The Dungeness watershed lies in the northeastern Olympics. The river has two major branches—the East Fork, commonly called the Dungeness, and the West Fork, known as the Graywolf (or, alternatively, the Greywolf, Gray Wolf, or Grey Wolf—the name is not spelled consistently). Jim Taplin’s 1930 trail guide map shows the West Fork as Cameron River, with the upper Graywolf designated as Grey Wolf Creek. The Dungeness and Graywolf are each less than 25 miles in length, but they descend nearly 5000 ft/1524 m from the high snowfields to their confluence at Dungeness Forks; thus they are rapid streams.
The first man-made trail in the Olympics was constructed in this district in 1882 by soldiers stationed at Fort Townsend. They built a path “to and across both branches of the Dungeness River” before they abandoned the undertaking. Their destination was the high Olympics, which they called the Snowy Range.
Because this district is sheltered from the full impact of winter storms by the peaks to the south and west, it has the lightest precipitation in the Olympics and is actually semiarid in late summer. Consequently, glaciers are few in number and tiny in size. The snow disappears early from the high country, making this area popular with backpackers. The peaks and ridges outlining the Dungeness-Graywolf often rise above 7000 ft/2134 m; thus they are among the loftiest in the Olympics, and they challenge the rock climber.
Most of the Dungeness Valley (the watershed of the East Fork) lies in the Olympic National Forest. In fact, a loop of peaks that almost coincides with the boundary between the national forest and Olympic National Park forms a horseshoe around the upper valley. The culminating points are Mount Deception and The Needles to the west, Mount Constance to the south, and Buckhorn Mountain to the east. Fringe districts, such as Royal Basin and Home Lake, together with the upper Graywolf, are located within the national park.
The watershed of the West Fork, or Graywolf, includes not only the Graywolf Valley but also the valleys of the stream’s two major tributaries, Cameron Creek and Grand Creek. This watershed is paralleled on the east by Graywolf Ridge, which is capped by Mount Graywolf and the series of towers called The Needles. The watershed is bordered on the west by the divide beyond which lies the Elwha. Graywolf Pass, at the head of Graywolf Valley, stands between Mount Deception and Mount Cameron.
Because a large part of this region is in the national forest, many roads have been built to tap stands of commercial timber, but hikers need concern themselves only with the ones that provide access to trails. Much of the area at the higher elevations is still unspoiled, and it is traversed by a number of interesting paths.
Palo Alto Road. This is the main route of entry into the Dungeness country. The road leaves US 101, the Olympic Highway, 1.5 mi/2.4 km west of Sequim Bay State Park, or 2.8 mi/4.5 km east of downtown Sequim. The route goes by prosperous ranches and through stands of second-growth timber as it climbs into the foothills. The designation Palo Alto ends at a three-way junction (7.6 mi/12.2 km) with FS Road 2880 and FS Road 28 (the Bon Jon Pass Road).
Bon Jon Pass Road (FS Road 28). This road begins at a three-way intersection with FS Road 2880 and the Palo Alto Road, 7.6 mi/12.2 km from US I01. Traveling south-southwest on Palo Alto Road, FS Road 2880 bears right and the Bon Jon Pass Road (FS Road 28) angles left. FS Road 28 then leaves the Dungeness and cuts across the northeastern foothills, alternately going through virgin timber, logged-off country, and second growth.
At Bon Jon Pass (9.2 mi/14.8 km; 2900 ft/884 m), the road crosses over into the Quilcene watershed, then descends the Little Quilcene Valley to the national forest boundary (13.9 mi/22.4 km), ending at a junction with the Lords Lake Road (14.5 mi/23.3 km) near Lords Lake.
FS Road 2880. This road begins at a junction with the Bon Jon Pass Road and the Palo Alto Road, 7.6 mi/12.2 km from US 101. The narrow, one-lane road, with turnouts, descends steeply to the Dungeness River (1.0 mi/1.6 km) and the Dungeness Forks Campground, which is located in the triangle formed by the confluence of the Dungeness and Graywolf. The road ends at an intersection with FS Road 2870 (1.9 mi/3.1 km).
FS Road 2870. This road leads to several trailheads, including Lower Dungeness Trail, Gold Greek Trail, Upper Dungeness Trail and Lower Graywolf Trail. The road’s upper portion was once known as FS Road 2860, but the Forest Service eliminated that number and closed the lower segment of what had been 2860, between FS Road 28 and the Lower Dungeness/Gold Creek trailheads. In the process, the Forest Service also decommissioned the East Crossing Campground located along that former stretch of road.
To reach FS 2870, drive west from Sequim on US 101 for 2.5 miles. Turn south on Taylor Cutoff Road, then follow Lost Mountain Road to the right. Proceed to the intersection with FS Road 2870 and turn left. Pass an intersection with FS Road 2875 (see below) and travel south-southeast of FS Road 2870. At 4.5 mi/7.2 km beyond the intersection with FS 2875, reach the relocated trailhead for the Lower Graywolf Trail, at one time an access route to the middle and upper Graywolf regions. The Lower Graywolf, though, has suffered an irreparable, impassable bridge washout 4.2 miles from its trailhead, leaving it 1.9 miles short of its junction with the Slab Creek Trail. Alternatives for reaching the upper Graywolf are now the Slab Creek Trail or the Three Forks Trail out of Deer Park.
In 1.5 mi/2.4 km from the Lower Graywolf trailhead, intersect with FS Road 2880, which goes left. FS 2870 heads south. In a few miles FS Road 2870-230 meets FS Road from the left. This spur road climbs until it ends at the trailhead for both the Lower Dungeness and the Gold Creek trails. Staying south on FS Road 2870, the road makes a long, gradual descent toward the Dungeness River. It later reaches a fork, where FS Road 2870-270 bears right and traverses the flanks of Tyler Peak. It is closed, however, 1.7 mi/2.7 km from its intersection with FS Road 2870 due to slides and erosion. This spur road continues as a footpath to the unmarked Upper Maynard Burn Way Trail (3.4 mi/5.5 km from the junction), then comes to a dead end (3.6 mi/5.8 km).
FS Road 2870 traverses logged-off country as it descends to the Dungeness River where, at 1.6 mi/2.6 km from its intersection with FS Road 2870-270, the Upper Dungeness Trail begins. The road crosses the river, heads northeast to Silver Creek, then climbs to the Tubal Cain Trail (3.6 mi/5.8 km beyond the river). Nearby, one can find the southern terminus of the Gold Creek Trail and the west end of the Little Quilcene Trail. Neither trailhead is signed. The road then continues to a dead end in a maze of clearcuts (15.8 mi/25.4 km).
FS Road 2875. This road leads to the Slab Creek Trail, previously noted as the only route that now permits access to the upper Graywolf area. Find it not long after turning off Lost Mountain Road to FS Road 2870. FS Road 2875 begins at its intersection with FS Road 2870, just inside the forest service boundary.
Length 4.2 mi/6.8 km to a washed-out bridge, where the trail ends; originally 10.6 mi/16.9 km. Bridge not scheduled for repair.
Access FS Road 2870
USGS Maps Tyler Peak; Mount Zion
Agencies Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park
This trail penetrates a low-lying section of the Olympic National Forest that is still primitive—a once common feature that has become a rarity due to extensive logging and road building. However, the Graywolf River is now adequately protected. The upper Graywolf is in the national park; the lower Graywolf, within the recently established Buckhorn Wilderness Area in the national forest.
The Graywolf is a beautiful, clear stream that flows, in its lower reaches, through a scenic canyon cut in pillow basalt. The country traversed by the trail is relatively dry, covered principally with stands of fir, but water is available from numerous streams, as well as the river. Rhododendrons splash the somber forests with pink blooms in late spring; Indian paintbrush displays darker shades of red in open areas, and the showy bunchberry is conspicuous on the forest floor.
The trailhead is located roughly one mile west from its previous site, northwest of the bridge that crosses the Graywolf River (at the switchback in the road). The trail can also be reached by going south on the Taylor Cutoff Road (leaves US 101 just west of the Dungeness River crossing) to the Lost Mountain Road (2.6 mi/4.2 km), right on the latter to FS Road 2870 (5.1 mi/8.2 km), then left on FS Road 2870 to the trailhead (10.1 mi/16.2 km; 950 ft/290 m).
