Category: Backpacking

Enchanted Valley Trail

Enchanted Valley Trail 1

The Enchanted Valley Trail runs up the East Fork Quinault River valley in the Olympic National Park. It is one of the most heavily used trails in the park. The big attraction for hikers is in the spring and early summer when they hike in to see the abundant water falls (some claim a thousand) flowing off the ridge to the north side of the valley as the snow melts out of the high country. In the summer, many hikers cross the Olympics using the North Fork Quinault trail up to Anderson Pass and then continuing on the West Fork Dosewallips trail. Below is one of the many stream crossing.

Enchanted Valley Trail 2
View from the East Fork Quinault Trail

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O’Neil Pass and Mt Steel

O’Neil Pass and Mt Steel

Mt Steel is just south of O’Neil Pass. Lt. O’Neil established the first route across the south Olympics from Hoodsport to the Quinault in the 1890’s. The pass separates the Duckabush Valley from the East Fork Quinault Valley (The Enchanted Valley). It’s a beautiful remote area of the Olympic National Park. The image below is the same view but in a portrait mode.

Looking up to O’Neil Pass
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Hart Lake View — North and South

Hart Lake View — South

Hart Lake is in the Upper Duckabush River area of the Olympic National Park. It’s quite remote, keeping the number of visitors down well below the number that visit the more accessible areas of the park (i.e. The High Divide). The image above shows the outflow of the small lake and the view across the Duckabush Valley to Mt Steel. The image below shows the view north from about the same location. I thought the clouds were wonderful.

Hart Lake View — North
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N Fork Skokomish at Camp Pleasant

N Fork Skokomish at Camp Pleasant

At 6.7 miles (10.8 km) on the N Fork Skokomish trail in the Olympic National Park is Camp Pleasant, one of my favorite camping spots. It isn’t too large a space, but there are several campsites spread along the river bank. I have spent several 4th of July evenings camped there to avoid the noise of the celebrations. It’s just a beautiful, peaceful locations.

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