right now

Ediz Hook

A humpback whale was spotted here yesterday, and calm light winds make evening the right time to scan the water for another sighting.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 7:55 am

Check first

Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge Road is usually open this time of year, but confirm the status at 360-565-3131 before the drive up.

Confirm Hurricane Ridge Road before you drive up

Worth it today

Salt Creek Recreation Area

A minus tide tomorrow morning at 6:48 am bares the Tongue Point tide pools, prime for it.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 6:48 am, pools open

Check first

Dungeness Spit

Tomorrow morning at 8:12 am brings a prime minus tide that will open the spit for the full 11-mile round trip to the lighthouse, but today's wind and rough conditions make the exposed beach a hard walk; save it for calmer weather.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 8:12 am, walk window open, but rough out

Worth it today

Lake Crescent

The water is calm and glassy this evening; the draw is real and the clarity is famously clear, carved by glaciers and starved of nutrients, so on a calm day you can watch the boulders fall away far below the hull.

Calm water, good paddling

Worth it today

Sol Duc Valley

The river is running normal for July, clear and blue-green over cobble, and the falls trail and riverbank are worth your evening walk.

River running normal for July

Alive right now

Crescent Beach at Salt Creek

A humpback whale cruised past just yesterday, so keep your eyes on the water through the light rain this evening.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 6:48 am

Worth it today

Elwha Valley

The Elwha is running normal for July, green-blue and cold, glacial-fed water that moves fast and commands respect year round; the rebuilding channel is full of drift logs and undercut banks, so keep well back from the current and off the log jams.

River running normal for July

Worth it today

Railroad Bridge Park

The Dungeness is running normal for July, clear and blue-green over the gravel bars, and worth the evening visit to watch the river settle toward dusk.

River running normal for July

Alive right now

Sequim Bay

The golden hour is still yours if you head out in the next forty minutes, and the low tide tonight will open up the beach for a quiet walk after dark.

Low tide tonight at 9:14 pm

Alive right now

Freshwater Bay

A humpback whale was spotted here just yesterday, and tomorrow morning's minus tide will open up the rocky points for a close look at the bay's edge.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 6:48 am

Alive right now

Hollywood Beach

The evening light is still yours if you head down now, golden hour starts in less than 50 minutes, and a humpback was spotted just yesterday nearby.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 7:55 am

Alive right now

Morse Creek

The light is yours for another hour and a half, and a humpback was spotted here just yesterday.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 7:55 am

Worth it today

Lake Sutherland

The water is glass calm right now, nearly still at 1 mph; it's an invitation to get out, especially if you're thinking of an early-morning paddle before the ski boats arrive.

Calm water, good paddling

Worth it today

Cape Flattery

The strait's mouth is settled at 8 knots, seas holding calm, and the draw is strong: running out for the fishing grounds or watching big water work the rocks from the harbor.

Ocean settled: wind 8 kt

Alive right now

Murdock Beach

Evening light is still ahead, but hold off until tomorrow morning when the minus tide drops low enough to hunt the fossil concretions this beach is known for.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 7:13 am

Alive right now

Elwha River Mouth

Light rain won't stop you from witnessing the delta that the freed Elwha keeps remaking, and a humpback was spotted just yesterday nearby.

Minus tide tomorrow morning at 6:48 am

Phenophase is a passion project by Andrew Christison, an entrepreneur and homesteader on Washington's North Olympic Peninsula. About this project


I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown.

John Muir