Harbor provides photographers’ paradise
Story and photos by Katie McGregor
Home to lush forests, dramatic mountains and some of the best sections of coast in Washington State, Grays Harbor offers ample opportunity for amateur and experienced photographers alike. Grab your camera or phone and experience these seven spectacular Harbor trails this summer to capture unforgettable memories.
Westport Light Trail
Hike: Easy (ADA Accessible)
Parking: Discover Pass required
This one-mile paved walkway runs parallel to the ocean between the Westport Lighthouse and Westhaven State Park. Start your walk at the lighthouse where you can go inside to take photos and climb the spiraling stairs to the top of Washington’s tallest lighthouse. The lighthouse is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday - Sunday in the summer. Admission is $4.
From the lighthouse, begin on the paved trail heading north toward Westhaven State Park. This walk has wonderful views of the ocean and going on a weekend nearly guarantees the opportunity to photograph surfers coming to catch some of the best waves in Washington as you near the Westport jetty.
Sunset on a big swell day is the perfect time to photograph surfers in their element. The seabirds, freighters sailing in and out of the harbor, and sea lions sunning themselves on buoys, complete the experience. Bring a 70 to 200mm telephoto lens, or zoom in on your phone to get close-up action shots. On a clear day, you might even catch the Olympic Mountains in the distance!
Enchanted Valley via East Fork Quinault River
Hike: Moderate - Challenging
Parking: No pass needed
This almost 30-mile roundtrip trail to the historic Enchanted Valley Chalet and “Valley of 10,000 Waterfalls” boasts some of the most storybook-esque scenes in Grays Harbor. For a shorter endeavor, day hikers can take the trail out to Pony Bridge, which spans a gorge carved by the Quinault River, just 2.5 miles from the parking lot. The mossy gorge walls and glacial blue water rushing below create a picturesque scene.
For an overnight trip, continuing on to Enchanted Valley is well worth the mileage. The trail out to the valley traverses through pristine rainforest as it hugs the Quinault River. Upon reaching Enchanted Valley, you’ll be greeted with views of Anderson Peak, rugged valley walls and the countless waterfalls flowing down them. The chalet completes the scene and is worth visiting while you can. Its fate rests in the hands of the Olympic National Park management and the ever-eroding river.
This view photographs best around sunrise and sunset when the soft light hits the peaks. Be on the lookout for wildlife as well. Black bears and elk are known to frequent the valley.
For a bonus exploration in the area, hike the Quinault Nature Trails starting from the Lake Quinault Lodge. You’ll find ample opportunities to photograph lush rainforest scenes.
TIP: Make sure to stop at Merriman and Bunch Falls on your way out to the Graves Creek trailhead. These two waterfalls are especially impressive considering their easy access along the South Shore Quinault Road.
At the time of publication, the South Shore Quinault Road is washed out before Graves Creek. A storm in conjunction with river erosion have rendered it impassable. Check nps.gov or wta.org for updated road conditions before going. Graves Creek is still accessible via the North Shore Quinault Road.
Porter Creek Falls
Hike: Easy
Parking: Discover Pass required
A short trail through Capitol State Forest will take you to the confluence of Porter Creek and its West Fork. This trail is wonderful for those seeking verdant greens, eye-catching fungi, and diverse flora.
At the end of the trail, you will find yourself at Porter Creek Falls where you can practice long exposure photography with the moving water of the creek. Long exposures can be achieved by lowering your shutter speed on a DSLR or mirrorless camera or shooting in live mode on an iPhone and then choosing the Long Exposure option in the “Photos” app.
For the best long exposure results, go out early or late in the day or in overcast weather. DSLR users may want to bring a tripod and neutral density filter to achieve a slow shutter photo without overexposing the highlights.
Sandpiper Trail – Bowerman Basin
Hike: Easy (ADA Accessible)
Parking: No pass needed
This short trail is best known for its popularity during the spring shorebird season, but it offers photo opportunities year-round. The approach to the trailhead takes you past the Bowerman Airport in Hoquiam where you might spot planes as they take off for flight.
Shortly after reaching the start of the Sandpiper Trail boardwalk, you will encounter some tree tunnels that are particularly wonderful to photograph as the sunlight streams through the leaves. Continue your walk to the split in the boardwalk and go counter clockwise for views of the salt marsh and harbor. Great Blue Herons can be found here feeding throughout the summer.
Bring a telephoto lens and plan to go out at sunset to capture some photos of silhouetted birds in the marsh lands.
Wynoochee, Spoon Creek and Maidenhair Falls
Hike: Easy
Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
For a triple waterfall day visit Wynoochee, Maidenhair and Spoon Creek Falls situated in the Wynoochee Valley. These waterfalls are all accessed via short trails through dense forest that open up to the rivers where these falls flow.