The trail begins in the virgin forest and climbs high above the rushing Graywolf, then traverses a steep sidehill and comes out into an old clearcut where several kinds of thistles grow luxuriantly among the huge stumps of the trees that were logged. The path crosses this clearcut, then meanders through the forest to a junction (2.0 mi/3.2 km) with a spur trail that comes down from the former trailhead on FS Road 2870–180. Two Mile Camp (1100 ft/335 m) is located just beyond the junction. Here, at least during the spring and early summer, when the stream is high, one can hear the “river voices”—only they sound more like a chorus singing than the chatter of people talking.
The path climbs up and down, ascending to an observation knoll (3.2 mi/5.2 km; 1500 ft/457 m) overlooking Graywolf Canyon, then switchbacks down to the river at Cliff Camp (0.8 mi/6.1 km; 1250 ft/381 m). The route follows the stream through its narrow gorge, where the Graywolf forms a succession of rapids and pools. Again the trail switchbacks and climbs high, only to descend to Sutherland Creek, once more coming back to river level just below where Divide Creek enters the Graywolf on the opposite side. An old sign, warped by the growth of the cedar to which it is nailed, indicates Divide Creek Camp (4.6 mi/7.4 km; 1360 ft/415 m), which is located by the river just below the confluence of the creek and the Graywolf.
The trail comes to a premature end at the site where a bridge previously spanned the river. No alternative route for crossing the river exists, and the forest service reports it has no plans to replace the bridge. For those who have viewed this route as their access corridor to the middle and upper Graywolf regions, your alternative is the Slab Camp Trail. A bridge has been missing at that trail’s three-mile mark for several years, but a replacement bridge is slated to be installed in 2004. Check first with rangers on the status of that new crossing before setting out on the Slab Camp Trail. Making that ford during high-water season is viewed as dangerous, though achievable by people knowledgeable and experienced in crossing wilderness rivers.
The Lower Graywolf Trail intersects with the Slab Camp Trail at Camp Tony, 1.9 mi/3.1 km upriver from the bridge washout. Hikers can reach Camp Tony via the Slab Camp Trail, then travel southwest on the Graywolf Trail toward Three Forks camp.
The trail now climbs steadily, away from the river. The forest provides a good habitat for the blue grouse, which may be observed on occasion. The path switchbacks as it climbs more steeply, then the trail contours around rock ribs and buttresses high above the canyon, where various kinds of rocks are exposed—pillow basalt, red limestone, basaltic sandstone, and shale. The mountainsides drop away steeply, and at one point the hiker can see the river below. Logging scars are visible on Deer Ridge, directly across the canyon.
Beyond this point the trail descends and crosses a rock slide, where fire and avalanche have destroyed much of the virgin timber. The slopes ahead exhibit the light green that is characteristic of young trees, mottled by dark patches of old growth. This area was devastated by the Maynard Burn, a fire which occurred in the early 1900s. The burned slopes are now covered with thick stands of firs not much larger than broomsticks, and many snags rise above them.
The trail then descends toward Slide Camp. The ground is covered with moss, and the trees are so close together their limbs overlap; thus walking along the path reminds one of going through a tunnel. Slide Camp (8.0 mi/12.9 km; 2150 ft/655 m) is nondescript, little more than a couple of tent sites beside a brook that crosses the trail. The junction with the Baldy Trail is located just beyond the stream, which is a tributary of Slide Creek. The latter flows down the north side of Baldy.
After switchbacking down to Slide Creek, the trail enters Olympic National Park (8.8 mi/14.2 km; 2000 ft/610 m). The path is still high above the Graywolf, which can be heard but is lost to sight in its canyon. After making a long, gradual ascent, paralleling the river, the trail descends to a junction with the Cameron Creek Trail (10.5 mi/16.9 km; 2125 ft/648 m) near the Graywolf. As one approaches the stream, the din becomes pronounced. Here, where it is damper and the soil is better, the trees are much larger. They consist chiefly of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and red cedar, plus the usual deciduous species. At this point the route becomes the Upper Graywolf Trail.
Length 12.9 mi/20.8 km
Access Lower Graywolf Trail; Cameron Creek Trail
USGS Maps Maiden Peak; Wellesley Peak; Tyler Peak
Agency Olympic National Park
The Upper Graywolf Trail begins at a junction (2125 ft/648 m) with the Cameron Creek Trail and the Lower Graywolf Trail, not far from Three Forks. The trail leads south, along the east bank of the river, climbing gradually through stands of fir, hemlock, and cedar. Because it is not a glacial stream, the Graywolf River is clear, and its swift waters make a chain of cascades, rapids, and waterfalls, with deep, clear pools intervening. The river bed is filled with large boulders, and the stream is often spanned by fallen trees.
At Nameless Camp (1.0 mi/1.6 km) the trail crosses the river to the west bank and climbs high above the stream in order to get by a big slide. The trail then closely follows the river and ascends to a bench, where a few old firs, the survivors of an ancient forest, stand among the hemlocks. The undergrowth here is sparse, the ground covered by thick pads of emerald-green moss.
Beyond Camp Ellis (2.7 mi/4.3 km; 2900 ft/884 m), which is located among tall cedars and hemlocks, the trail wends its way through the forest, then traverses an area ravaged by avalanches. Here it climbs above a deep ravine carved by a creek that cascades down the cliffs in a double waterfall (one above the other). The growth of slide alder is thick, but one can look up and down the valley and also across to a silver forest—a grove of fire-killed trees—high on the far mountainside. The path then enters the track where an avalanche swept down to and across the river, demolishing trees on the opposite slope.
Leaving the devastated area, the trail again makes its way through stands of fir and cedar. Patches of snow, protected from the sun, remain until late summer in shaded places.
Falls Shelter (5.4 mi/8.7 km; 3900 ft/1189 m) is located near the river but distant enough that one can hear the “river voices.” This is an illusion often experienced in the wilderness, especially by the solitary hiker—momentarily mistaking the chatter of a stream for the indistinct murmur of people. At this point one can find the Cedar Lake Way Trail in the fringe of trees near the shelter.
The heavy forest growth ends in this vicinity. The trail crosses Cedar Creek, then alternates from one side of the river to the other as it winds upward through stands of subalpine trees. The ground cover is luxuriant, well-watered by numerous little streams. Consequently, wildflowers are abundant: Columbia lily, Sitka valerian, thistles, arnica, lupine, and daisies. Buttercups and shooting stars bloom alongside the melting snowdrifts. Again one can hear the river voices as the trail goes back and forth through meadowland and groves of subalpine trees, where in early summer the path is likely to be hidden by snow.
After climbing through stands of Alaska cedar, the trail crosses the river again, but the stream is now little more than a creek. The path climbs steeply, with many switchbacks, up the west side of the valley, breaking out into open country cooled by the breezes that descend from Graywolf Pass. (A cross-country route to Cedar Lake, an alternative to the Cedar Lake Way Trail, leaves the trail here, at the head of a little gorge, and climbs west to the divide. The ascent over heather slopes and snowfields is steep but not difficult. The route goes by the upper of three lakes lying between the ridge and the river, then climbs to the low point in the ridge and descends meadowland to Cedar Lake.)
The trail now crosses the river again—the fifth and last time beyond Falls Shelter—and enters the meadows of Graywolf Basin, where tiny brooks tumble over rock ledges as they rush madly down the mountainsides. The views are both impressive and expansive. Northward one can look down the Graywolf Valley toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca, while directly east The Needles cap the ridge that extends north from Mount Deception. The southwestern skyline is a mass of rocky peaks splotched with snowfields. The meadows are made colorful by a sea of wildflowers: Sitka valerian, lupine, common bistort, daisies, gentians, elephant’s head, paintbrush, and red mountain-heather. They do not all blossom at the same time, but over the course of several weeks. During late summer the plumed seed pods of the anemone wave in the wind.
