Hike to Spencer Spit

It's just a short walk to the beach on this protruding point in Lopez Sound, and all downhill. Immediately upon leaving the trailhead, you come to a junction. Turn right and make a beeline straight for the picnic area at the base of the Spit.

Time to explore the Spit. If the tide is high, stick to the wide trail; otherwise, scamper over a hedgerow of beached logs to the beach. It's a 0.4-mile walk to the tip of the Spit, where Frost Island is directly across the water to the east. The channel separating these two land forms is deep and swift moving, so beware of entering the water here.

Check out the log cabin at the tip of the spit. A 1978 replica of a 1913 structure, it was constructed of driftwood logs. Now return via the north shore of the Spit. Watch for playful harbor seals and water-plying ferries. Scan Flower Island for avian activity. Admire a beautiful backdrop dominated by Orcas Island's Mount Constitution.

At 0.25 mile from the cabin, you come to a creek draining the Spit's interior lagoon. Expect wet feet crossing the creek. Don't enter the lagoon; it's a sanctuary for breeding, nesting, and feeding birds. Continue along the beach another 0.25 mile, coming to a walk-in campground. Turn south, following a lagoon-hugging trail back to the picnic area and then back to your vehicle.

Head into Lopez Village after your day at the Spit and check out the Lopez Winery or hit the creamery for some homemade ice cream.