ICONS AND TRAIL USES:
HIGHLIGHTS: This quick preview of each hike’s main characteristics—epic views, ferns and fir trees, a pretty lake—should give you a sense of whether this particular trail is the kind of thing you’re looking for.
GETTING THERE provides driving directions to the trailhead from Portland, including GPS coordinates for the trailhead. As you plan your trip, keep in mind that it can take 3 hours to drive 70 miles if half of those miles are on rough or winding gravel roads. Don’t trust the maps app on your smartphone; allow extra time to reach out-of-the-way hikes.
In HIKING IT, we describe your hiking route in detail, beginning at the trailhead and on through each trail junction you’ll encounter.
Get a healthy dose of moss-covered rocks along the Duckabush River Trail (Trip 1).
Get a taste of the Olympic Peninsula’s delights along the Duckabush River Trail (Trip 1).
Southeastern Olympic Mountains
Remote enough that many Portlanders probably haven’t spent much time hiking there, the Olympic Mountains nevertheless loom large in the conceptual—and actual—landscape of the Pacific Northwest. The mountains fill the center of the Olympic Peninsula, a wild extension of land in western Washington that is separated from the rest of our region by Puget Sound and its numerous tidal arms. This was one of the last areas in the Lower 48 to be explored, and to this day much of the peninsula remains wonderfully undeveloped, thanks largely to the protection provided by Olympic National Park. Although relatively low in elevation (the highest peaks are only around 7,000 feet), the mountains are remarkably “tall” because they begin practically at sea level. They are also exceptionally rugged, having been eroded into sharp ridges and deep valleys by ancient glaciers and the enormous quantities of rain that continue to fall today.
Only a small portion of the far southeastern edge of this range is close enough to Portland to make a reasonable weekend destination, but that sampling is well worthwhile and, with the exception of lush rainforests, includes all of the attributes found elsewhere in these mountains: plenty of wildflowers, abundant wildlife, lovely streams and lakes, and terrific mountain scenery.
| 1 | Duckabush River Trail |
| RATINGS | Scenery 5 Difficulty 2–6 Solitude 6 | |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 4.4 miles to first camp; 13.4 miles to park boundary | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 900' to first camp; 2,800' to park boundary | |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails, The Brothers (No. 168) | |
| USUALLY OPEN | April–November | |
| BEST TIME | Late April–June; October | |
| AGENCY | Hood Canal Ranger District (Olympic National Forest), 360-765-2200, fs.usda.gov/recarea/ olympic/recreation/ recarea/?recid=47691 | |
| PERMIT | Self-issued wilderness permit required at national park boundary, 6.7 miles from trailhead; an overnight fee of $8 per person applies if camping within the national park. Northwest Forest Pass required. |
Highlights
Although it features some exceptionally nice views along the way, the Duckabush River Trail is primarily a forest hike that follows one of the largest and most important rivers flowing out of the eastern Olympic Mountains. Because the trail is open for most of the year, this is a particularly good choice for a spring or fall adventure, when the higher mountains are still encased in snow.
Getting There
Drive 110 miles north of Portland on I-5 to Olympia and take Exit 104 for US 101. After 6 miles, take Exit 101 to stay on US 101, and then drive 50 miles to a junction with paved Duckabush Road near milepost 310. Turn left (west), drive 6.1 miles on pavement then gravel (with lots of potholes, but OK for passenger cars if you drive slowly) past Collins Campground and to a junction, bear right, and reach the road-end trailhead after another 0.2 mile.
GPS COORDINATES N47° 41.070' W123° 03.570'
Hiking It
The gravel-strewn trail begins on a hillside well away from the river as it makes a gentle climb through a forest of Douglas firs and western hemlocks. After gaining 450 feet in 1.2 miles, the trail reaches the relatively unimpressive top of a rocky spur called Little Hump. From about the 2-mile mark, you enter an area that was burned in a 2011 fire, which started at Five Mile Camp (farther along the trail). At 2.2 miles is an excellent campsite beside the clear Duckabush River (although be somewhat cautious about camping near snags and dead trees). If you are backpacking with children, this is a good place to spend the night.
Beyond the first camp, you face the trip’s biggest obstacle, a 1,000-foot climb over the top of Big Hump. This rocky mass, left behind by ancient glaciers, requires two dozen short, fairly steep, and rather tiring switchbacks to conquer. Fortunately, partway up is a perfect rest stop at an overlook with a superb view of the forested Duckabush Valley. Across the valley to the south rises prominent St. Peters Dome, whose towering sheer sides make it look as if it were transplanted from California’s Yosemite Valley. Beyond this viewpoint, more uphill walking takes you past a nice but not as impressive viewpoint before you come to the top of Big Hump.
It is nearly all downhill from here as switchbacks descend 700 feet to the cascading Duckabush River just above where the water cuts a gorge around Big Hump. Not far upstream is Five Mile Camp (actually at 5.2 miles), a popular site for camping and fishing, with room for a few tents. Beyond here the trail stays in valley forests, making many small ups and downs but never straying too far from the water. There are several possible campsites along the way, but if you go beyond 6.7 miles, where the trail enters the national park, you will need a park wilderness permit (self-issued at the park entrance). The park also prohibits firearms and pets, as well as fires above 3,500 feet elevation. Hardy hikers can continue their wilderness adventure, reaching lovely Ten Mile Camp at (you guessed it) a little over 10 miles and eventually climbing to the gorgeous high meadows and lakes around Marmot Lake and O’Neil Pass. Both of these destinations are more than 20 miles into the heart of the glorious Olympic backcountry.
Lower elevation makes the Duckabush River Trail a good choice for early- and late-season camping.
| 2 |
Lake of the Angels
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