As it crosses snowfields at the head of the Graywolf, the trail climbs to a little muddy tarn, then leaves the meadowland behind and ascends barren talus to Graywolf Pass (9.5 mi/15.3 km; 6150 ft/1875 m). This gap is flat enough for camping, but cold and windy, and snow must be melted for water. Nevertheless, it is a spectacular viewpoint. On warm, sunny days a stiff breeze from the south is invariably present. The view back to the north looks down the Graywolf—across the meadows to the timbered lower slopes. The upper Dosewallips Valley is to the west, bounded by several high peaks—Claywood, Fromme, Sentinel, and Wellesley. Mount Anderson rises beyond the latter. If one leaves the pass and scrambles a bit along the east ridge, Lost Peak and Mount Olympus can be seen. Between Olympus and Anderson, the snow-clad peaks surrounding Elwha Basin are visible in the distance. Much closer to hand, to the east, are Deception, Constance, Mystery, and Little Mystery, with Gunsight Pass between the last two. The vast sweep of the Dosewallips is to the south; The Brothers are on the horizon.
The trail then descends to the Dosewallips via a series of seemingly endless switchbacks. The trail is well laid out, however, and not really steep. At first it goes through open country, where it crosses meadows that nature has landscaped with groves and solitary specimens of subalpine fir. Here the view of Mount Deception and the two Mysteries, across the U-shaped valley of Deception Creek, is notable. One can hear the muffled sound of the Dosewallips and now and then the shrill whistle of a marmot. Surprisingly, little streams flow across the trail throughout the summer. This south-facing slope is well exposed to the sun; consequently, during the fall the huckleberry bushes turn flaming red and purple. So, too, the mountain ash.
Below the meadows the trail descends through forests of western white pine and Alaska cedar, and one can look down the Dosewallips from several points and see Piros Spire in the distance. About 2 miles below Graywolf Pass the trail enters the Douglas-fir forest, coming to a junction with the Dosewallips Trail (12.9 mi/20.8 km; 3600 ft/1097 m) between Camp Marion and Bear Camp.
Abandoned trail; no longer maintained
Length 3.5 mi/5.6 km
Access Lower Graywolf Trail
USGS Map Tyler Peak
Agency Olympic National Forest
Neither signed nor maintained, this steep, abandoned trail starts on the uphill side of the Lower Graywolf Trail just beyond the draw at Slide Camp, in the Olympic National Forest. The route climbs relentlessly up the mountainside, but the views make the trip worthwhile. The path itself is not long, but the trailhead (2150 ft/655 m) is located 5 miles from Slab Camp, the nearest point that can be reached by automobile.
Ascending through stands of stunted, second-growth Douglas-fir and a thick undergrowth of salal, the trail at first follows a ridge, but soon leaves it and traverses the sidehill. This area was devastated by the Maynard Burn in the early 1900s. Old stumps are abundant; logs lie strewn through the forest in apparent disorder. The trail then switchbacks up the slope, and the stands—which now include lodgepole pine—are more open, allowing one a glimpse or two up the creek. As the trail climbs higher, the hiker can see the meadows on Baldy, as well as a vista up and down the Graywolf. Elk Mountain, Maiden Peak, and Green Mountain are visible to the northwest, but Blue Mountain is hidden by Deer Ridge. Logging clearcuts stand out across the Graywolf River.
The trail crosses a little stream, the only source of water on this route. Western hemlock is abundant here; also, for the first time, mountain hemlock is present. At this point the trail turns northeast and climbs to the ridge between Slide Creek and Divide Creek. Directly ahead, to the east, the hiker looks across the canyon of the West Fork of Divide Creek, and the sound of the stream comes up from below. One has only to glance back, in the opposite direction, to see Grand Ridge beyond the Graywolf Canyon.
Heading directly south, the trail follows the ridge, which is thinly forested with stunted firs. The rocky mass of Tyler Peak rises to the southeast; the vista in the opposite direction overlooks the Graywolf River and Grand Creek, and the ridges lying on either side.
Beyond an old, abandoned campsite, the path becomes indistinct, and the hiker who is preoccupied with the scenery is apt to lose the trail and stumble around in the brush momentarily. The hiker must also watch his or her footing because of the tangled undergrowth and the fact that now the trail steepens and is choked with a dense growth of mountain azalea. The trees are chiefly subalpine fir, mountain hemlock, and lodgepole pine, and they are scattered on the slopes. Although one must struggle through the brush, the views improve with almost every upward step. Across Slide Creek the slope has been swept bare by avalanches—broken rocks and stumps are strewn down the mountainside. One can look back and see the Grand Ridge peaks; in late fall they are apt to be frosted with fresh snow.
Eventually the brush is left behind, the country becomes much more open, and the terrain flattens somewhat. The trail, such as it is, ends (3.0 mi/4.8 km; 5700 ft/1737 m) on the northern slope of Baldy, but it doesn’t matter. One doesn’t need a trail now because the route is apparent. The deep valley of Divide Creek is to the left, with a long, rocky ridge beyond; the canyon of Slide Creek lies to the right. The view to the northeast includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, northern Puget Sound, and the San Juan Islands, with Mount Baker high on the horizon.
Here, close to timberline, the subalpine firs and lodgepole pines are dwarfed and few in number, and the smooth, rounded ridge leads past the beautiful meadows at the head of Slide Creek. Tufts of grass wave in the wind; sprawling junipers hug the ground, where layers of splintered, broken shale are turned on edge. Often a cold breeze sweeps across the slopes at this altitude.
The north summit of Baldy (3.5 mi/5.6 km; 6600 ft/2012 m) consists of large sandstone blocks. At this point peak baggers have built a big cairn of slabs. The wind often howls fiercely here, but the view is spectacular—northeast, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands, and Mount Baker; northwest, Blue Mountain, Klahhane Ridge, and Mount Angeles. Graywolf Peak (7218 ft/2200 m) rises to the southwest. Nearby is the summit of Baldy (6797 ft/2072 m), about a half mile distant and slightly higher than the north peak. On a good day one should, if time permits, make the trek across to the summit.
Length 11.3 mi/18.2 km
Access Lower Graywolf Trail; Upper Graywolf Trail
USGS Maps Tyler Peak; Maiden Peak; Wellesley Peak
Agency Olympic National Park
This trail follows Cameron Creek to its headwaters in Cameron Basin, then climbs to Cameron Pass. Beyond this high divide, the route (now known as the Lost Pass Trail) continues to the Dosewallips River.
The trail starts near Three Forks in a three-way intersection (2125 ft/648 m) that marks the division between the Lower Graywolf Trail and the Upper Graywolf Trail. The path follows down the east bank of the Graywolf, past a camp, to a high log (with handrail) that spans the river just below the entry of Cameron Creek. Normally both streams are clear, but on warm afternoons during late summer and fall Cameron Creek sometimes becomes milky white with glacial silt, only to clear again during the night.
After crossing the Graywolf, the trail follows the north bank of Cameron Creek past the point where Grand Creek flows into the stream, then comes to a junction, in a tiny meadow, with the Three Forks Trail (0.3 mi/0.5 km; 2100 ft/640 m). Often it is cool here because cold air flows down the valley and settles at this point.
The trail crosses Grand Creek near Three Forks Camp, then follows beautiful Cameron Creek, at times along its banks, at others high above the stream. The route leads through stands of large Douglas-fir. The creek has many deep pools, which alternate with rapids; and trout up to a foot long test the angler’s skill.
As it makes its way up the valley, the trail crosses Cameron Creek four times, beginning and ending on the north side of the stream. The trail then climbs away from the creek through stands of big Douglas-fir and enters the first of six meadows that extend from Cameron Creek up the mountainside forming the valley’s northern slope. The meadows were created by avalanches, snow having swept down from the ridge above. On the divide between Cameron Creek and the Graywolf, to the south, Shelter Peak (6590 ft/2009 m) rises above the timbered slopes. Beyond the meadow, the trail winds through a forest of old firs.
At the edge of the second meadow, which extends on both sides of Cameron Creek, stand the ruins of the Lower Cameron Shelter (5.3 mi/8.5 km; 3800 ft/1158 m). The shelter was struck by a falling tree and rendered unusable. This area is of botanical interest because groves of ancient Engelmann spruce growing on the flats between the trail and Cameron Creek were discovered here by big tree hunters Robert Van Pelt and Arthur Jacobsen. The largest trees are more than 6 feet in diameter and about 175 feet tall.
