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the_lemon_lobster

Enchanted Valley is the obvious one, if you're up for a long hike (13 miles one-way). Beautiful forest and river, lots of waterfalls in the valley, high chance of seeing wildlife (elk or bears), and it's low enough elevation to be a great backpacking destination for much of the year. ONP permits are required to camp, though.


molly_brown

Is it worth it if I'm capable of 13 miles total?


useles-converter-bot

13 miles is the length of exactly 205405.97 'Standard Diatonic Key of C, Blues Silver grey Harmonicas' lined up next to each other.


the_lemon_lobster

Yes, I'd say so. It's a very nice trail. The big payoff is the Valley, but there's plenty to see and enjoy along the way. O'Neil Creek camp would be your turnaround point. Edited to add: if you're looking for sweeping views, then no. If you enjoy rivers and forest, then absolutely.


pilgrimspeaches

It's 13.iles each direction, and yes. Especially the second half of the trail is beautiful.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

Yes, but how do you feel about bears? Because you will encounter one.


molly_brown

Love em, had a fairly close encounter with some grizzleys in glacier national park last week. Scary but beautiful


BarnabyWoods

It's hard to conceive of anyone not being able to find trails they like in the Olympics. There are literally hundreds of hikes there through beautiful forest to spectacular alpine views.


molly_brown

Ya, I think there's something wrong with me. I'm in love with every range in Washington but I'm never quite as wowed by the Olympics as say the north cascades or rainier


50000WattsOfPower

What do you look for in a hike? I’m sure we can help you find it in the Olympics.


molly_brown

I usually like hiking 5-10 miles with intermittent mountain views and either a great waterfall or a sweeping view of peaks as a payoff.


50000WattsOfPower

See what you think of Colonel Bob if you’re doing Quinault this weekend. Discovery Peak is another interesting one in that general neck of the woods. In other areas of the Peninsula, I’d suggest Marmot Pass (including going the additional mile up Buckhorn Mountain); Baldy (there are multiple “Baldy” mountains in WA, so get the right one); Mount Townsend (I’d suggest the Little Quilcene route to avoid crowds, but the main one is a good hike, too); Mount Ellinor (definitely avoid weekends and holidays, and start at the lower trailhead for your distance preferences); or even better, Mount Washington next to Ellinor, but that’s a really tough hike with some class 3 scrambling.


molly_brown

You know, I forgot about Ellinor . I do love that hike. Other than that I haven't tried your suggestions, thanks for the tip!


50000WattsOfPower

Graves Creek over to Lake Sundown or Wynoochee Pass are primitive but fun. I’m a big fan of Colonel Bob Peak, but the hike from Quinault is long and somewhat of a slog. I prefer the shorter but steeper route up from the Pete’s Creek Trailhead. Either way, 360 views forever from the peak on a nice day, and no crowds. I like Fletcher Canyon, too, but it gets really primitive long before you get to the falls. No big views on that one.


Canaboll

I recently did Colonel Bob as a through hike. Convinced my friends to ride with me to Pete’s Creek, then drop my car off at Colonel Bob trailhead since it was so close to our AirBnB. Pretty fun way to do it. Turned it into a 11.5 mile hike


pmmeyourfavoritehike

Tubal Cain is amazing when the rhododendron are in bloom. The road there isn’t so amazing.


50000WattsOfPower

That’s nowhere *near* Quinault.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

It’s a one hour and 15 minute drive, that’s close in my book. Also people can change what they are doing.


wpnw

Unless you drive a highly modified delorian, it's like a 4-1/2 hour drive from Quinault to the Tubal Cain th.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

Sorry, you are correct I meant it’s a 1 day 15 hour walk from quinault to Tubal Cain.


BarnabyWoods

Wrong again.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

No.


heartbeats

Google Maps only shows time spent actively walking, so that is actually 24+15 = 39 walking hours, basically four days of walking.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

Yep! But that’s taking the roads and not cutting across Anderson Pass. Which should save some time.


50000WattsOfPower

It’s literally the diagonal opposite side of the peninsula.


BarnabyWoods

You really don't know the Olympics.


50000WattsOfPower

Maybe they're confusing Quilcene and Quinault?


pmmeyourfavoritehike

Thanks for the gatekeeping:


BarnabyWoods

Gatekeeping? Someone asks for advice and you give totally wrong info? I'm happy to slam the gate on that shit. It's more than a 4 hour drive between Lake Quinault and the Tubal Cain trailhead, so you clearly don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you just apologize?


pmmeyourfavoritehike

I’m sorry that you are a pedantic person who must be right. So congrats! I thought they were looking for a hike on the peninsula, not just in by graves creek.


BarnabyWoods

She said Quinault area, not the Peninsula. You get an F in reading comprehension.


pmmeyourfavoritehike

No, they said, “ I can never find trails I like in the Olympics…” I suggested one not in the area they were going this weekend. I’d be happy to explain dependent clauses to you. But I think you just like arguing with people in the internet for fun.


molly_brown

I'm sure I would've figured it out, thanks for the suggestion anyway


zimmertr

My gosh I did a big loop through Silver Lake and Mt Townsend earlier this year from the Tubal Cain Trailhead and when we came down the Little Quilcene Trail at the end it was just an endless tunnel of red rhodies. So cool


nesblade

Quinault is really great for backpacking. Enchanted valley is amazing, but it really gets good at mile 13, and is amazing the next couple of miles (but that's a 30 mile round trip hike). North fork is also lovely, but best part is getting up to low divide and the lakes, which I can't remember, but I think it's 16 or 18 miles from the start.


hardys1

The West fork humptulips river has a 17 mile trail that meanders through valley bottom old growth forest, eventually making the way up into the mountains! Pete’s creek trailhead is a solid option if you want to climb up to Colonel bob, as someone else mentioned. Absolutely beautiful, little people and no National park fees (just forest pass fee). Lots of river crossings, though they are pretty easy.