The Quilcene watershed, located in the midst of the district once called the Jupiter Hills, encompasses the areas drained by the Big Quilcene River and the Little Quilcene River in the northeastern Olympics. The streams, separated by the Quilcene Range, flow into the head of Quilcene Bay less than a mile from each other. The Quilcene country is separated from the Dosewallips on the south by a long, narrow ridge extending from Mount Turner to Mount Constance; from the Dungeness on the west by the Constance Range; and from the district to the north and east by low divides.
Most of the land lying in the Quilcene watershed is rugged. The Big Quilcene heads at about 6000 ft/1829 m near Marmot Pass, the Little Quilcene at the same level on the north slope of Mount Townsend; but each stream is less than 20 miles in length. The Big Quilcene has two major tributaries—Townsend Creek and Tunnel Creek.
This area lies in the heart of the rain shadow, the driest district in the Olympic Mountains. Yet it is not truly arid; in fact, in the river bottoms the forests are luxuriant. With the concurrence of the Forest Service, the timber industry has severely exploited this district. Logging roads penetrate almost everywhere; clearcuts are legion. The only remaining areas that can be considered truly primitive are the upper valleys of the Big Quilcene and Tunnel Creek.
Access to the trails in this area is provided by the Olympic Highway, US 101, which skirts the region on the east, and by several logging roads in the national forest.
Bon Jon Pass Road (FS Road 28). This road begins at Lords Lake, near the national forest boundary, and is reached by driving 2.0 mi/3.2 km north of Quilcene on US 101, then turning left onto County Road 30 (Lords Lake Road) and following it 3.4 mi/5.5 km to a junction, near Lords Lake, where FS Road 28 begins. The latter follows the Little Quilcene River in a northwesterly direction, climbing to Bon Jon Pass (5.3 mi/8.5 km), then traversing across the foothills to the Palo Alto Road on the Dungeness (15.7 mi/25.3 km). It leads to the Mount Zion Trail.
FS Roads 27, 2740, 2750, and 2760. These roads are all reached by driving 1.4 mi/2.3 km west of Quilcene on US 101, then turning right onto Penny Creek Road just north of the Big Quilcene River. At 1.4 mi/2.3 km the Big Quilcene River Road branches to the left and continues for 3.0 mi/4.8 km until it divides (4.4 mi/7.1 km from US 101). At this point the left branch becomes FS Road 2740; the right branch, FS Road 27.
FS Road 27. This road begins at the junction with FS Road 2740 and the Big Quilcene River Road. FS Road 2750 branches left at 6.1 mi/9.8 km; FS Road 2760 at 9.1 mi/14.7 km. After crossing Skaar Pass (11.1 mi/17.9 km), FS Road 27 continues to FS Road 28 (16.0 mi/25.8 km).
FS Road 2740. The road begins at the intersection with FS Road 27 and the Big Quilcene River Road and descends through virgin timber into Big Quilcene Canyon. After crossing the Big Quilcene River above the confluence of Tunnel Creek, the road follows the latter stream and provides access to the Tunnel Creek Trail (6.6 mi/10.6 km).
FS Road 2750. This road branches left from FS Road 27, 6.1 mi/9.8 km beyond the intersection of FS Road 27, FS Road 2740, and the Big Quilcene River Road. The road goes up the Big Quilcene Valley to Wet Weather Creek and Ten Mile Shelter (4.6 mi/7.4 km). The Upper Big Quilcene Trail begins on the uphill side just beyond the shelter; the upper trailhead of the Lower Big Quilcene Trail can be found near Wet Weather Creek on the downhill side of the road.
FS Road 2760. This primitive road, noted for its rhododendron display in late June and July, branches left from FS Road 27 at 9.1 mi/14.7 km, and provides access to the popular Mount Townsend Trail, 0.9 mi/1.4 km from its junction with FS Road 27.
FS Road 2820. The road branches left from FS Road 28, 0.2 mi/0.3 km west of Bon Jon Pass, and leads to the Little Quilcene Trail.
FS Road 2730 (The Mount Walker Road). This road leaves US 101 5.0 mi/8.1 km southwest of Quilcene and climbs to the top of Mount Walker, ascending steadily as it almost encircles the peak. At 3.2 mi/5.2 km a viewpoint overlooks the country to the south and east, including Mount Rainier. The road forks at 4.1 mi/6.6 km. The right branch goes about 600 yards to the South Viewpoint (2730 ft/832 m); the left branch extends approximately 250 yards to the North Viewpoint (also 2730 ft/832 m). Each viewpoint has a loop at the end.
