Welcome to my town! As you read along you may want to look at a city map.
Located on the banks of the Hoquiam River and overlooking Grays Harbor Bay. Hoquiam is no longer a town but rather a small city.
It has two major bridges, one heading west and the other taking you east. The streets are lined with flowering trees, making spring a wonderful time to just get out of your car and walk about!
For most folks Hoquiam is just one of those small towns they pass through viewing only the car or log truck in front of them. For the residents we tend not to travel the streets most taken but spend a few leisurely minutes exploring the outer regions of Hoquiam.
From the center of town, our historical district with massive sky scrapers towering five stories above us, we take a turn toward the river. Riverside Park is a 1.25 mile fairly flat circle walk that is paved for most of the distance. The walk takes you past public docks, picnic tables with raise BBQ pits and a public boat ramp. Food is available at restaurants and taverns along the west side of the river or you may want to pick up a few things at our locally owned grocery store. South behind the police station is a community garden and open space to toss a ball or Frisbee.
On the east side of the river is our Farmers Market. It has a cafe, espresso, baked goods and fresh produce in the summer. The pathway continues north along the river past historical markers and artwork located out on the river. The view back across the river at downtown has be painted often by local artists with log boom docks and buildings up on stilts.
Looking across the street the Polson Museum is open to the public with historical Hoquiam featured here, along with a Rose garden, and some fairly large old logging equipment.
Continue north over the bridge ~ turn left to return to Riverside Park or turn to the right to wander onto two city parks. One is fenced in with a wading pool, tennis courts and swings for the kids. This park gets more visitors than almost any of the others in our city.
Now back in your car and heading west down Emerson Avenue is a collection of triangular city parks shaded with massive trees and carpeted with well kept grass. Follow Emerson Avenue out to the beaches if you like but you will miss our hidden parks on the hill to your right.
If you are into trees, the streets running along side Emerson on both sides are populated with spectacular and large ones. If you are in a hurry the side streets are not where you want to be driving as the City of Hoquiam still is very much a small town. The back streets are filled with cars and children playing so speed is about ten miles an hour. This means you can have a leisurely putter down the street and take in the sights of all our city trees.
Back on Emerson Avenue heading west you pass a Grade School, Middle School and High School. The school zone is about four blocks long. If you need a bite to eat, burgers and shakes are found on your left as you leave the residential section. On your right is the High School campus. Designed to look and function like a community college campus. The High School provides off street parking for many of Hoquiam’s special events.
While driving by the High School athletic fields, keep an eye out for Blue Heron. They are a rather large bird feeding on small fish in the ditches on both sides of the road. On your right is John Gable Park with base ball and practice soccer fields.
We still have about one and one half miles of City to travel so don’t get in a big hurry just yet. On your left is Bowerman Field Bird Sanctuary you are entering. The sanctuary is a resting area for migrating shore birds found in the tidal areas. Check the tree tops and power poles for Raptors. Marsh hawks, Red tailed hawks Eagles and falcons can be seen taking a nap in these trees.
Coming up are two roads. On to the left is Polson Road, on the right Ludgren Pass bypass.
If you have your bicycle this is a excellent place to pull off the road, park your car and hop onto your bike. Either right on Ludgren Pass or left on Polson Road is a fairly flat loop of bike friendly travel! Polson Road to the left will take you back to Riverside Park and you can return on Emerson Avenue to your car. If you choose to go right over Lundgren Pass 109 elevation 15 feet, the rest of the ride is through alder groves all down hill back to Riverside Park and you can return on Emerson Avenue to your car.
We have two beaches to walk on in Hoquiam. One is left on Polson Road. Then you wind around the end of the lagoon parking is on your left on the old airport road. This area is Dog heaven. Grab your leash, your dogs and get out and walk this sandy beach. Continuing back to down town are spots to pull over and take photos of our water front, ships and barges that travel only a few hundred yards away. The road winds back to down town but if you take a detour to your right you find a huge area south of the Old Hoquiam River bridge and south of the railroad bridge that is Dog heaven without the car traffic!
