Damon Point and Oyhut Wildlife Area

There’s something about getting out into the wilderness that refreshes the mind and the body. A little dirt and fresh air helps us put a new perspective on life and reminds of the vastness of our wild world. Thank goodness there are places we can go to recharge and renew!

Damon Point owl

One of Washington’s best outdoor refuges is Damon Point and the adjacent Oyhut wildlife area. Are you sick of the city life? Escape for a little while and come wander among the wildlife! This area encompasses several ecosystems, rare species, and beautiful landscapes.

Where are Damon Point and Oyhut?

Damon Point State Park is located at the northern end of Grays Harbor, where the harbor meets the Pacific Ocean. It covers about 60 acres, and it has plenty of paths and some interpretive signage. Next door, you’ll find the much wilder Oyhut Wildlife Area, which is 683 acres of wilderness.

There are many species of plants, animals, and birds within Damon Point and Oyhut. If you enjoy birdwatching, you will love it here! Even if birdwatching isn’t quite your speed, you’ll still get to enjoy spotting and photographing various species of wildlife.

One of the coolest things about this part of Washington is that the area serves as a “migration trap.” Many animals and bird stop here during their annual migration, and it isn’t unusual to find species that are rarely spotted elsewhere in Washington.

The Audubon Society spends a lot of time in Damon Point and Oyhut Wilderness Area, and they have reported many interesting bird activities. One of the coolest things to witness here is the incredible sight of 10,000 black-bellied plovers roosting together!

Damon Point owl

Damon Point State Park is also significant to rare snowy plover nesting sites. If you visit in late April to early summer, you can come see them.

Besides this, you can get a good look at bald eagles, peregrine falcons, sandpipers, various seagulls, short-eared owls, bluebirds, and more.

Of course, it’s not just birds that hang out in Damon Point State Park and Oyhut Wilderness Area. You’ll see all sorts of wildlife. If you’re quiet, you’ll probably even spot some deer.


What To Do

Damon Point may be remote for a state park, but it does have many trails to visit. You can wander down any one of them to spot interesting plants and animals or just get away from everything. Rock collecting and hiking to the point are popular activities.

Oyhut has an even more remote feel. There are no trails, and not much signage. However, you can walk through the grass to get to a salt marsh full of interesting species of plants and animals. The area has many different ecosystems to explore, including marine waters, estuaries, uplands, a tidal lagoon, sand spit, salt marsh, mudflats, and rock jetties. You can hike through Oyhut, hang out at the beach, or hunt ducks in the marsh areas.

Know Before You Go

• There are no facilities at Damon Point State Park or Oyhut Wilderness Area.
• Open year-round.
• Day use only.
• How to get there: If you’re on State Highway 115, go to the entrance of Ocean Shores. Drive south down Point Brown Avenue until you get to Marine View Drive. Turn right, and you’ll see parking for Damon Point State Park.

Article by Breana Johnson. Photos by Erin Kohlenberg from Seattle, Washington, USA – Hanging out, CC BY 2.0, Link.

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