The South Viewpoint overlooks Dabob Bay and Dabob Peninsula, Hood Canal, Puget Sound, the Cascades, and the eastern foothills of the Olympics. The North Viewpoint has a sweeping view of the Olympics from Mount Jupiter to Mount Townsend, and it also overlooks the Quilcene Range to the north, and the neighboring lowlands. The lower slopes of the range have been badly scarred by patch logging.
Length 1.8 mi/2.9 km
Access FS Road 28
USGS Map Mount Zion
Agency Olympic National Forest
Mount Zion stands somewhat isolated, its slopes draining to four systems—on the west, via Gold Creek, to the Dungeness River; north, to a tributary of Jimmycomelately Creek; east, into Snow Creek, and on the south to Deadfall Creek, a tributary of the Little Quilcene. The peak does not, therefore, belong to any particular watershed; but because it is more closely linked with the Quilcene than the Dungeness, it has been included here.
The trailhead (2950 ft/899 m) is located on FS Road 28, 2.0 mi/3.2 km from Bon Jon Pass, where a parking lot and a permanent restroom have been constructed.
This trail is at its best in late June or early July, when the rhododendrons are in bloom. The floral display rivals that on Mount Townsend as one of the finest in the Olympics. The smooth, well-laid-out trail is a delight to walk.
The route climbs at a moderate grade, ascending slopes covered with second-growth fir and an understory of rhododendron. Lichen clings to the trunks of the trees and the branches of the rhododendrons; the ground is covered with salal and ferns. Columbia lilies bloom alongside the path in the summer; their seed stalks sway in the autumn winds.
The only source of water on this route is a trickle on the right side of the trail (0.6 mi/1.0 km)—enough to hold a cup under and obtain a drink.
The trail climbs to the northwest, then makes a big bend and reverses its direction 180 degrees. After traversing beneath outcrops of basalt, the path climbs a bit, via a half dozen switchbacks, then goes by more examples of volcanic rock.
Upon the summit (1.8 mi/2.9 km; 4274 ft/1303 m), the trail breaks out into the open, but little trees are scattered around. The actual top is a smooth, flat area where a lookout cabin once stood. Built in 1929, it was removed in 1975.
The views are excellent. High peaks are visible to the southwest, including snow-flecked Mount Deception and The Needles, but flat-topped Mount Townsend dominates the scene because it is closer. Lower peaks and ridges can be seen to the northwest. The Strait of Juan de Fuca lies to the north, partially obscured by the ridge in the foreground. Mount Baker rises to the northeast, beyond Puget Sound, which is often covered by clouds, but on a clear day one has a glorious view of the water and the Cascades.
Length 4.2 mi/6.8 km
Access FS Road 2820; FS Road 2870
USGS Map Mount Zion
Agency Olympic National Forest
The trailhead (ca. 4200 ft/1280 m) is located at the 4.0 mi/6.4 km point on FS Road 2820, which is reached via the Bon Jon Pass Road. The trail begins in a big clearcut that has been slash-burned and is now covered with blackened stumps and fireweed. As the trail climbs above and parallels the road, it crosses a little stream—the only water on the route. This was the site of Last Water Camp before much of the trail was obliterated by logging.
Beyond the clearcut the trail goes through a fringe of second growth before it enters the virgin forest—at this point Douglas-fir and western hemlock, with the typical understory of rhododendron and azalea that is found in the eastern Olympics. The trail climbs sharply to a more or less level area covered with subalpine fir and lodgepole pine. An old sign riddled with bullet holes indicates that this is Little River Summit (0.9 mi/1.4 km; 4800 ft/1463 m), the divide between the Little Quilcene and the Dungeness Rivers.
Open spots permit one to look out over the patch logging in the foothills to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. When the weather is benign, this is a pleasant place, but during storms the wind shrieks in the subalpine firs, creating a wilderness symphony.
The trail crosses into the Sleepy Hollow watershed, where it traverses thick stands of subalpine fir. Here it climbs again, but not so steeply, going up and down like an elevator as it makes its way through lodgepole pine and subalpine fir to the intersection with the Mount Townsend Trail (2.0 mi/3.2 km; 5275 ft/1608 m), near the head of Sleepy Hollow and below the crest of Dirty Face Ridge.
How Dirty Face Ridge and Sleepy Hollow received their names is not known, but one is tempted to speculate that the former may have referred to the smoke-grimed faces of men fighting a forest fire—or perhaps they were miners from Tubal Cain returning to civilization.