The route now alternately traverses forest and meadowland, with beetling cliffs overlooking the trail. Marmots whistle protests in the open country; from the fifth meadow the Cameron Glaciers are visible to the south. The sixth and last meadow in the series is a large open expanse. Directly opposite, on the south side of Cameron Creek, the slope is strewn with avalanche debris. Beyond this meadow the trail ascends to a junction with the Grand Pass Trail (7.6 mi/11.2 km; 4200 ft/1280 m).
The trail now climbs steeply through thickets of slide alder, willow, Alaska cedar, and salmonberry. The trail has been cut through; otherwise the jungle would be impenetrable. Eventually the trail emerges into partially open country below McCartney Peak, where one can look down the V-shaped valley of Cameron Creek to Three Forks and observe the avalanche chutes alternating with lines of trees that extend up the steep mountainsides.
Upper Cameron Camp (10.0 mi/16.1 km; 5400 ft/1646 m) is located beside a little stream near the northern end of Cameron Basin, where meadow and subalpine forest are intermingled. This wild and lonely basin is a delightful place to explore, its remoteness from well-traveled paths adding to its charm. Occupying a glacial cirque about a mile long and somewhat more than a half mile wide, the basin is surrounded by snow-clad peaks and ridges, including McCartney Peak to the northwest, and Mount Cameron to the east. Although the floor is more or less level, the terrain is varied, the meadows broken by rocky, tree-covered knolls. Near the southern end, at the foot of the shale slopes that lead up to Cameron Pass, the basin is flat and marshy. This area is the home of countless insects and thus not a good place to camp. Little moss-lined brooks, edged by wildflowers, meander across the flats. The displays are gorgeous—avalanche lilies bloom first, followed by buttercups, bog orchids, anemones, elephant’s head, lupine, bistort, asters, and arnica.
As it crosses the basin, the trail becomes indistinct, and the route—marked by cairns because the path is hard to follow—traverses meadowland. At the basin’s head the trail improves and makes long switchbacks across shale slopes and snowfields, then short ones as it climbs a barren moraine to Cameron Pass (11.3 mi/18.2 km; 6450 ft/1966 m). This is the low point in the ridge.
The view from the pass is splendid but still better from the peak to the west, which is reached by a short walk. Here, near the center of the high-country Olympics, one can look down into Cameron Basin, and all about are snowy peaks, including Mount Olympus in the distance. Directly east is Mount Cameron, with its glaciers and snowfields; far to the southwest is Low Divide. (See Lost Pass Trail for description of the route from the pass to the Dosewallips River.)
Abandoned trail; no longer maintained
Length 3.0 mi/4.8 km
Access Upper Graywolf Trail
USGS Map Wellesley Peak
Agency Olympic National Park
This well-beaten way trail begins near Falls Shelter (3900 ft/1189 m), on the Upper Graywolf Trail, and climbs through the meadow behind the structure. Near the upper end, where Cedar Creek tumbles down a steep slope, Mount Deception (7788 ft/2374 m), the highest peak in the eastern Olympics, can be viewed above the snowfields at the head of the Graywolf River. The trail then enters the forest, where many trees are adorned with fancy burls.
The trail sidehills through the timber, then crosses a scree slope and climbs sharply, switchbacking a half-dozen times, before ascending an avalanche track overgrown with Alaska cedar and slide alder. Here the route parallels Cedar Creek, and one has good views of The Needles.
As it crosses a meadow where it winds through groves of subalpine forest, the trail traverses marshy spots. The cliffs above, to the right, are masked by thick growths of Alaska cedar. The trail can be lost easily at the far end of this meadow, where it turns left and crosses Cedar Creek below a waterfall. The cascade, narrow at the top, widens as it spreads out over ledges.
The trail climbs through the forest east of the creek and comes out into another marshy area—a mix of subalpine forest, meadow, little streams, and brush-covered terrain. However, the country gradually becomes more open and rocky, and the trees are now mostly subalpine fir. In late summer the grassy openings are covered with masses of lupine and gentian.
Breaking out into a big meadow surrounded by peaks and ridges, where streams cascade down the slopes, the trail ascends to Cedar Creek, then crosses the stream and climbs about a hundred yards to the outlet of Cedar Lake (3.0 mi/4.8 km; 5280 ft/1609 m).
This scenic, mile-high lake lies in a bowl, the lower part of an old glacial cirque. With an area of 21 acres, it is one of the largest subalpine lakes in the Olympics and is popular with fishermen because it contains rainbow trout. The outlet is at the northwestern end, where the lake is bordered by a fringe of subalpine firs, and here the wind often howls in the trees. A good campsite is located at this point. The lake’s beautiful, clear green waters reflect the surrounding slopes. On the north side the lake is bordered by grassy meadows that sweep back to groves of tall subalpine firs. Apparently, the lake’s depth does not fluctuate much but remains more or less constant, sustained by the melting snowfields. The peaks south of the lake comprise the eastern part of Cameron Ridge. Highest is The Pup (7073 ft/2156 m).
Although the way trail ends at Cedar Lake, hikers may return to the Upper Graywolf Trail by using Cedar Pass (6000 ft/1829 m) southeast of the lake. The route crosses heather meadows. The view from the ridge is splendid—one can see The Needles, Mount Deception, and Mount Mystery rising beyond the headwaters of the Graywolf. The Upper Graywolf Trail climbing to Graywolf Pass is also visible.
The route down to the Upper Graywolf Trail traverses slopes covered with heather and boulders and goes by three subalpine lakes. Blocks of ice often float in the upper or largest lake throughout the summer. The route reaches the Upper Graywolf Trail about a mile below Graywolf Pass.
Length 6.4 mi/10.3 km
Access FS Road 2870-230
USGS Map Mount Zion
Agency Olympic National Forest
This trail, the lower portion of the old Tubal Cain Trail, makes a good woodland walk. Reach the trailhead by driving south from Sequim on Palo Alto Road to its three-way intersection with FS Road 28 and FS Road 2880. Bear right on FS Road 2880 and drive 2.0 mi/3.2 km to the intersection with FS Road 2870. Turn left on FS Road 2870 and travel 2.0 mi/3.2 km to the intersection with FS Road 2870-230 (or just 230). Turn left on 230. The trailhead awaits at the end of this spur road.
The trail begins in a deep forest setting (1250 ft/381 m) and climbs to a bench above the Dungeness River. Here it goes by a large monolith, then veers away from the river to cross Gold Creek.
Gold Creek Shelter (0.2 mi/0.3 km; 1220 ft/372 m) stands on the south side. Beyond it the trail switchbacks up the spur between the Dungeness and Gold Creek, climbing through fir and cedar forest, where winter wrens trill their happy song. The path then makes a long traverse to the south, climbing as it parallels the Dungeness, which can be heard rushing through its canyon. This area was swept in the past by fire, which destroyed much of the virgin timber. The trees are smaller than those near the creek and river, and they consist mostly of stunted second-growth fir with patches of old-growth.
Upon gaining a point where one can look across the Dungeness to Three O’Clock Ridge, the trail descends to Sleepy Hollow Creek, only to regain the lost elevation by switchbacking up the far side. Rhododendrons now appear as an understory, and they are abundant the rest of the way, the blossoms making showy displays in June. The river can be heard occasionally, and now and then snow-clad peaks are visible up the valley.
The trail goes through the lower part of a clearcut (2.4 mi/3.9 km) which apparently was logged from a road on the slope above. The area is thickly overgrown with rhododendron, manzanita, and little firs, and the views up, down, and across the Dungeness Valley are unbounded.
Going back into the forest, the route traverses high above the Dungeness, but the river is not visible. The trail ascends and descends, gaining and losing elevation, and the views are intermittent. At 5 mi/8.1 km, clearcuts and FS Road 2870 are visible below. Beyond them one can see the peaks that fringe Royal Basin.
