New Dungeness Lighthouse
Sequim, Washington
| Tours | Interpretive Center |
Overnight Stays |
Weddings | Giftshop | Fresnel Lens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 4th order lens displayed in interpretive center |
About New Dungeness Lighthouse
New Dungeness Spit, a flat sandbar barely visible from a distance in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, is the longest natural spit in the world. At the tip of this 5-mile-long stretch of sand, which is a National Wildlife Refuge, stands the New Dungeness Lighthouse.
It was the second lighthouse built in Washington and opened in 1857, and helped change the reputation of the area as “shipwreck spit.” While it first was equipped with a fog bell, that was replaced in 1873 with a steam whistle which could be heard at farther distances.
New Dungeness offers a unique experience – week-long stays as a lighthouse keeper!
When you visit:
New Dungeness Lighthouse is open for tours each day from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Getting to the lighthouse is half the fun. You can walk the 5.5 miles from the parking lot or kayak 5 miles from the base of the spit, and you’ll be sure to see plenty of wildlife. The refuge is home to more than 250 species of birds, 42 species of land mammals, and eight species of marine mammals. A friendly lighthouse volunteer will be there to greet you, too.
Proceeds from the sale of Washington Lighthouse license plates have helped keep New Dungeness Lighthouse shining with the following restoration projects:
- 2009 – Industrial pump system for sewage handling, $6,000
- 2011 – Replace and upgrade domestic water system, $5,000
- 2012 – Barn gutter project, $2,500
- 2014 – Demolition, repair and reconstruction of the Keeper's House front porch, $6,000
- 2017 – Repair and replacement of the Keeper's Quarters roof, $6,000 (see report and pictures)
- 2019 – Repair and replacement of brass chimney caps, $3,000 (see report and pictures)