Beyond this point the trail is not maintained, and it is sometimes called the Dirty Face Ridge Trail or the Sleepy Hollow Trail. The path climbs onto Dirty Face Ridge, where it winds among bushy pines and upthrusts of pillow lava. The forest is the same mixture of lodgepole pine and subalpine fir, with the former predominating. The views are excellent. Mount Townsend looms to the south, little more than a mile distant; Iron Mountain and Buckhorn Mountain are in full view. More distant are the peaks at the head of the Dungeness. The view to the northeast embraces Puget Sound and the Cascades, with Mount Baker the major peak. Below, to the north, are forested ridges, with a few clearcuts discernible in the distance.
The trail then traverses below the ridge, leaving the subalpine country, and the views disappear. But as the path circles around to the southwest, logging roads and clearcuts are visible along Silver Creek and the Dungeness.
The views again disappear as the trail begins a precipitous descent that is hard on the toes. Unbelievably, it gets steeper, until the rocky trail is little more than a gully. The route goes through stands of stunted trees and thick growths of rhododendron, where the display of blossoms in early summer is reason enough to hike over the trail. Although water is usually not available, the path crosses a seep (4.0 mi/6.4 km) where it can sometimes be obtained. The trail improves beyond this point—it is no longer rocky and loses much of its steepness as it comes out to FS Road 2870 (see Dungeness-Graywolf chapter) on the uphill side (4.2 mi/6.8 km; 3400 ft/1036 m). No sign is present to indicate that this is the trail’s western terminus. The person driving on the road merely sees a path going up the mountainside. The parking area for the Tubal Cain Trail is down the road just a bit.
Length 5.8 mi/9.3 km
Access FS Road 27; FS Road 2750
USGS Maps Mount Townsend; Mount Walker
Agency Olympic National Forest
The Big Quilcene Trail once extended unbroken almost the full length of the valley, and it was known as the Rainbow Trail. However, FS Road 2750 now extends far up the valley, and where it crosses the river it cuts the trail in two. The lower and upper segments are now known, respectively, as the Lower Big Quilcene Trail and the Upper Big Quilcene Trail.
The Lower Big Quilcene Trail begins at Big Quilcene Campground (1300 ft/396 m), a primitive camping area reached by driving 0.4 mi/0.6 km on FS Road 27, then going left 0.3 mi/0.5 km on FS Road 2700–080. The upper trailhead is located on FS Road 2750, 4.6 mi/7.4 km from its junction with FS Road 27.
The trail follows the Big Quilcene River, at first utilizing the grade of the abandoned Bark Shanty Road, so long unused it is now carpeted with grass. The path, bordered by second-growth fir, alder, and maple, soon enters the Port Townsend municipal watershed, where it comes to an overlook. The view south, across the canyon, includes beautifully forested slopes that have been marred by numerous clearcuts. The river itself is hidden by trees along its banks.
The route now contours high above the Big Quilcene, and one can glimpse the stream, clear and sparkling, in the depths of the canyon. Old firs stand between the trail and river, but the uphill slope has been logged and is now covered with second growth. At this point the trail enters virgin forest, largely Douglas-fir. A glance backward reveals fir-clad mountainsides scarred by clearcuts, but across the Big Quilcene the forest is untouched. The broad path, still following the old road, is now practically level as it contours the mountainside. Upon approaching the river, the trail crosses several streams.
One now makes the first of two crossings of the Big Quilcene. The stream, spanned by an old wooden bridge, flows over a bed of boulders, many covered with mosses and plants. On the west side, the trail traverses a stand of tall firs. Here an unmarked path leads, right, to Bark Shanty Camp (2.4 mi/3.9 km; 1440 ft/439 m), just below the confluence of Townsend Creek and the river. The campsite is a little spot surrounded by tall evergreens. The old road ended at this point.
The trail recrosses the river above the point where Townsend Creek flows into the Big Quilcene and then climbs a bit as the valley becomes more canyonlike. The path then enters stands of second growth on land that was logged some years ago, all the way to the river. Not even a fringe of trees was left standing. One can look upstream and see logging roads on the mountainside, clearcuts covered with young stands of fir, and dark expanses of old-growth forest above. The trail then goes through an area logged in 1983–84. The slopes on both sides of the river were shorn of trees to the stream’s edge. Only the stumps remain of the large firs and cedars that bordered the trail, and the path threads its way through head-high second growth.
The trail then reenters the forest, here a mixed stand of fir and hemlock. The undergrowth consists of rhododendron, Oregon grape, and salal; the ground is often covered with moss. The trail crosses three creeks, where the hiker must hop across from boulder to boulder. At Jolley Creek, the last one, a side path leads downhill to Camp Jolley (5.0 mi/8.1 km; 2000 ft/610 m).
The trail climbs to a point where one can look down and see the river flowing in its narrow channel like a millrace. A logged patch is visible to the right, through the trees, and one can see FS Road 2750 on the slope above.