The trail ends (6.4 mi/10.3 km; 3300 ft/1006 m) on FS Road 2870 opposite the entrance to the parking area for the Tubal Cain Trail. The upper trailhead is not marked; the path merely comes out to the road.
Length 5.8 mi/9.3 km
Access FS Road 2870-230
USGS Maps Mount Zion; Tyler Peak
Agency Olympic National Forest
This trail and the Gold Creek Trail now share the same trailhead. See trail 58 for directions.
The trail is used primarily by hunters, fishermen, and mountain bikers—and by people just looking for a pleasant woodland walk. However, it might well be termed the trail of surprises. One expects it to be a river bottom path; instead, the first part traverses the side of a canyon, reaching points high above the Dungeness, where the views are splendid. The forest alternates between patches of old-growth Douglas-fir and stands of second growth. Apparently, fire swept through portions of this valley in the past—in places many old trees exhibit fire-blackened trunks, but in other localities they do not appear to have been burned.
After descending from the trailhead to cross a small stream, the trail makes a long upward traverse. The river is far below and inaccessible, but the sound it makes as it rushes through the narrow, rocky canyon carries up to the trail.
As it rounds a bend, the trail climbs to a point where one can look across the valley to slopes scarred by a clearcut and a road that slices across the face of the mountain. This is the logged area that the Gold Creek Trail traverses. The trail then ascends through stands of old fir to an open spot, where the hiker looks across and up the Dungeness Valley to a peak with a stumplike tower—the north end of the ridge lying between the Dungeness River and Copper Creek.
The trail descends steeply to Cougar Creek, then climbs again, with views now and then through the trees. The roar of the Dungeness is now pronounced. The old firs are scattered, and the country has a parklike appearance that reminds one of the east slope of the Cascades. The undergrowth consists primarily of maple and red currant. During the fall the maples turn golden; thus they contrast brightly with the dark green conifers.
Making a semicircle as it rounds Three O’Clock Ridge, the trail goes between a buttress and a little rocky point (3000 ft/914 m). Standing on the point, facing east, one can, by turning slightly, take in a spectacular 180-degree view—from down valley (due north) to the head of the Dungeness (due south). With the exception of the Gold Creek Trail clearcut, which is downstream and not conspicuous, the scene is a vista of unspoiled forest clothing the canyon walls. The peak with the stumplike tower stands at the head of the valley; the river is hundreds of feet below.
The trail then crosses a narrow slide where the path has been obliterated for perhaps 8 or 10 feet. One must use care in traversing this ticklish spot to avoid taking a nasty spill down the steep slope. Beyond the slide the trail ascends to a junction with a side path (2.5 mi/4.0 km) that climbs up to FS Road 2870 (3.7 mi/6.0 km, via the road, from the lower trailhead).
Zigzagging down the steep mountainside, the trail descends toward the river and crosses three streams. Bungalow Creek, the middle one, is the largest. Eventually, the path reaches river grade, coming out to River Camp, where an old shelter stands on the banks of the Dungeness (4.3 mi/6.9 km; 2100 ft/640 m). This shelter was restored in 1985 by volunteers and has been kept up well since.
Beyond this camp the trail crosses a washout, then traverses Douglas-fir forest as it parallels the river. The fairy slipper orchid is numerous here in the springtime. The trail crosses Mueller Creek, then comes out to FS Road 2870 near the bridge across the Dungeness River (5.8 mi/9.3 km; 2500 ft/762 m).
Length 6.3 mi/10.1 km
Access FS Road 2870
USGS Maps Tyler Peak; Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
The trail begins in a setting of tall, old-growth Douglas-fir on the west side of the Dungeness where FS Road 2870 crosses the river (2500 ft/762 m). The Dungeness River is beautiful, unsurpassed in clarity because it is not a glacial stream. The trail follows the river to Camp Handy, then climbs above the valley to Boulder Shelter, where it intersects the Constance Pass Trail and the Upper Big Quilcene Trail. Obtaining water along this route is never a problem because many little streams cross the path.
At first the trail has a more or less level grade as it follows the river through stands of Douglas-fir to a junction with the Royal Basin Trail (1.0 mi/1.6 km; 2800 ft/853 m). Excellent campsites are located here at the confluence of the Dungeness and Royal Creek. The two streams are about equal in size at this point. The trail enters the Buckhorn Wilderness upon crossing Royal Creek, then goes by another campsite located between the trail and the river.
Making its way through the firs, the trail remains on a level grade as it parallels the river. The stream is picturesque—the green water cascades around and over countless rocks, logs, and barriers in the river bed; large fern-covered boulders overlook deep, clear pools, where fishermen stand and cast their lines, hoping to reel in a big one. The trail goes by a salt lick (1.6 mi/2.6 km), where wild animals, especially deer, may be observed on occasion.
After traversing opposite a slide, the trail crosses the Dungeness (2.4 mi/3.9 km), then climbs through stands of large fir as it contours the hillside. One can look across the river to beautiful meadows. At Camp Handy (3.2 mi/5.2 km; 3100 ft/945 m), reached by a couple of side paths, the hiker emerges from the cool, shaded forest onto a little meadow flooded with bright, warm sunshine. A shelter stands by the forest’s edge at the base of the steep hillside. A good campsite is located by the river near the willows, another in the timber south of the shelter.
Camp Handy lies in the center of the upper Dungeness Valley, which is in the Buckhorn Wilderness. The grassy meadow is fringed by impenetrable willow thickets to the north and south, and bordered by the river on the west, the evergreen forest on the east. Here one can look up and down the breeze-swept valley—to the heavy stands of conifers beyond the willows, to the timbered ridges rising above them. The top of Tyler Peak is visible due north, downriver.
Camp Handy, Upper Dungeness
Beyond this camp the trail climbs in earnest and goes by the unmarked junction with the Heather Creek Trail (3.5 mi/5.6 km), which leads to the right. The forest is mostly fir, but the trees have not pruned themselves well at this altitude, and stubby dead branches extend outward from the trunks like spokes. Rhododendrons now appear as an understory, growing thickly in places.
As it climbs above the river, the trail ascends steadily but at an easy grade, traversing a steep mountainside, and one can hear the chatter of the stream far below. The forest gradually changes to a mixture of fir and hemlock, and the trees become much smaller. Many are bearded with growths of lichen. The rhododendrons also disappear. With increasing elevation, the ground cover becomes more varied: in addition to salal and vanilla leaf, one now sees mountain azalea, pipsissewa, lupine, and juniper.
During the long, gradual ascent, the trail crosses numerous streams; thus water is readily available. At Slide Creek (5.0 mi/8.1 km), the stream is bordered by slide alder, and just beyond this point lodgepole pine occurs, a reminder that one is on the dry side of the Olympics.
This section is broken by viewpoints, which provide vistas of the upper Dungeness and the snow-clad peaks beyond, including Mount Constance. A big meadow borders the river below, but the stream is hidden by the thick growth along its banks. The meadow lies at the foot of an avalanche track, where snow accumulates, thus preventing the growth of trees.
Because it now more or less contours the mountainside, the trail becomes less steep, then goes slightly downhill. At the same time, the forest changes to subalpine fir, with openings where one can see a barren peak with a rock slide on its western face. Here the trail comes out to a willow-fringed creek, which it crosses to a little meadow strewn with huge chunks of basalt and blocks of pillow lava. This is the lower end of a big basin, and before the trail was rerouted one could look up and see the trail to Marmot Pass crossing the rock slide on the barren peak. A campsite is located in the meadow; just beyond it, however, Boulder Shelter sits on a grassy knoll surrounded by subalpine forest. The trail forks near the shelter (6.3 mi/10.1 km; 4950 ft/1509 m). This point marks the end of the Upper Dungeness Trail. The right branch becomes the Constance Pass Trail, the left branch the Big Quilcene Trail.
Not maintained
Length 0.5 mi/0.8 km
Access Royal Basin Trail
USGS Map Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
The route up the south side of Baldy is known as Maynard Burn Way, not only to distinguish it from the Baldy Trail (which goes up the north side) but also because it leads into the southern edge of the area devastated by the Maynard Burn in the early 1900s. This forest fire destroyed the virgin timber on Maynard Peak, Baldy, Tyler Peak, and Ned Hill.
