Raymond, Washington

Raymond sits at the mouth of the Willapa River on the edge of Willapa Bay. This is a haven for kayaking and canoeing, a region rich in history and nature, long known as the oyster capitol of the world.

A constant dance between the ebb and flow of tides reveals two starkly different faces of Willapa Bay. When the high tide washes out more than half of the bay is exposed, creating as many as 40,000 acres of intertidal mud flats and marshes – an ideal habitat for oysters and a mecca for all manner of birds and other aquatic life.

This dramatic shift in seascape is just one of the natural wonders that makes the drive south a stunning feast for the eyes as the 105 wanders leisurely along the edge of the bay toward the towns of Raymond and South Bend.

While its less than 30 miles from Tokeland Road to the edge of Raymond, you’ll want to plan extra time to stop at various places and take in the interplay of wetlands, streams and forests as the coast gives way to the bay waters, and the bay leads to the mouth of the Willapa River.

After the drive, you’ll find two communities that offer up several sight-seeing and recreation opportunities, including places to stay, restaurants, museums, and prime access to river and sea kayaking, canoeing and other boating opportunities.

Raymond

Born as a lumber town on the shores of the Willapa River -- as many as 20 sawmills operated here in the early 1900s -- this community continues that role today as timber giant Weyerhaeuser Co. retains a significant operation. Commercial fishing on the river and in the bay – for salmon, sturgeon, shrimp and crab – also contributed a large share to the community’s livelihood over the past century.

As you drive into town, one of the first things you’ll notice are remarkable metal sculptures that dot the roadside of US 101 and SR 6. These works of art depict the community’s history and portray its surroundings. In the summer and early fall months, a public market offers fresh produce and the work of local artisans. There’s a popular 9-hole golf course as well as the fascinating Willapa Seaport Museum and the wonderful Northwest Carriage Museum.

South Bend

This town, aptly named for its perch on the southern bend of the Willapa River, is just down US 101 a stone’s throw from Raymond and well worth investigating. This is the seat of Pacific County (a distinction local residents literally wrested away from Oysterville in the late 1800s), but is known to many as the Oyster Capital of the World.

You'll want to find a spot to sample the oysters here. The oyster business played a crucial role in this town’s past and continues to do so today. A number of commercial fishers still ply their trade here, primarily through gillnetting. In fact, those who want to launch recreational watercraft in these waters should be sure to read the signs on how to avoid the gillnets.

You'll also want to stop by the stunning Pacific County Courthouse, built in 1910, as well as the Pacific County Museum to brush up on the region’s interesting past.