The roar of the river comes up from below as the trail rounds a spur, and the keen-eyed hiker can dimly perceive the cause through the trees—a falls 15 or 20 feet high. The path now enters what the Forest Service calls a partial cut—a selectively logged area. Many trees were left standing; consequently, the land has not been left desolate, as is often the case.
The trail comes out into a clearcut grown up with hemlock and fir and climbs to FS Road 2750 about a hundred yards east of Wet Weather Creek (5.8 mi/9.3 km; 2500 ft/762 m). This is the upper trailhead of the Lower Big Quilcene Trail. Ten Mile Shelter is just ahead, on the uphill side adjacent to Wet Weather Creek. The Upper Big Quilcene Trail begins just beyond the shelter.
Length 6.7 mi/10.8 km
Access FS Road 2750
USGS Maps Mount Townsend; Mount Deception
Agency Olympic National Forest
This route traverses the Buckhorn Wilderness. The trailhead (2500 ft/762 m) is located on FS Road 2750 just beyond Ten Mile Shelter (4.6 mi/7.4 km), near where the road crosses the Big Quilcene River. The shelter stands on a bench above the road, next to Wet Weather Creek; but, as the name implies, it was 10 miles up the trail before the road was built.
The trail, which is well maintained by a number of volunteer groups, climbs gradually through stands of old-growth fir, cedar, and hemlock, primarily the latter. Rhododendrons are abundant and in early summer brighten the forest with masses of pink flowers. Many big, moss-covered boulders lie scattered about, and ferns grow among the rocks. The trail comes out onto the banks of the Big Quilcene, then switchbacks upward through silver fir and western hemlock, leaving the river far below rushing wildly through the forest.
The trail then returns to the river and a side trail leads, left, to Shelter Rock Camp (2.6 mi/4.2 km; 3650 ft/1113 m), located in a stand of tall hemlock beside the Big Quilcene, which at this point is scarcely 10 feet wide. Why the camp received its name is puzzling. The only large boulders nearby are two modest-sized ones.
Beyond this camp the trail once again climbs up and away from the river, but parallels a small stream, the last source of water until one approaches Camp Mystery. As it traverses a steep, sun-baked mountainside, the path crosses a large boulder field where, during the winter and spring months, avalanches sweep down from Iron Mountain and Buckhorn Mountain. The river’s canyon is to the left, and one can look up toward Marmot Pass. The trail then crosses scree slopes of another avalanche zone. Buckhorn Mountain stands to the north, the slope above the trail culminating in pinnacles of basalt. Across the narrow valley rise steep ridges and Peak 6852, with Mount Constance beyond.
Camp Mystery (4.6 mi/7.4 km; 5400 ft/1646 m) is located in a stand of subalpine fir beside a stream. A cragged ridge rises to the north, and rugged peaks are visible to the south. This is a good place to make a base camp because running water is available, and the place is sheltered from the wind.
The trail now climbs steadily toward Marmot Pass, and the trees are much smaller, the stands thinner. The route goes through an area of large boulders interspersed with meadows and groves of subalpine fir, where a little stream tumbles down from the heights above. This is the last source of water. At this point considerable damage has been done to the trail by people who have cut across the switchbacks. The trail zigzags up the slope beneath outcrops of basalt, and one can look down the Big Quilcene Valley and see Puget Sound—and, beyond it, Glacier Peak topping the Cascades. The trail then breaks out into large meadows, through which it climbs to a junction with the Tubal Cain Trail at Marmot Pass (5.3 mi/8.5 km; 6000 ft/1829 m).
Upon reaching the pass, one is inclined to linger and savor the panorama that extends across the upper Dungeness. The view includes some of the highest peaks in the Olympics, including Fricaba, Deception, The Needles, and Graywolf Ridge. The pass is merely the low point in the Constance Range, the ridge that extends north from Mount Constance to the headwaters of Copper Creek. Here the wind seldom, if ever, stops blowing, howling fiercely as it whips across the notch, whistling in the subalpine firs that cling to the nearby ridge, while the grasses and wildflowers wave wildly. Occasionally, however, the wind is toned down to a subdued susurration, and when this occurs the pass is a pleasant place to be. One cannot help but wonder, however, what it must be like here during a winter storm.
Double-peaked Buckhorn Mountain (6988 ft/2130 m; 6956 ft/2120m), which rises about a mile northeast of the pass, offers still better views of the northeastern Olympics. The ascent of the mountain, which owes its name to a fancied resemblance of the peak to deer antlers, is nontechnical, via a prominent boot path visible from the pass. The much-used route is generally snow-free by mid-July. Hikers should stay on the boot-beaten path to avoid trampling the heather.
