Hike of the Week: Satsop Lakes

A hiker pauses to enjoy a canopy of old-growth reflecting in one of the Satsop Lakes

Satsop Lakes

Little lakes among big timber in forgotten corner of the Olympic Mountains

by Craig Romano
photo by Craig Romano
produced by Michael Fagin

Quick Facts
Location: South flank Olympic Mountains
Land Agency: National Forest Service
Roundtrip: 1.0 mile
Elevation gain: 200 feet
Contact: Hood Canal District, Quilcene (360) 765-2200; http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic
Green Trails Map: Grisdale, WA-No 198
Access: From Montesano, travel north on the paved Wynoochee Valley Road (FR 22) for 34 miles to a major intersection. Proceed north for .1 mile turning right onto FR 23. Continue on FR 23 for 1.0 mile bearing right onto FR 2372. Follow this road for 6.4 miles to the trailhead.


Once extending from the Wynoochie River all the way over to the South Fork of the Skokomish, the Church Creek Trail has been whittled down to a fraction of its former length over the years. By the late 1990s the Forest Service abandoned it. But this trail was resurrected in 2005 thanks to the Olympia Mountaineers. They adopted it and restored it to a top-notch trail.
The more popular eastern trailhead of Church Creek is difficult to reach from October to May due to a road closure for wildlife protection. Therefore hikers wishing to explore this remote trail in spring and fall must do so from it western trailhead.
The trail starts off in old-growth forest, some of the last tracts remaining in this part of the Olympic National Forest. After only .3 mile you’ll skirt past the largest of the small Satsop Lakes. Pond is more like it, but during the wet autumn months it should be housing a good supply of water. There are five Satsop Lakes in all ranging from four to one-half acre in size. You’ll have to snoop around the forest to find the others.
Named for an Indian band, meaning “on a creek,” the West Fork of the Satsop River feeds and drains these small bodies of water. But you often have to snoop around for it too, for here near the lakes the river (actually more of a creek) often flows through cavernous basalt. After admiring the lakes you can continue along the trail farther if you’d like, following the river (creek) up a steep divide. Through a forest of silver fir steeply climb, passing a lovely cascade in a deep ravine. Reach the 3,200-foot divide after 1.3 miles and after 1,300 feet of climbing. Admire giant cedars and Doug-firs here and a humongous hemlock with two pistol-butted limbs standing sentry. This entire divide and adjacent basins were once slated for the mills. The trees are now off the chopping block but still wait for formal protection. The resurrected trail should help more hikers find and enjoy them.

For information on lodging and other attractions near Satsop Lakes visit
Click here for link to Olympic Pennsula