Originally the trail extended unbroken from Royal Creek to the 6000-ft/1829-m level on Baldy. However, the extension of FS Road 2860 into the Mueller Creek drainage destroyed all but a fragment of the lower part. This remnant, which ascends from the Royal Basin Trail to FS Road 2860–120, is now called Lower Maynard Burn Way. The longer stretch above the road is known as Upper Maynard Burn Way.
Lower Maynard Burn Way begins (2850 ft/869 m) about 200 yards up the Royal Basin Trail, after the latter makes two switchbacks. The unmarked trail goes uphill to the right. Although not maintained, it is in good condition, but climbs fairly steeply, traversing stands of Douglas-fir and western hemlock.
Near its start, the path crosses a muddy area, then climbs around a spur and comes out upon the ridge, which it follows, the slopes falling away at a moderate angle. The old firs here are craggy, lacking symmetry, with dead limbs that stick out from their trunks in all directions.
The trail emerges into a clearcut (0.5 mi/0.8 km; ca. 3300 ft/1006 m) at a big loop in FS Road 2870–270, 2.8 mi/4.5 km beyond the junction of FS Roads 2860 and 2870–270.
Not maintained
Length 3.5 mi/5.6 km
Access FS Road 2870-270
USGS Maps Mount Deception; Tyler Peak
Agency Olympic National Forest
This path is more interesting than the Lower Maynard Burn Way Trail because it leads to high, subalpine country. The trailhead (3600 ft/1097 m) can be reached by walking 1.7 mi/2.7 km beyond the end of FS Road 2870–270, a branch of FS Road 2870.
The unmarked route climbs a steep bank on the left, or uphill, side of the road. Nothing indicates the presence of a trail, but one can see a Cat track on the slope above. The path climbs up to and joins this track at a switchback, then follows it straight up the mountain at an uncomfortably steep angle. Apparently, the track was bulldozed by the Forest Service to serve as a fire-protection lane.
The trees, mostly Douglas-fir, are scattered in thin stands, and the ground supports a sparse growth of salal and lupine. The firs are typical of those found at the higher altitudes—the crowns are not symmetrical, and limbs are numerous. Many trees are covered with lichen.
The trail follows the narrow ridge, which drops away sharply on both sides. The route is steep and arduous, but cool breezes are usually present, making the hike pleasant. As the trail climbs higher, it follows the Cat track where it cuts a swath through a thick stand of lodgepole pine. The route gradually becomes less steep, and the track is overgrown with hundreds of little lodgepole pines, with silver firs and western white pines interspersed among them. Here the track is bordered on both sides by old-growth trees—an almost pure stand of lodgepole pine.
The end of the Cat track is marked by a turnaround or lookout point (1.3 mi/2.1 km; 4850 ft/1478 m), where the national park, national forest, and wilderness area all come together. Beyond this point the trail follows the boundary between the national park and the national forest for about a mile and assumes a much easier grade as it meanders through thick stands of subalpine fir.
Entering the Buckhorn Wilderness, the route breaks out into beautiful meadowland with excellent displays of wildflowers and hoop-skirted subalpine firs. Bluebells are found in large quantities. Here one can look across the valley of the creek that heads below the ridge between Baldy and Tyler Peak.
The trail ends in the meadows near a grove of lodgepole pines (ca. 6000 ft/1829 m) below the eastern false summit of Baldy (6500 ft/1981 m). But one does not need a trail to clamber up to this point, or to go on beyond to the true summit (3.5 mi/5.6 km; 6797 ft/2072 m). The country consists of tundralike meadows, where tufts of grass wave in the wind, and little birds twitter among the rocks. The views are magnificent and well worth the climb. (See Baldy Trail for description of the view.)
Length 7.0 mi/11.3 km
Access Upper Dungeness Trail
USGS Maps Mount Deception; Tyler Peak
Agency Olympic National Park
This route follows Royal Creek to its headwaters in Royal Basin, one of the finest bits of high country in the Olympics. The stream was originally called Roy Creek, but somehow the name was changed. However, the present name is appropriate because Royal Basin would be a suitable place to entertain kings and queens. The basin, which cannot be observed in its entirety from one viewpoint, consists of several terraces or ice-carved basins, where meadows intermingle with groves of trees, forested knolls, and glacier-polished knobs.
The trail begins in the national forest at a junction with the Upper Dungeness Trail near the confluence of the Dungeness River and Royal Creek (2800 ft/853 m). About 200 yards up the trail an unmarked path leads uphill, to the right. This is the beginning of the Lower Maynard Burn Way Trail. The Royal Basin Trail continues straight ahead.
As it follows the course of Royal Creek, the trail climbs sharply, overlooking the sparkling stream, which is a succession of rapids, cascades, and waterfalls. Huge boulders scattered about the mountainside add an interesting note. The forest is mostly Douglas-fir and western hemlock, and as the trail climbs out of the bottoms the trees become smaller because the soil is thin and stony. An understory of rhododendron is present in places.
Upon entering the national park (0.4 mi/0.6 km), the trail veers away from Royal Creek, but water is available from numerous brooks along the way. Although the creek is now seldom in view, one can hear its thunderous booms. The path then crosses several avalanche tracks, which provide views of the peaks ahead, including The Needles. Two beautiful camps are located on the banks of Royal Creek in the intervening timbered areas.
Beyond these camps the cliffs of Graywolf Ridge overlook the valley, and the route becomes less steep as it traverses more or less open country. Royal Creek is now close at hand, and its thundering—intensified by Royal Creek Falls—reverberates through the valley. The falls are located where the rock formation changes from slate and sandstone to more resistant basalt. The mountainsides are rough, covered with rock slides and scattered stands of subalpine trees. Higher up, the meadows are smoother, and the trail goes by a couple of camps located in groves of silver fir. After traversing a marshy area, where water tends to stand, thus turning the path into a series of little pools, the route breaks out into the lower part of Royal Basin.
The trail meanders through a large meadow strewn with big boulders, then crosses willow-fringed Royal Creek and climbs through stands of silver fir to the north end of Royal Lake (6.0 mi/9.7 km; 5130 ft/1564 m), which occupies a glacier-scoured depression and drains to Royal Creek.
The pork chop–shaped lake, which contains Eastern brook trout, is surrounded by rocky, tree-covered knolls. The old campsite at the south end has been closed to restore the natural vegetation, but one can camp among the trees nearby. Look for designated sites. (Reservations needed May 1–September 30.) The lake is encircled by a well-beaten path, and the views are good—Graywolf Ridge rises to the north, Mount Deception and Mount Fricaba stand to the south. The terrain surrounding the lake is a blend of open country and stands of silver fir and subalpine fir.
Beyond the lake, the trail climbs over a rise, then descends to another meadow, where Royal Creek makes a double cascade as it tumbles down the mountain. Big Rock, also known as Shelter Rock, is located at the meadow’s edge. This huge chunk of pillow lava overhangs on the west side. The campsite beneath it can accommodate a number of people, and during storms hikers sometimes take refuge here.
An excellent display of Jeffrey’s shooting star is located just above Shelter Rock. The trail now climbs through forest to Arrowhead Meadow, so called because of its shape. Bordered by steep slopes, this meadow is flat, with a rounded, tree-covered knoll in the center. At the meadow’s upper end, the trail climbs among sandstone boulders to still another level. This is the main basin, an area of expansive, rolling meadows, with steep headwalls at the upper end. The meadows are sprinkled with countless boulders composed of sandstone and pillow lava. The views in every direction are impressive—Mount Deception rises to the south, The Needles to the west, other rugged peaks to the east.
A campsite near the stagnant Deception Glacier, on the northeast face of Mount Deception, marks the end of the trail (7.0 mi/11.3 km; 5700 ft/1737 m). Near the camp a muddy lake, milky with glacial flour, gives birth to a silt-choked stream. This is the beginning of Royal Creek. No inlet is visible; apparently the water seeps through the moraine, where great chunks of pillow lava lie piled in jumbles. The adjacent meadows are colorful with lupine and gentian in late summer.
