For further information on backpacking with children, see the recommended reading in Appendix B.
How to Use This Guide
The trips in this book are broken down by geographic region, starting from the southeastern Olympic Mountains in the north and working down to the Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Washington area in the south.
Each individual trip begins with a quick overview of the hike’s vital statistics, including scenery, solitude, and difficulty ratings, as well as distance, elevation gain, managing agency, best time to visit, and more. This allows you to rapidly narrow your options based on your preferences, your abilities, and the time of year.
Just below the trip title are numerical RATINGS (1 to 10) of the three qualities that traditionally attract or deter hikers the most: the hike’s scenery, its difficulty, and the degree of solitude you can expect.
Mount Saint Helens and Saint Helens Lake (Trip 12)
The SCENERY rating is my subjective opinion of the trip’s overall scenic quality on a 1 (an eyesore) to 10 (absolutely gorgeous) scale. This rating reflects my personal biases in favor of photogenic views, clear streams, and wildflowers. If you prefer other qualities, then your own rating may be quite different. Also keep in mind that the rating is a relative one. All the trips in this book have beautiful scenery. Some are just better than others.
The DIFFICULTY rating is also subjective, and runs from 1 (barely leave the La-Z-Boy) to 10 (the Ironman Triathlon). Since most out-of-shape Americans would find even the easiest backpacking trip to be very strenuous, this rating is relative only to other trips.
Since SOLITUDE is one of the things backpackers are seeking, it helps to know roughly how much company you can expect. This rating is also on a 1 (bring stilts to see over the crowds) to 10 (just you and the marmots) scale. Of course, even on a “10” hike, it is possible that you could unexpectedly run into a pack of unruly Cub Scouts, but generally this rating is pretty accurate.
The next two lines list total ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE and ELEVATION GAIN for that trip. For many hikers, the difficulty of a trip is determined more by how far up they go than the mileage they cover, so pay especially close attention to the second number, which includes the total of all ups and down, not merely the net change in elevation.
OPTIONAL MAP: Every trip includes a map that is as up-to-date and as accurate as possible. Many hikers, however, will also want to carry a topographic map. This entry identifies the best available map(s) for the described trip.
Next you will find two seasonal entries. The USUALLY OPEN line tells you when a trip is typically snow-free enough for hiking (which can vary considerably from year to year). The second entry lists the particular BEST TIME(S) of year when the trip is at its very best (when the flowers peak, or the huckleberries are ripe, or the mosquitoes have died down, etc.).
AGENCY: This is the local land agency responsible for the area described in the hike. (See Appendix D, for contact information.)
PERMIT: This section tells you if a permit is currently required to enter or camp in the area and how to obtain one. It notes the few instances when the permits are not free or where advanced reservations are required, and provides the necessary details. When a Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead, this is also indicated.
ICONS AND TRAIL USES: If they’re appropriate for children or dogs, the trips in this book will be labeled with an icon.
HIGHLIGHTS: This section summarizes the most interesting features of a particular trip, letting you quickly assess whether it’s what you’re looking for.
GETTING THERE: This section provides driving directions to the trailhead from Portland.
HIKING IT: In this section, your hiking route is described in detail beginning at the trailhead and through each trail junction you’ll encounter.
Safety Notice
While backpacking is not an inherently dangerous sport, there are certain risks you take any time you venture away from the comforts of civilization. The trips in this book go through remote wilderness terrain. In an emergency, medical supplies and facilities will not be immediately available. The fact that a hike is described in this book does not mean that it will be safe for you. Hikers must be properly equipped and in adequate physical condition to handle a given trail. Because trail conditions, weather, and hikers’ abilities all vary considerably, the author and the publisher cannot assume responsibility for anyone’s safety. Use plenty of common sense and a realistic appraisal of your abilities, and you will be able to enjoy these trips safely.
References to “water” in the text attest only to its availability, not its purity. All backcountry water should be treated before you drink it.
Mount Lena over Upper Lena Lake, Olympic National Park (Trip 3)
Southeastern Olympic Mountains
The Olympic 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 wild, thanks largely to the protection provided by Olympic National Park. Although relatively low in elevation (the highest peaks are only around 7000 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 rain forests, it 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 to 6 Solitude 6 | |
| ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE | 4.4 miles to first camp; 13.4 miles to park boundary | |
| ELEVATION GAIN | 900 feet to first camp; 2800 feet to park boundary | |
| OPTIONAL MAP | Green Trails: The Brothers | |
| USUALLY OPEN | April to November | |
| BEST TIMES | Late April to June/October | |
| AGENCY | Hood Canal Ranger District (Olympic National Forest) | |
| PERMIT | Park service permit required if you camp beyond 6.7 miles from the trailhead. Permits cost $5 to register your group, plus $2 per person per night. Contact the park’s wilderness information center for permits. Northwest Forest Pass required. |