The north-northwesternmost point of the United States is Point Barrow on the coast of northern Alaska, about nine miles northeast of the town of Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska. I determined this point by using My Methodology. Point Barrow is also the northernmost point of the United States. However, as I've stated in My Rules, for logistical reasons I'm visiting only the contiguous United States (i.e., the Lower 48) during my 2016 trip around America, so that's the focus of this website.
The north-northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States is located about 0.8 miles northeast of Cape Flattery on the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington.
Summary:
- I visited the north-northwesternmost point on May 1, 2016.
- To read my story and see my photos, click here.
- The coordinates are: 48° 23.384' N, 124° 42.986' W
- To see a Google Map of the north-northwesternmost point, click here.
How to Get There:
Above: After an "interesting" hike through the underbrush, I found the north-northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States -- and a rope that was tied to a nearby tree. (0:36) |
To reach the north-northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States, take U.S. Highway 101 to Highway 112 and drive to Neah Bay, Washington. Be sure to buy a Recreation Pass for the Makah Indian Reservation in Neah Bay. It costs $10 and is good for a year, and the proceeds are used to help maintain the recreational facilities on the Makah Reservation. You can buy the pass at several places in Neah Bay, including the marina and Washburn's General Store. You'll get a map with the pass, which you can use to find this point, located near Cape Flattery.
The route to Cape Flattery is well-marked, so to get there, just follow the signs. The road is paved and in good condition all the way to the parking lot. From the parking lot, follow the trail about about a hundred yards downhill, towards Cape Flattery. You'll find a smaller, unmarked trail leading to the right (north). Be advised that this is on the Makah Indian Reservation, and the Makah ask visitors to stay on designated trails. However, since the trail is indicated on the Makah Indian Reservation map, I assumed that visitors were allowed to travel on it.
Follow this side-trail about a quarter-mile to the northwest. Note: This is a rough trail and is not maintained, so proceed at your own risk. The "trail," such as it is, ends at the coast, about 20 feet above a flat, rocky promontory. You'll find a rope tied to a tree here, which might assist you down to the promontory (I wouldn't recommend it, though). Again, proceed at your own risk because this is a pretty rough trail.
The North-Northwesternmost Point
Above: The north-northwesternmost point is about 0.8 miles northwest of Cape Flattery on the Makah Indian Reservation. It's hard to get to, though. It's difficult to tell exactly which of these rocky promontories is the north-northwesternmost point, but I used my "rule" of considering only land above the high-tide line. I created the blue line, with a bearing of 67.5 degrees, to help me determine the north-northwesternmost point. |