Hike of the Week: Queets Rainforest

Mossy maples and solitude is what you'll find along the Queets Rainforest Trail

Queets Rainforest

Get to the trailhead by car or truck, but a “ford” is necessary to hike



by Craig Romano
photo by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin

August 5, 2005

Quick Facts
Location: Queets Valley-Olympic National Park
Land Agency: National Park Service
Roundtrip: To Big Douglas-fir 5.0 miles; to Pelton Creek Camp (trail’s end) 32.0 miles
Cumulative Elevation gain: To Big Douglas-fir 150 feet: to trail’s end 450 feet
Access: From Port Angeles, head south on US 101 for approximately 105 miles. Turn left (north) onto the Queets River Road. From Aberdeen, head north on US 101 for approximately 65 miles and turn right (north) onto the Queets River Road. Follow 14 miles to road’s end at campground and trailhead.
Notes: Park fee collected: $10 for 7 day pass, $30 for annual pass, or $50 for National Park Pass, good in all national parks. Dogs prohibited on trail. Queets River Road is narrow and unpaved-may not be suitable for all vehicles.
Green Trails Map: Kloochman Rock, WA- N0. 165

Big trees, a wilderness valley flourishing with wildlife, and no crowds-that’s what is in store for you in the Queets Rainforest. One of the Olympic Peninsula’s wildest rainforest valleys, many a hiker has never ventured into this enchanting corner of the Olympic National Park. The main deterrents are accessibility-both to and on the trail. The gravel 14-mile Queets River Road can often be agonizing to drive. And once you reach the trailhead, you’ll find there’s no bridge over the river to the trail!
The absence of a bridge over the Queets River keeps more than a handful of adventurers from ambling up the trail. But, it guarantees a lonesome journey for those who do brave the river to the other side. The fording of the Queets can be intimidating, but in the drier months of August and September, the river is usually only knee deep. A set of old running shoes and a sturdy trekking pole should get you across safely. (Do not attempt to cross early in the season or after heavy periods of rain)
Once you’ve crossed the wide rainforest river, you’ll get to experience a wild Olympic Valley the way it should be experienced, in absentia of crowds. Giant firs, towering spruce and humongous hemlock two hundred feet tall and several hundred years old, quickly humble your statue and status. Moss-draped maples and glaucous-barked alders line the trail. Ferns four feet tall fill in the understory. And although the Queets is in essence a wilderness, a few hardy souls once homesteaded the valley. Evidence of their tenure still remains.
For a short adventure, hike 2.5 miles to the biggest Douglas-fir in the park. A short spur trail leads the way to this impressive tree. For a multiple-day excursion, carry on ‘till trail’s end at Pelton Creek Camp, deep within the heart of the Olympic Peninsula. Numerous backcountry camps can be found along the way. What you won’t find are numerous people camping in this wild valley.