Cape Flattery

For other places with the same name, see Cape Flattery (disambiguation).
Map of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, showing Cape Flattery at the northwestern tip of Washington state
Tatoosh Island and Cape Flattery Light from Cape Flattery, with Sitka Spruce in foreground.

Cape Flattery (48°23′09″N 124°43′37″W / 48.385961°N 124.726912°W / 48.385961; -124.726912) is the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. It is in Clallam County, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca joins the Pacific Ocean. It is also part of the Makah Reservation,[1] and is the northern boundary of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Cape Flattery can be reached from a short hike, most of which is boardwalked.[2] The westernmost point in the contiguous United States is at Cape Alava, south of Cape Flattery in Olympic National Park. However, the westernmost tip of Cape Flattery is almost exactly as far west as Cape Alava, the difference being approximately 5 seconds of longitude, about 360 feet (110 m), at high tide and somewhat more at low tide.[3]

The Cape Flattery Lighthouse is on Tatoosh Island, just off the cape. Makah Bay and Neah Bay are on either side of the cape. Neah Bay, Washington is the closest town to the cape.

  1. ^ "Cape Flattery Trail". Makah Tribe. Archived from the original on 5 October 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  2. ^ Logan, Jeff (2010). "Cape Flattery trail". North Olympic Peninsula Insider. Archived from the original on 9 November 2000. Retrieved 11 September 2010. Cape Flattery Trail, with photographs.
  3. ^ NOAA Chart 18460, Strait of Juan de Fuca Entrance, 1/100,000, 2006