Our second beach is located farther west past where Lundgren Pass and Polson roads meet Emerson Avenue. Continuing out on Highway 109 to the city limits is a community of Grays Harbor City. Where Hoquiam meets Grays Harbor City the road follows the shoreline of Grays Harbor Bay for about two blocks. Parking for this gravel beach is at both ends of that straight stretch on the bay side of the road. Parking is not recommended on the gravel to the right because of traffic. This is still part of the Bird sanctuary so please leave no trace that you came this way.
Next it is time to find our little hidden parks! Remember were the High School is located on Emerson Avenue? Where the Burger stand is? This is the Middle School area. The street we take leads past the Middle School on Spencer street, and up the hill to Lions Park (the park has no sign but is located as the road “T’s” into Chenault).
This is a large open space to play ball or toss a Frisbee. If you have your bike with you this is a great place to park your car and continue as a bike trip. Take a right up the hill about half a block and take a left at the stop sign onto Endresen. The road heads up about a half a block and then heads downhill quickly. At the bottom of the hill is a small park with a boat ramp into the Little Hoquiam River. This is one of several fishing holes inside the city limits of Hoquiam! If we follow the road (east) you reach the intersection of Highway 101 that goes North to Lake Quinault. If we are on our bikes we can make a left turn to go over the bridge and take the next left to Lundgren Pass but it is all up hill for about a mile. The route is easier if we turn right at Highway 101 and return to Riverside Park. Along the way there are places to stop for food and drink! There are two more small grassy parks along this route. Back up Emerson Avenue and right at the Middle School on Spencer St and you are back to your car at Lions Park!
Still needing to see more birds? Follow Emerson Avenue out to Polson road. Turn left just like you were going to the first beach but at the first “T” in the road instead of going left take a right to the airport. There is food out here also. At the “T” in front of you is the lagoon. Pelicans, ducks, geese and herons are the big birds here. As we travel right on the way to the airport look to your left and to your right. There are birds everywere in the trees, in the bushes, in the water and on the grass. This is the heart of Bowerman Basin Bird Sanctuary! Continue slowly. Parking is limited and be mindful of the businesses there. The big parking lot at the old airport is recommended. Grab your binoculars and camera because you are going hiking in bird country! On foot head in the direction of the hangers. The board walk is on your right near the water. There are signs pointing the way. Dogs need to be leashed. Bowerman Basin is a large mud filled region of Grays Harbor Bay. Not only is it a resting space for migratory birds, it is a resting place for juvenal salmon. Please take lots of photos and leave no trace. Pack it in and Pack it out.
After all that hiking do you want to see more birds? It is time for a break walk into the cafe and have a cup of coffee and a meal because this is the where the bachelor gold finches hang out. The female finches come and select a mate from this large flock. The process is daunting, so many males to choose from, so hard to separate them from their buddies. The finch courtship spectacle is worth stopping to have a meal at the airport cafe.
Next we check out the other fishing holes in Hoquiam. Let’s head back to Riverside Park and the 7th street landing. It is easy to find as it is just off of down town on the river on 7th street. This is a public dock and there are fish runs there! If you have your pole and your fishing license to the north are several places to have a snack or meal and more fishing on the other side of the rail road tracks!
If you want in on the big action fishing for salmon off of a river bank you need to follow me to one more of our hidden parks! We can get there by bike or by car from Riverside and the kids make this run. Often you will see them on their bikes with fishing poles, nets and bait heading up over the bridge on Simpson taking a right on twenty second street on the east side of the bridge over by the roller skating rink (wood floors – not cement!). Follow 22nd to Bay Avenue as it bends left follow Bay to a brick pumping station on the corner of 28th street. Turn right and go over the rail road tracks. Follow the road to the observation tower. No you can’t fish from the tower but the seasonal salmon fishing from the banks here is amazing! This park also has a public boat ramp.
Hoquiam if viewed only from the main roads seems to be an average little town. But take it from a person who was born here, if you don’t leave the well worn streets you are missing one of the loveliest towns around. Park your car, hop onto your bike, explore Hoquiam.
I think you need a map! The Chamber of Commerce is a source at 506 Duffy Street, Aberdeen, WA. Along with information about other fine places to explore in the Grays Harbor area.
On the web Google maps or MapQuest just type in Hoquiam, WA
Coming soon will be nifty folding maps designed to fit in your pocket. Great to pack on walking and bike trips around Hoquiam. They will be available at City hall, The Pond Place and the Chamber of Commerce.