Aim for an overcast day to photograph these waterfalls in their prime moody atmosphere and don’t forget to try different angles of the pools at their bases. The water flowing down the Wynoochee and Spoon Creek rivers looks especially saturated if you catch it in the right lighting.
Lake Sylvia
Hike: Easy - Challenging
Parking: Discover Pass required
Lake Sylvia in Montesano has a plethora of trails with ample photography opportunities. Stick close to the car and photograph the lake and dam in the early hours of the morning or late in the evening where you can capture reflections in the calm water. Leave yourself some extra time if you choose to go for sunset; the valley that the lake rests in loses light earlier than one might expect.
To explore further, try the Sylvia Creek Forestry Loop or Brownie Trail for compositions of the flowing creek, summer light shining through forest canopy and wildflowers in June and July.
Bring a map to explore the extensive trail system in the area and be aware of bikers as these trails are popular with local cyclists.
Lake Swano
Hike: Easy
Parking: No pass needed
For a quick jaunt in Aberdeen with scenery similar to Lake Sylvia, visit Lake Swano at Grays Harbor College. This lake is surrounded by beautiful forest and you might get lucky spotting otters, leaping fish or even the turtles that frequent the man-made lake.
For more information on Grays Harbor trails visit wta.org and alltrails.com.
Tips for incredible phone photos
Nowadays you don’t need an expensive camera to take great pictures, the camera in your phone can capture amazing shots.
Go to your phone camera settings and turn on the grid and level functions. These tools not only act as guides for straight horizon lines but you can apply the rule of thirds to your photo compositions by aligning a focus of your frame with the grid lines.
Try different angles. Get low to the ground or climb above the subject of your photo. Shoot some photos wide and some up close. Experimentation with angle might help you see a scene in a new light.
Adjust your exposure. Tap and hold your iPhone screen when you’re ready to take a photo. A box with a small sun icon will pop up and you can move your finger up and down to adjust the exposure of your photo so your light points are not too white and your dark points are not too black.
Play with your edits. Sometimes a photo doesn’t seem to capture the true vibrance and life of a scene. Play with your edit settings in you photo app or download an external editing app like VSCO to adjust your photos to match your vision.
Buy some accessories! The boundaries of phone photography have expanded as many companies now offer lenses and other accessories that you can use with your phone to improve your photography without buying a full camera kit. Companies like shopmoment.com sell mobile lenses for macro photography, wide angles, and fisheye shots.
Home to lush forests, dramatic mountains and some of the best sections of coast in Washington State, Grays Harbor offers ample opportunity for amateur and experienced photographers alike. Grab your camera or phone and experience these seven spectacular Harbor trails this summer to capture unforgettable memories.
Westport Light Trail
Hike: Easy (ADA Accessible)
Parking: Discover Pass required
This one-mile paved walkway runs parallel to the ocean between the Westport Lighthouse and Westhaven State Park. Start your walk at the lighthouse where you can go inside to take photos and climb the spiraling stairs to the top of Washington’s tallest lighthouse. The lighthouse is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday - Sunday in the summer. Admission is $4.
From the lighthouse, begin on the paved trail heading north toward Westhaven State Park. This walk has wonderful views of the ocean and going on a weekend nearly guarantees the opportunity to photograph surfers coming to catch some of the best waves in Washington as you near the Westport jetty.
Sunset on a big swell day is the perfect time to photograph surfers in their element. The seabirds, freighters sailing in and out of the harbor, and sea lions sunning themselves on buoys, complete the experience. Bring a 70 to 200mm telephoto lens, or zoom in on your phone to get close-up action shots. On a clear day, you might even catch the Olympic Mountains in the distance!
Enchanted Valley via East Fork Quinault River
Hike: Moderate - Challenging
Parking: No pass needed
This almost 30-mile roundtrip trail to the historic Enchanted Valley Chalet and “Valley of 10,000 Waterfalls” boasts some of the most storybook-esque scenes in Grays Harbor. For a shorter endeavor, day hikers can take the trail out to Pony Bridge, which spans a gorge carved by the Quinault River, just 2.5 miles from the parking lot. The mossy gorge walls and glacial blue water rushing below create a picturesque scene.
For an overnight trip, continuing on to Enchanted Valley is well worth the mileage. The trail out to the valley traverses through pristine rainforest as it hugs the Quinault River. Upon reaching Enchanted Valley, you’ll be greeted with views of Anderson Peak, rugged valley walls and the countless waterfalls flowing down them. The chalet completes the scene and is worth visiting while you can. Its fate rests in the hands of the Olympic National Park management and the ever-eroding river.
This view photographs best around sunrise and sunset when the soft light hits the peaks. Be on the lookout for wildlife as well. Black bears and elk are known to frequent the valley.
