North Fork Skokomish Fire Before and After (5)


The Olympic National Park opened up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail on July 8th for the first time since the fire in 2025 devastated the area. The valley of the North Fork Skokomish was one of my favorite locations and I went to take photos of the area on the 8th. Each set of photos shows the same location before and after. Some images aren’t exact matches … but I did as well as I could with the images I had. The Staircase Loop Trail leaves from the Staircase Ranger Station, runs 1 mile (1.6 KM), crosses the river (on a bridge that was protected from the fire) and returns back to the parking lot.

These images are from the Staircase Bridge … a concrete bridge that runs across the river to the ranger residences and the return trailhead of the Staircase Loop trail … (well, the return trailhead depending on which direction you choose to hike).

Upriver View from the Staircase Bridge Before
Upriver View from the Staircase Bridge After
Downriver View from the Staircase Bridge Before
Downriver View from the Staircase Bridge After

North Fork Skokomish Fire Before and After (4)


The Olympic National Park opened up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail on July 8th for the first time since the fire in 2025 devastated the area. The valley of the North Fork Skokomish was one of my favorite locations and I went to take photos of the area on the 8th. Each set of photos shows the same location before and after. Some images aren’t exact matches … but I did as well as I could with the images I had. The Staircase Loop Trail leaves from the Staircase Ranger Station, runs 1 mile (1.6 KM), crosses the river (on a bridge that was protected from the fire) and returns back to the parking lot.

Big Boulder Before
Big Boulder After
Rock and Roots Before
Rocks and Roots After

North Fork Skokomish Fire Before and After (3)


The Olympic National Park opened up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail on July 8th for the first time since the fire in 2025 devastated the area. The valley of the North Fork Skokomish was one of my favorite locations and I went to take photos of the area on the 8th. Each set of photos shows the same location before and after. Some images aren’t exact matches … but I did as well as I could with the images I had. The Staircase Loop Trail leaves from the Staircase Ranger Station, runs 1 mile (1.6 KM), crosses the river (on a bridge that was protected from the fire) and returns back to the parking lot.

Staircase Loop Bridge Before

In order to save the bridge, the Park wrapped the bridge in fire protective material. The bridges further up the valley were mostly all lost to the fire. It will be years before they are all replaced.

Staircase Loop Trail Bridge After
Upriver View From the Middle of the Staircase Loop Trail Bridge Before
Upriver View From the Middle of the Staircase Loop Trail Bridge After

North Fork Skokomish Fire Before and After (2)

The Olympic National Park opened up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail on July 8th for the first time since the fire in 2025 devastated the area. The valley of the North Fork Skokomish was one of my favorite locations and I went to take photos of the area on the 8th. Each set of photos shows the same location before and after. Some images aren’t exact matches … but I did as well as I could with the images I had. The Staircase Loop Trail leaves from the Staircase Ranger Station, runs 1 mile (1.6 KM), crosses the river (on a bridge that was protected from the fire) and returns back to the parking lot.

Today’s post shows a couple of the spots running up the trail to the bridge across the river. This side of the river was not as heavily devasted as the opposite side.

Slate Creek Before
Slate Creek After
Blowdowns from the Mid-’90’s
Blowdowns and Burn

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