One can walk up the rounded hogback west of the lake to a big rock that makes an excellent post to observe the jagged pinnacles that rise above the scree. The upper valley of Royal Creek, below the lake, has a definite U shape, indicating the glacier once extended down the valley a considerable distance. Deer roam the meadows, and elk are sometimes observed. Marmots are everywhere, and mountain goats clamber on the nearby cliffs. The neophyte should not venture beyond this point, but the experienced mountaineer can climb up and over or around Mount Deception to Deception Basin, which lies between Mount Deception and Mount Mystery. However, the basin can be reached more easily via the Dosewallips Trail.
The pinnacles of The Needles, west of Royal Basin, are composed chiefly of upended beds of pillow lava and provide some of the best rock climbing in the Olympics. The rock breaks easily, however, and is generally inferior to the granite found in the Cascades.
Not maintained
Length 1.8 mi/2.9 km
Access Upper Dungeness Trail
USGS Map Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
This path begins on the west bank of the Dungeness River, opposite Camp Handy (3100 ft/945 m) on the Upper Dungeness Trail, and can be reached by either wading the river or crossing on a logjam just south of the camp. Both ends of the trail are vague and indistinct, but most of the way the route is well defined. However, it is steep and arduous, gaining more than a half mile of elevation in less than 2 miles.
The trail begins as a poor path that follows down the river’s west bank to the first creek that comes in from the west, then follows this tributary’s north bank. (In the fall, this may be only a dry and rocky channel.) At the base of the slope, several paths converge to form the trail leading uphill. Here the route is confused by innumerable game trails, which tend to go everywhere except the direction the hiker wishes to go. Above this point, however, the route is well defined. The precipitous ascent is brutal, especially on a hot afternoon—a grueling grind that elicits grunts and groans from the backpacker.
The path skirts a slide bordering a deep gully, climbing steeply along the edge of the raw earth. Here one can look south and see craggy peaks with snowfields. The trees are also craggy—rough-barked, with many dead limbs projecting outward from the trunks. The undergrowth is largely salal, kinnikinnick, and rhododendron.
As the trail climbs higher, one can see a lofty meadow across the Dungeness, in the Marmot Pass area. The trail now follows a spinelike ridge of slate and shale, and one has to clamber along ledges, over rocks and tree roots, while clinging to bushes and little trees. The path is similar in this respect to the infamous Lake Constance Trail. Many trees have burls, some of them quite large. At one point the hiker can look back and down and see the shelter and meadow at Camp Handy.
After the path tops the gully and slide (0.7 mi/1.1 km; 4700 ft/1433 m), the grade eases somewhat, but it is still precipitous. Here, at the upper levels of the unbroken forest, the trees become scrubby, almost subalpine in character. The path then goes through dense thickets of slide alder, where the ground is marshy. A way has been cut through—otherwise the jungle would be impenetrable. Little openings appear, covered with lush grasses and plants; “Christmas” trees are scattered on the slopes, and a small stream courses down through the swale.
At the base of a steep hillside covered with sandstone boulders intermixed with scree (1.0 mi/1.6 km; 5250 ft/1600 m), the path climbs sharply again. The country is mostly open, with scattered subalpine firs and a few pines. Marmots are abundant. Here the ascent is particularly trying—often one takes a step upward in the loose scree, only to slide back two.
Eventually the hiker tops a rise and looks out upon the calm waters of Goat Lake (1.8 mi/2.9 km; 5930 ft/1807 m). The deep blue lake, covering an expanse of 8 acres, lies in a cirque at the base of a rugged, snow-flecked peak and is surrounded by stretches of meadow, groves of subalpine trees, and outcrops of sandstone covered with black lichen. A barren talus slope rises to the west.
Way trail, not maintained
Length 4.0 mi/6.4 km
Access Upper Dungeness Trail
USGS Map Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
This route is not marked with a sign, and the Forest Service does not list it in its literature. Nevertheless, it is a fairly good trail, and with limited maintenance could be made into a first-class one. The path ends near the national park boundary on the upper reaches of Heather Creek.
The trail begins as a log-blocked side path (3175 ft/968 m) on the Upper Dungeness Trail, 0.3 mi/0.5 km beyond Camp Handy. The path leads downhill, to the right, descending toward the Dungeness River through scrubby forest having the characteristic understory of salal and rhododendron found in the northeastern Olympics. After crossing a small stream, the trail approaches the Dungeness at an old camp where a cabin stood close to the river. The structure was destroyed in 1981, and nothing remains but a pile of logs.
At this point the trail goes upstream through the conifer forest, paralleling the Dungeness but avoiding its willow-choked banks. The route alternately traverses stands of old fir and grassy glades. Two camps are located in this area—the first in a grove of firs, the second (Grindstone Camp) in a meadow opposite Milk Creek, which flows down the slope to the west to join Heather Creek, thus forming the Dungeness River. The path meanders as it detours around windfalls and washouts. The flat bottomland disappears, and the trail climbs a little ridge before descending to Heather Creek (2.0 mi/3.2 km; 3260 ft/994 m). The stream is not bridged; one must either wade or look around for a log spanning the creek.
The trail then follows a rounded ridge, and one can hear the booming of Heather Creek below. As the path climbs through the forest, where the ground is covered with boulders and moss, the hiker is surprised to come upon an old hunters’ camp (2.9 mi/4.7 km; 3475 ft/1059 m) littered with heaps of debris. The piles include broken glass, whiskey and beer bottles, assorted jars, gasoline cans, and rusted tableware. Burned timbers denote the site where a cabin once stood.
At this point the trail jogs to the right and climbs steadily through scrubby little firs and hemlocks. At times one can look across the Dungeness Valley and see the rock tower that marks the end of the Charlia Lakes Way Trail. The trail then enters the first of two areas where avalanches have destroyed the timber. Here one can see rocky, forested peaks and ridges, with some meadowland at the higher elevations.
The character of the forest changes, with willow and slide alder mixed among the conifers. Many of the latter are covered with burls. The country becomes increasingly rough; big rocks lie scattered among the trees, and the slope drops steeply to a canyon on the left. The trail then enters a big basin overgrown with impenetrable thickets of slide alder and willow, where a good deal of debris has been left by avalanches. The basin is encircled by rocky mountains, with two peaks forming a wall at its head. The higher one is Little Mystery.
The trail descends along the basin’s edge to Heather Creek. A cabin, identified by a sign as Heather Creek Camp, once stood on a knoll on the stream’s far side, almost hidden by brush and stunted evergreens covered with burls.
This cabin was located in the vicinity of the national park boundary, which has not been marked in this area. The trail ends here (ca. 4.0 mi/6.4 km; ca. 4000 ft/1219 m).
Not maintained
Length 1.0 mi/1.6 km
Access Upper Dungeness Trail
USGS Map Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
A way trail that leads to high places and wide views, this route begins about 250 yards south of Boulder Shelter at the end of the Upper Dungeness Trail, at 5000 ft/1524 m. The trail is not marked, but it is surprisingly good. However, it is no longer listed in Forest Service literature.
At first the path climbs through stands of subalpine fir where the undergrowth is largely azalea. The grade soon eases, however, and patches of meadow are mixed among the firs and rock outcrops. After crossing a little ridge, the route meanders through alpland where the views across the Dungeness River include The Needles, Mount Deception, Graywolf Ridge, Baldy, and Tyler Peak.
After going through a gap in the ridge to a campsite by a little pond, the trail works its way out onto a rocky ledge where one has an unobstructed view of Mount Constance and the upper Dungeness. The path follows the ridge, traversing meadowland, where clumps of lodgepole pines defy the elements. The vistas in every direction are splendid.
As the trail climbs a steep slope between rough peaks, the mountains to the southwest, beyond the headwaters of the Dungeness, come into view. The path switchbacks up the slope, climbing through broken rubble at the foot of a rock tower about 100 feet high, then ends on the ridge crest (1.0 mi/1.6 km; ca. 6500 ft/1981 m).
At this point one can look down the valley of Tunnel Creek and see a bit of Hood Canal, with Glacier Peak beyond it on the horizon. The smaller of the Charlia Lakes is visible from a spot a bit downslope, but in order to see the larger lake one has to scramble a hundred yards or so up the peak to the north. The hiker should watch for mountain goats because the country is ideal habitat for the animals.