For a bonus exploration in the area, hike the Quinault Nature Trails starting from the Lake Quinault Lodge. You’ll find ample opportunities to photograph lush rainforest scenes.
TIP: Make sure to stop at Merriman and Bunch Falls on your way out to the Graves Creek trailhead. These two waterfalls are especially impressive considering their easy access along the South Shore Quinault Road.
At the time of publication, the South Shore Quinault Road is washed out before Graves Creek. A storm in conjunction with river erosion have rendered it impassable. Check nps.gov or wta.org for updated road conditions before going. Graves Creek is still accessible via the North Shore Quinault Road.
Porter Creek Falls
Hike: Easy
Parking: Discover Pass required
A short trail through Capitol State Forest will take you to the confluence of Porter Creek and its West Fork. This trail is wonderful for those seeking verdant greens, eye-catching fungi, and diverse flora.
At the end of the trail, you will find yourself at Porter Creek Falls where you can practice long exposure photography with the moving water of the creek. Long exposures can be achieved by lowering your shutter speed on a DSLR or mirrorless camera or shooting in live mode on an iPhone and then choosing the Long Exposure option in the “Photos” app.
For the best long exposure results, go out early or late in the day or in overcast weather. DSLR users may want to bring a tripod and neutral density filter to achieve a slow shutter photo without overexposing the highlights.
Sandpiper Trail – Bowerman Basin
Hike: Easy (ADA Accessible)
Parking: No pass needed
This short trail is best known for its popularity during the spring shorebird season, but it offers photo opportunities year-round. The approach to the trailhead takes you past the Bowerman Airport in Hoquiam where you might spot planes as they take off for flight.
Shortly after reaching the start of the Sandpiper Trail boardwalk, you will encounter some tree tunnels that are particularly wonderful to photograph as the sunlight streams through the leaves. Continue your walk to the split in the boardwalk and go counter clockwise for views of the salt marsh and harbor. Great Blue Herons can be found here feeding throughout the summer.
Bring a telephoto lens and plan to go out at sunset to capture some photos of silhouetted birds in the marsh lands.
Wynoochee, Spoon Creek and Maidenhair Falls
Hike: Easy
Parking Pass: Northwest Forest Pass
For a triple waterfall day visit Wynoochee, Maidenhair and Spoon Creek Falls situated in the Wynoochee Valley. These waterfalls are all accessed via short trails through dense forest that open up to the rivers where these falls flow.
Aim for an overcast day to photograph these waterfalls in their prime moody atmosphere and don’t forget to try different angles of the pools at their bases. The water flowing down the Wynoochee and Spoon Creek rivers looks especially saturated if you catch it in the right lighting.
Lake Sylvia
Hike: Easy - Challenging
Parking: Discover Pass required
Lake Sylvia in Montesano has a plethora of trails with ample photography opportunities. Stick close to the car and photograph the lake and dam in the early hours of the morning or late in the evening where you can capture reflections in the calm water. Leave yourself some extra time if you choose to go for sunset; the valley that the lake rests in loses light earlier than one might expect.
To explore further, try the Sylvia Creek Forestry Loop or Brownie Trail for compositions of the flowing creek, summer light shining through forest canopy and wildflowers in June and July.
Bring a map to explore the extensive trail system in the area and be aware of bikers as these trails are popular with local cyclists.
Lake Swano
Hike: Easy
Parking: No pass needed
For a quick jaunt in Aberdeen with scenery similar to Lake Sylvia, visit Lake Swano at Grays Harbor College. This lake is surrounded by beautiful forest and you might get lucky spotting otters, leaping fish or even the turtles that frequent the man-made lake.
For more information on Grays Harbor trails visit wta.org and alltrails.com.
Tips for incredible phone photos
Nowadays you don’t need an expensive camera to take great pictures, the camera in your phone can capture amazing shots.
Go to your phone camera settings and turn on the grid and level functions. These tools not only act as guides for straight horizon lines but you can apply the rule of thirds to your photo compositions by aligning a focus of your frame with the grid lines.
Try different angles. Get low to the ground or climb above the subject of your photo. Shoot some photos wide and some up close. Experimentation with angle might help you see a scene in a new light.
Adjust your exposure. Tap and hold your iPhone screen when you’re ready to take a photo. A box with a small sun icon will pop up and you can move your finger up and down to adjust the exposure of your photo so your light points are not too white and your dark points are not too black.
Play with your edits. Sometimes a photo doesn’t seem to capture the true vibrance and life of a scene. Play with your edit settings in you photo app or download an external editing app like VSCO to adjust your photos to match your vision.
Buy some accessories! The boundaries of phone photography have expanded as many companies now offer lenses and other accessories that you can use with your phone to improve your photography without buying a full camera kit. Companies like shopmoment.com sell mobile lenses for macro photography, wide angles, and fisheye shots.
