Damon Point State Park

Damon Point State Park, located in Gray's Harbor County of Washington State, is 61 acres and now controlled by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Formerly a Washington State Park, it is at the southeastern tip of the Ocean Shores Peninsula. The peninsula is a 1 by .5 miles piece of land that juts out into Grays Harbor. The Washington Department of Natural Resources has been working to restore it as a natural bird habitat for birds such as the Snowy Plover and the threatened Streaked Horned Lark. This park is one of the last remaining nesting sites of the Snowy Plover and provides an excellent example to other parks on protecting accredited land and using natural plant selection to maintain and provide for the wildlife. 

Accretion is the opposite of erosion. Because of the way in which the peninsula is shaped and placed, sand can accumulate over the years where there was none before. In placing natural plants, the accredited land can maintain its growth naturally and provide more areas for the birds to live. The area is also known to have one of the greatest offerings of agates. The one-mile strip leading to Damon Point is walkable and offers magnificent and unparalleled views of Mount Rainier, the Olympic Mountains, and Gray's Harbor. 

In 1965, a winter storm grounded the S.S. Catala, which, at the time was being used as a floating hotel, and prior to that it had been providing the Canadian coast with miners, adventurers, and loggers since 1925. Sand accumulated to bury the ship over the years but in February of 2006 a winter storm revealed part of the hull and in April of 2006 it was discovered that there was still oil inside of the hull. The Department of Ecology coordinated efforts to remove the oil and visitors to the state park were asked to keep their distance from the wreck for both their own safety and that of the environment. But, it is a unique sight to behold.

The park offers five unsheltered picnic tables but there are no trash receptacles provided. Visitors are expected to take all of their trash, including poop bags, with them when they leave. There is only room for six vehicles to park outside of the entrance and cars cannot go past the park entrance as the road is most often washed out. There are porta potties at the entrance. The park is free and open year round. Dogs are expected to be on their leash at all times and are not to chase or go near the wildlife. Owners are expected to clean up after their pets immediately. Some owners have complained that dogs struggle to walk past the narrow sandspit, making the hike a lot shorter than they would prefer.