Beyond the pass the trail crosses a rock slide, then makes “the grand traverse”—alternately going through groves of subalpine fir and across meadowland brightened by bluebells, lupine, and yarrow in late summer, with splendid views of the Dungeness Valley and the rugged peaks. The trail then descends, crossing rock slides and meadows dotted with subalpine firs, and lodgepole and whitebark pines. This is one of the few places where whitebark pine grows in the Olympics, but about half the trees are dead. The trail then skirts a field of big, rough boulders at the foot of a talus slope, where water is available. This is the first stream since just beyond Camp Mystery.
The trail enters a dense stand of subalpine fir as it drops down to a junction with the Constance Pass Trail and the Upper Dungeness Trail near Boulder Shelter (6.7 mi/10.8 kin; 4950 ft/1509 m).
Length 6.3 mi/10.1 km
Access FS Road 2760; Little Quilcene Trail
USGS Maps Mount Townsend; Mount Zion
Agency Olympic National Forest
This path, one of the best maintained in the Olympics, begins on FS Road 2760 at approximately 3000 ft/914 m elevation and penetrates the perimeter of the Buckhorn Wilderness. The trail ascends through the various life zones and provides superlative vistas of the surrounding country. At first the trail meanders by Sink Lake, which is half swamp and half stagnant lake. In late summer it appears to be turning into a grassy meadow with a stream running through it.
After passing a well-maintained trailside shelter, often used by equestrians, the route climbs to the terminus of an abandoned road (1.0 mi/1.6 km; 3500 ft/1067m). This is the former trailhead—now usually referred to as the upper trailhead—and it is readily accessible via the abandoned road, but the road itself is not signed to indicate it provides access to the Mount Townsend Trail, and the hiker who follows the road signs will end up at the lower trailhead instead.
The trail ascends through stands of fir and hemlock having a dense understory of tall rhododendron. When the bushes are in bloom, during early summer, they convert the forest into a green-and-pink fairyland. Here the trail parallels Townsend Creek, which flows through a canyon to the left. Although the stream can be heard, it is not visible and the trail does not approach it here.
The smooth path climbs steadily at a moderate grade. Near a series of rock outcrops the forest changes to a mixture of subalpine fir, western white pine, and silver fir. Although Douglas-fir and western hemlock are still present, they are now conical in form, with branches extending to the ground. Numerous open spots occur, and here wildflowers such as the lupine and pearly everlasting grow abundantly. Kinnikinnick creates green mats among the rocks above and below the trail; its red berries are colorful in the fall.
The trail traverses beneath a pillow lava outcrop, and at this point the hiker can look down the valley and see a curious blend of virgin timber, second growth, clearcuts, and logging roads. The grade eases as the trail crosses Townsend Creek near its source (dry in late summer and fall). This is typical high country—meadows with scattered groves of subalpine trees; slopes covered with juniper, thimbleberry, and huckleberry brush that turns blazing red in the fall. A few lodgepole pines are present. Examples of pillow lava are visible everywhere.
As the trail climbs higher, the views widen to include Discovery Bay to the left of the Quilcene Range, Puget Sound to the right. A rocky ridge looms up to the south. Making a “viewpoint turn,” the trail enters a stand of tall subalpine fir, where a side path leads to Camp Windy (3.6 mi/5.8 km; 5300 ft/1615 m), located in a tiny meadow. The nearby Windy Lakes are little more than potholes, but in late summer they provide the only water along this trail. If the water is used, it should be boiled or filtered.
Beyond Camp Windy the trail climbs through stands of subalpine fir to a junction with the Silver Lakes Trail (3.9 mi/6.3 km; 5650 ft/1722 m). The trail then ascends high, open meadows where juniper bushes hug the ground. The Quilcene Range and Mount Walker are visible to the southeast, and one can see Windy Lake (the larger one) directly below.
The crest of Mount Townsend is a long, narrow ridge with a gentle incline on the west, but a steep drop on the east; thus it resembles a tilted block. The mountain has two summits a half mile apart—the higher one to the south (6280 ft/1914 m), the lower to the north (6212 ft/1893 m). They are merely the highest points on the plateau. Upon attaining the summit ridge, the trail crosses to the west slope, skirting below the south summit as it traverses grassland to the saddle between the peaks. Here the trail divides (5.0 mi/8.0 km). The main trail goes left; the right branch is a spur that leads to the north summit. Once the site of a lookout cabin, this point is littered with bits of broken glass and pieces of cable.
