Dungeness River – Westerra Custom Homes
The Dungeness River custom home is built near The Discovery Trail.
Westerra Custom Homes latest custom home builds is the Dungeness River Custom Home. Located just a stone’s throw away from the Olympic Discovery Trail and the Railroad Bridge Park.
The Olympic Discovery Trail traverses nearly 130 miles of lowlands. It begins in neighboring Port Townsend and ends on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The trail is a paved pathway designed for biking and walking, and accessible for disabled users. The path winds through fields, farms, parks, towns, over creaks, rivers and ravines.
One of the most beautiful sections of the Olympic Discovery Trail is the historic trestle bridge at Railroad Bridge Park. Building the bridge took three to four weeks to complete in the summer of 1915. From 1915 to 1980, the Milwaukee Road operated the rail line from Port Townsend to Port Angeles, primarily carrying Olympic Peninsula timber. The line operated a passenger service until the 1930’s. The rail line was abandoned in 1985. In 2015, the iconic bridge was damaged from a heavy rainstorm causing the Dungeness River to wash away six support pilings and a trestle. The bridge has since been rebuilt.
Hear the powerful Dungeness River roar past underneath the bridge. The Dungeness River descends from the Olympic Mountains all the way down to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The river cuts new channels in the flood plain constantly changing the riverside forest habitat. The Dungeness river is the second steepest river in the United States, plummeting 7,300 feet over it length of 32 miles. The river supports four species of salmon; Pink, Chinook, Coho and Chum.
This scenic area is known for bird watching. Nuthatches, warblers, wrens, finches, woodpeckers and kinglets can be found zipping around. American Dippers can be seen along the river. Neo-tropical birds such as Western Wood-Pewee, Black-headed Grosbeak and Olive-sided Flycatcher, can be found during spring and summer seasons. On site, there is The Dungeness River Audubon Center which displays local wildlife and birds as well as offers educational events year-round.