Rocky peaks rise both north and south of the lakes, which drain eastward to Tunnel Creek, a tributary of the Big Quilcene River. The lakes are almost a thousand feet below the ridge, and in order to reach them the hiker must “heel down” the steep slope. The soft soil affords good footing on the descent, but the climb back up is strenuous. One lake is little more than a round pothole (5700 ft/1737 m), but the other is much larger, irregular in shape, and bordered by trees (5500 ft/1676 m). The lakes contain Eastern brook trout.
Length 8.8 mi/14.2 km
Access FS Road 2870
USGS Maps Mount Zion; Mount Townsend; Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
Originally this trail extended from Dungeness Forks to Marmot Pass, but man’s penchant for building roads has taken its toll. The lower portion below Gold Creek has been destroyed; the middle section, between Gold Creek and Silver Creek, has been isolated from the upper part by FS Road 2870, and is called the Gold Creek Trail. Only the upper section is known today as the Tubal Cain Trail.
The trailhead (3300 ft/1006 m) is located on FS Road 2870, 3.6 mi/5.8 km beyond the Dungeness River crossing. The path is smooth, with a gradual grade, and lends itself to rapid walking. After going by Silver Creek Shelter, it crosses the stream, takes a westerly course as it climbs around the spur between Silver Creek and Copper Creek, then heads due south, paralleling the latter. The gain in elevation is almost imperceptible. After the first mile, the forest changes to a mix of Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Now and then the hiker is rewarded with a glimpse of distant peaks up the valley.
About 1899, copper, manganese, and other minerals were discovered at the sites of Tubal Cain and Tull City, on the lower flanks of Iron Mountain. Men took mining claims and packed equipment and ore along this part of the 18-mile trail. However, during the winter of 1911 severe snowstorms swept the district, and spring floods and avalanches destroyed the mine shafts. Consequently, the miners left.
The lower slopes traversed by this trail were burned during the early 1900s, when the mining activities were under way, and the route now traverses scrubby stands of second-growth fir. The heavy undergrowth consists mostly of rhododendron, and the display of pink blossoms is spectacular in early summer.
Not far beyond County Line Creek, where one leaves Clallam County and enters Jefferson, the hiker can look across the valley and see a band of meadowland high up the slope, with thick timber not only below but also above. This is characteristic all along the ridge west of Copper Creek.
Near Tull Canyon Creek the rhododendron jungle disappears, and the trail swings to the southwest. The Tull Canyon Trail (3.2 mi/5.2 km; 4150 ft/1265 m) climbs the hillside to the left. The Tubal Cain Trail now enters dense stands of second-growth fir, where the ground is barren, but presently the path leaves the dark forest, crosses a tributary of Copper Creek, then parallels the latter to Tubal Cain Camp (3.6 mi/5.8 km; 4350 ft/1326 m), which is located on Copper Creek.
The camp is located in a grove of subalpine fir near the Tubal Cain Mine. One should not explore the mine tunnel because it is unsafe. The main shaft goes back 2800 feet, with 1500 feet of side tunnels. The old buildings have been gone for years, but debris lies scattered about. Backpackers have utilized the stoves, pipes, and barrels at campsites located among huge chunks of pillow lava in the dark, damp, and gloomy woods. The best camping place, however, is a little island in Copper Creek, where one can enjoy the sunshine.
The trail crosses the creek at this point. This is the last water on the route unless one makes a side trip to Buckhorn Lake. As the path climbs through beautiful meadows, one can see the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the north. Beyond an area where fire-killed snags have been knocked down by avalanches, the trail traverses open slopes providing wide vistas of the basin at the head of Copper Creek.
The Buckhorn Lake Way Trail (5.5 mi/8.9 km; ca. 5300 ft/1615 m) is not marked, and the hiker intending to visit the lake should watch for a path leading downhill to the left, because the lake is not visible from the trail.
As it switchbacks up the shale slopes, the path alternates between meadow and subalpine forest. At Buckhorn Pass (7.0 mi/11.3 km; 5900 ft/1798 m), on the divide between Copper Creek and the Dungeness, the trail turns south and follows the ridge. The valley at the head of Copper Creek lies to the left, below Iron Mountain and Buckhorn Mountain. One can also look back to the north and see Peak 6628. Beyond it lies the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan gleaming on the horizon.
The trail now attains its highest elevation (6300 ft/1920 m), then traverses the shale slopes on the west side of Buckhorn Mountain. The landscape is dotted with stunted whitebark pines and subalpine firs, but they do not obscure the views, which now include the country to the south as well as the strait to the north, with the peaks in Canada beyond.
As the trail descends high meadowland where the subalpine lupine waves in the wind, the hiker is treated to a succession of splendid views—the upper Dungeness, Del Monte Ridge, Alphabet Ridge, and numerous rugged peaks. They include Constance, Mystery, Fricaba, Deception, The Needles, and Warrior. The wind sweeps across the ridge, and one cannot help but wonder what it is like here during a winter storm.
The trail then descends to Marmot Pass, the gap in the ridge at the head of the Big Quilcene, where it ends in a junction with the Upper Big Quilcene Trail (8.8 mi/14.2 km; 6000 ft/1829 m).
Way trail, not maintained
Length 0.7 mi/1.1 km
Access Tubal Cain Trail
USGS Map Mount Townsend
Agency Olympic National Forest
Although short and steep, this trail contains a couple of surprises. The path begins on the Tubal Cain Trail at 3.2 mi/5.2 km just beyond a big rock (4150 ft/1265 m), and climbs steeply uphill. The first surprise is right at the start—the dark, forbidding entrance to a miners’ tunnel at the base of a cliff. One can discern the floors and walls for some distance, then all definition disappears in the murky darkness.
The trail skirts beneath the moss-padded cliff, then traverses through stands of broomstick-size fir and hemlock, and makes its way among rough boulders of broken basalt. Upon coming to a vantage point that overlooks the ridge to the west, the trail goes through stands of larger trees, and the grade eases. The trail then forks.
The left branch leads out to a swampy area at the lower end of a beautiful valley—and the second surprise. Here, scattered among thick growths of willow, lie the remains of an Air Force B-17 that crashed on January 19, 1952, during a blinding snowstorm. Three men were killed; five survived.
The right branch goes to a campsite, then to the remnants of an old cabin (0.7 mi/1.1 km; 5000 ft/1524 m). The roof is gone; only the walls are standing. This was the site of Tull City, another ill-fated mining venture contemporary with the Tubal Cain development. Beyond the cabin, a well-developed way trail extends up the valley about a half-mile to meadowland.
Large boulders are strewn about the marshy area. At this point one can look up Tull Canyon, which is overshadowed by a rocky peak on the right.
Not maintained
Length 0.5 mi/0.8 km
Access Tubal Cain Trail
USGS Map Mount Townsend
Agency Olympic National Forest
The primitive trail that leads to Buckhorn Lake begins at a junction with the Tubal Cain Trail, 1.9 mi/3.1 km beyond Copper Creek, at ca. 5300 ft/1615 m. The intersection is not marked, and the hiker traveling north on the Tubal Cain Trail is apt to mistake the path for a switchback and wind up at Buckhorn Lake when the intended destination is Copper Creek.
The path descends through stands of subalpine fir, crosses a small stream, then climbs a bit, rather sharply, only to descend again to Buckhorn Camp. Two campsites are located here, adjacent to a little creek in the forest, where chipmunks scurry about, anticipating the opportunity to commit larceny. But the trail doesn’t end here; it goes on, descending again, to Buckhorn Lake (0.5 mi/0.8 km; 5150 ft/1570 m).
The lake is not visible from either trail; it could well be called Hidden Lake. One wonders how it was discovered. Most likely a prospector spotted it from the top of Iron Mountain, then set out to find it. The lake lies in a beastly, miserable hole and has a rocky shore, but the path comes down to the muddy upper end near the inlet creek. The tarn, which is stocked with rainbow trout, is surrounded by dense stands of subalpine fir. One little tent site is located here, but it is not level. The best camp is up in the woods with the chipmunks.