Mount Townsend is fully exposed to the west wind, which at times howls mightily here, the grasses waving wild accompaniment. The view is one of the best in the Olympics. Numerous peaks are visible to the southwest—The Needles, Deception, Constance, Inner Constance, Mystery, Warrior, Iron Mountain, and The Brothers. One has only to turn and look in the opposite direction, however, to see Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Cascades, the latter capped by volcanic cones. On a day that is exceptionally clear, the keen-eyed person can discern the buildings in Seattle. But the distant views are not the only attraction. The lucky hiker may also see ravens wheeling and turning overhead. The birds love the wind and are often observed over the peak.
Descending from the summit ridge, the trail goes by knobby chunks of pillow lava in high meadowland that is essentially treeless. The peaks to the southwest remain in full view. As the trail descends, stunted pines and subalpine firs appear. The path then switchbacks; here the landscape is sprinkled with bushy lodgepole pines that stand as solitary specimens among upthrusts of basalt. The trail makes a descending traverse at the south end of Dirty Face Ridge, then rounds a point. Ahead one can see the long scar made by FS Road 2950 where it slashes across the slopes beyond the Dungeness, with one clearcut after another below the road, strung out like beads on a necklace.
The trail descends sharply as it crosses to the ridge’s east side and switchbacks down into the timber. Here the subalpine firs and lodgepole pines are much taller and larger. Entering a dense stand, the trail comes to a junction with the Little Quilcene Trail (6.3 mi/10.1 km; 5275 ft/1608 m).
Length 2.5 mi/4.0 km
Access Mount Townsend Trail
USGS Map Mount Townsend
Agency Olympic National Forest
The trail begins 0.3 mi/0.5 km above Camp Windy on the Mount Townsend Trail at 5650 ft/1722 m and traverses beneath outcrops of rock. Windy Lake is visible below, but the view disappears as the path goes into a thick stand of subalpine fir. Then, climbing toward the ridge crest, the trail makes its way through an area of tortured basalt—blocks, towers, and incipient cliffs, with upthrusts sticking out of the ground.
At the exposed notch (5700 ft/1737 m), where the trail crosses the south ridge of Mount Townsend, the wind often whips through the trees. On this side the slopes overlook Silver Creek Basin and the peaks at the head of the valley. Logging roads are discernible to the north, down the valleys of Silver Creek and the Dungeness River.
As it descends toward the basin’s head, the trail makes long traverses between switchbacks. The country consists of open meadowland and groves of subalpine firs. Bluebells bloom alongside the path, where rocks stick up like toes among the flowers.
The trail dips down to where the trees thicken into an unbroken stand. Here it goes beneath a cliff, the low point in the route, then climbs again. After crossing a stream—the only place where water is available—the trail ascends through the subalpine firs. The country becomes meadowy again just before the trail terminates at the larger and better known of the two Silver Lakes (2.5 mi/4.0 km; 5425 ft/1654 m), the source of Silver Creek.
The lake, shaped like a teardrop, lies in an amphitheater or glacial cirque that is almost encircled by rough peaks. The east and west sides—which pinch together at the north, or outlet, where the creek begins—are bordered by stands of subalpine fir. At the broad south end, meadowland rises toward the ridge that leads to the peaks southwest of the lake. The huge boulders scattered along the lake’s west side have fallen from the cliffs above and now rest at the foot of talus slopes. Diving Rock, at the lake’s southeast corner, is often used by swimmers on warm summer days.
Although the trail ends here, a way path loops around the lakeshore, and another one climbs the hill north of the lake to a campsite, then descends to the second lake. About half the size of the upper lake, it lies directly north, about 500 yards distant, at 5290 ft/1612 m. Both lakes contain Eastern brook trout.
The Silver Lakes can be reached via an alternate route, an unmaintained way path that joins the main trail less than a mile from the lakes. Follow the instructions given for reaching the Upper Dungeness Trail via FS Road 2860, cross the Dungeness River, then drive 3.6 mi/5.8 km, still on FS Road 2860, to the Tubal Cain Trail; cross Silver Creek, and continue to an obscure, abandoned logging road which has space for parking two or three vehicles. No signs indicate the trail begins nearby until one hikes up 300 feet of unmaintained path to a large bulletin board and sign-out station. The trail at this point is surprisingly good and shows evidence of being used, but it is often overgrown. Beginning on the west side of Silver Creek, the trail soon crosses to the east side (no bridge). The path more or less follows the creek, and after climbing a bit of precipitous terrain, where hikers must use care, it ends in a junction (2.2 mi/3.5 km) with the main route. After merging with it, the way trail becomes an imperceptible component of the remaining 0.8 mi/1.3 km to the lakes.
