Hike of the Week: Quinault Loop

A hiker is mesmerized by the cascades of Falls Creek.

Quinault Loop

A lake, a lodge, and a lotta big trees

by Craig Romano
photo by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin

April 22, 2005
Quick Facts
Location: Olympic National Forest, Lake Quinault
Land Agency: National Forest Service
Roundtrip: 3.9 miles (over 5.0 miles of connecting trails)
Cumulative Elevation gain: 200 feet
Access: From Hoquiam, WA drive north on US 101 for 38 miles. Turn right (east) onto the South Shore Lake Quinault Road. Proceed for 1.5 miles to Willaby Creek. Quinault Loop Trailhead parking is on the right. Willaby Creek Campground is 0.1 mile farther on the left.
Notes: NW Forest Pass required
Green Trails Map: Lake Quinault, WA No. 197

Take one step into the Quinault rainforest and you’ll immediately be propelled into a world of primeval beauty. Take another step to start your journey under a canopy of towering, emerald giants; ancient Sitka spruce, western red cedar, and western hemlocks that were mere saplings when Christopher Columbus set sail for the Americas. Emerge from this primordial world, forever touched by the power and splendor of nature.
The Quinault Valley left a deep impression on president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, when he visited here in 1937. It inspired him to protect a good chunk of the adjacent lands within a new national park. The Quinault rainforest however, has remained within the national forest, but it’s managed for recreation and wildlife, not timber production.
The Quinault Loop Trail is a fine introduction to this saturated corner of the Olympic Peninsula. It introduces hikers of all ages and abilities to the wonders of the Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest. From the trailhead, the well-groomed path hugs a high bank above Willaby Creek for a short distance. Gaze down into the sparkling waters of the creek for salmon. Gaze up above at the towering forest canopy for eagles.
Cross the creek and come to a junction. The trail to your right travels 2.2 uphill miles to the Willaby Creek giant cedar. The loop continues forward, coming to a whole bog of giant cedars. Traverse the soaked landscape via a boardwalk and come to another junction. The trail to your left heads to the Quinault Lodge; proceed right. Now follow along Falls Creek for a mile, admiring its cascading and swirling crystal-clear waters.
Continue to Lake Quinault, one of the largest bodies of water on the Peninsula. Close the loop by following the lakeshore, passing by quiet coves, humble cabins, and the majestic 1926 Lake Quinault Lodge. In times of heavy rainfall, this section of trail is prone to inundation. If that’s the case, return via the South Shore Road, or head up the Lodge Trail and retrace some of your route. The forest may be ancient, but this hike never gets old.