Length 7.3 mi/11.8 km
Access FS Road 2740; Dosewallips River Road
USGS Maps Mount Townsend; Mount Jupiter
Agency Olympic National Forest
This route traverses the Buckhorn Wilderness, climbing to Fifty-Fifty Pass (5050 ft/1539 m) at the head of the South Fork of Tunnel Creek. The hike should start on the Tunnel Creek side; no sane person deliberately backpacks over this trail from the Dosewallips River.
The trail begins at 6.6 mi/10.6 km on FS Road 2740, where it crosses the South Fork of Tunnel Creek (2600 ft/792 m). At first the path parallels Tunnel Creek, ascending through hemlock forest as it traverses above the stream. Camp Monk (0.5 mi/0.8 km), an attractive site across the creek, has space for one tent. A sign indicates the camp was established in 1959. The path then veers away from the creek and climbs through an imposing stand of old-growth western hemlock and silver fir. Although the creek is no longer visible, it can be heard faintly. As it approaches the creek again, the trail becomes fairly level and parallels the stream.
At Tunnel Creek Shelter (2.7 mi/4.3 km; 3800 ft/1158 m) the good trail ends; beyond this point the route is steep and rough. The trail crosses the creek, then switchbacks a dozen times as it climbs steeply to the Twin Lakes—first to Karnes Lake (4600 ft/1402 m), then to Harrison Lake 3.7 mi/6.0 km; 4750 ft/1448 m). The lakes are bordered by mountain hemlocks. The trees are large on this cool, northern slope, the preferred habitat of this species. Karnes Lake contains rainbow trout. A poor campsite is located at the south side of Harrison Lake.
Above Twin Lakes the trail becomes steeper and rockier as it climbs the shaded north slope, then goes up a long draw leading to meadowland and stands of subalpine fir. Near the divide one is treated to the most spectacular view of Mount Constance to be had in the Olympics—an unobstructed look at the vertical east face, only 2 miles distant but a half mile higher. The barren cliffs are flecked with patches of snow.
At Fifty-Fifty Pass (4.1 mi/6.6 km; 5050 ft/1539 m), the hiker can see The Brothers, but the view of Mount Constance is now obscured by the trees. Mount Rainier stands high on the distant skyline. Often the peaks rise above a layer of clouds covering the Dosewallips Valley, the lowlands, and Puget Sound.
Beyond the divide the trail descends at a steep grade to the Dosewallips River, losing almost a mile of elevation in just over 3 miles. At first the path traverses meadows and groves of subalpine firs, where it goes by an unusual topographic feature—a deep-dish swale that should be a lake but isn’t. The grassy swale probably resulted from ground creep. With high banks all around, it has no place for an outlet, but it is dry. Apparently the soil here is too porous for the basin to hold water.
Beargrass is abundant in the meadows; huckleberry and azalea bushes grow thickly clustered among the scattered, hoop-skirted firs. The route crosses open, rocky slopes having good views down the Dosewallips. On a clear day one can distinguish the Cascades, Hood Canal, and Puget Sound. Mount Jupiter and The Brothers rise directly across the valley. The trail meanders through upthrusted basalt, then enters the shaded coolness of the unbroken forest, here a mixture of old growth and second growth. Apparently fires swept up the mountainside, destroying much of the virgin timber, but patches escaped—stands of tall, slim Douglas-firs, with lichen clinging to the trunks and foliage.
The path now becomes so steep that the hiker is likely to have blistered toes before reaching the road. As the trail descends, it goes into the upper level of the rhododendron belt, where this plant forms a dense understory. One can hear the Dosewallips rushing in its channel far below. The trail descends to Gamm Creek (6.2 mi/10.0 km; 2750 ft/838 m), the only water source between Harrison Lake and the Dosewallips. The creek makes a triple falls above the trail as it cascades down a mossy cliff.
The trail descends a bit before traversing to the east, then switchbacks to avoid the canyon of another creek. Without further ado, it plunges straight down the mountainside, although making a switchback now and then. The steady descent is hard on legs and knees. Upon reaching the road and level ground, the hiker is inclined to stagger like a sailor for a few minutes.
The south trailhead (7.3 mi/11.8 km; 500 ft/152 m) is located on the Dosewallips River Road, 9.0 mi/14.5 km from US 101 (see Dosewallips chapter).
Length 0.1 mi/0.16 km
Access US 101
USGS Map Mount Walker
Agency Olympic National Forest
Fallsview Campground, in the Olympic National Forest, is located 3.5 mi/5.6 km southwest of Quilcene on US 101. The nature trail begins at the far end of the campground and makes a little loop (0.1 mi/0.16 km), coming back to its point of origin. The path goes to a couple of overlooks. The slope below them is almost vertical, therefore the Forest Service has installed a cyclone fence to prevent accidents. Several picnic tables are located among the trees beyond the overlooks. During early summer, when the rhododendrons are blooming, the forest is especially attractive.
At the viewpoints one can see a waterfall which plunges down a cliff that is almost obscured by the forest. The Big Quilcene River is below; the falls are on a tributary stream that flows down the southern end of the Quilcene Range. The best view is obtained from the second overlook. Here one can see the falls from top to bottom, ribboning down perhaps 150 ft/46 m into a pool in the river.
Another path, labeled Trail to River, begins near the loop trail and switchbacks down to the Big Quilcene. Wooden handrails provide security, because many people who are not hikers walk up and down this path, which comes out onto a big rock at the river’s edge (0.2 mi/0.3 km). At this point the Big Quilcene dashes against the rock, then makes a sweeping turn to the left. The scene is striking, and one is reminded of the whirlpool at Goblin Gates on the Elwha.
For a longer hike in this area, ask the staff at the Quilcene ranger station how to find the Notch Pass Trail, a historic Indian route reopened in 1999. It climbs 500 ft/169 m in 2.0 mi/3.1 km to Notch Pass, then descends another 2.5 mi/4.0 km to a junction with the Lower Big Quilcene Trail. The hard-to-spot trailhead is on FS Road 010 (usually unmarked), in the vicinity of paved FS Road 27.
Length 0.5 mi/0.8 km
Access US 101
USGS Map Mount Walker
Agency Olympic National Forest
The Rainbow Picnic Area (727 ft/222 m) is located on US 101 in the Olympic National Forest near Walker Pass, 4.9 mi/7.9 km southwest of Quilcene. Overnight camping is not permitted; this is a day-use area maintained by the Quilcene Lions.
The delightful Rainbow Canyon Nature Trail leads to Rainbow Canyon on the Big Quilcene River. The walk is particularly pleasant in mid-October, when the fall color is at its peak. The trail begins in the picnic area and descends the mountainside via a half dozen switchbacks through stands of tall Douglas-fir and an understory of salal, vine maple, and sword fern. The trail first comes to a point overlooking the river, then to the brink of a side canyon. Here, on Elbo Creek, a tributary stream, a waterfall plunges down into a round pool. The canyon walls are lined with ferns.
The trail then descends to the river, coming out among alders and boulders at the water’s edge (0.5 mi/0.8 km; 600 ft/183 m). This is Rainbow Canyon. Apparently the name stemmed from the graceful curve that the river makes at this point as it flows past a cliff garlanded with ferns and vine maple and topped by evergreen forest.
Originally this trail was the beginning of the Big Quilcene Trail, which was known fifty years ago as the Rainbow Trail and extended almost 20 miles to Boulder Shelter on the upper Dungeness.
Length 2.0 mi/3.2 km
Access FS Road 2730
USGS Map Mount Walker
Agency Olympic National Forest
One can either drive up Mount Walker on FS Road 2730 or walk the trail to the top. Or, simpler yet, leave a car at the lower trailhead, drive in another vehicle to the summit, then hike down the trail. Nonhikers who drive up the road amble 50 yards to the knoll to see the view; people who hike the trail walk a delightful 2 miles.
The lower trailhead (750 ft/229 m) is located 0.3 mi/0.5 km from US 101 on the Mount Walker Road (FS Road 2730). Motorbikes are not allowed, and water is not available along the trail. The upper trailhead is located at the North Viewpoint.
The trail has one disadvantage—the hiker can hear traffic noise, particularly the sound of trucks, on the highway below. The trail is a broad, smooth path that starts in a stand of tall Douglas-fir, the undergrowth consisting of salal, Oregon grape, red huckleberry, vine maple, and rhododendron. Although the latter are beautiful, better displays can be found elsewhere in the Olympics; for example, on the trails to Mount Townsend, Tubal Cain, and Mount Zion.
As it climbs steadily, the path alternates between switchbacks and traverses, part of the time following a ridge. The trail heads toward the north summit, with the south summit to the right, beyond a deep ravine. The trees get smaller as the trail climbs higher, and near the top the path crosses a sunny slope where little firs and pines are scattered at random, as if a giant hand had tossed the seed carelessly.
The trail comes out onto a windswept knoll. This is the North Viewpoint (2.0 mi/3.2 km; 2730 ft/832 m), which overlooks the mountains to the west, the Quilcene Range to the north, and the lowlands east of the range. A wooden bench has been provided, where one can sit and contemplate the view.
Now lined by rocks, the trail leads from the knoll to the road and the parking area nearby. During winter months when the road is snow-covered, the road is gated.
