This was a photo I took in summer, but as I was going through some images the lines and the light on the fireweed against the dark background grabbed my attention. This is the Dosewallips River in the Olympic National Park. I was hiking the 6 miles into the old car campground that is isolated by a couple of washouts.
We hiked to Sol Duc Falls on the first day of the government shutdown. The ranger station / toll booth was closed so I didn’t have to show my lifetime pass. The Sol Duc River is on the Northwest corner of the Olympic National Park … there is a fully commercialized hot springs about 2 miles below the falls … getting to the falls is a short hike (about .7 miles or 1.1 km) up the Sol Duc Trail – which is a section of the High Divide Loop … the most heavily visited back country area in the park. It’s a well maintained trail, but has a lot of exposed roots from having the dirt eroded away from the hikers constant tread.
If you are hiking to the Enchanted Valley on the East Fork Quinault River in the Olympic National Park, O’Neil Creek Camp is a nice easy mid-way camp at 6.7 miles (10.8 km). The river has wandered back and forth across the valley and there are nice sandy spots and fewer mosquitoes on the river bed than you find under the trees where the campsites are located. You can play with the rocks (or enjoy the work of others who have) or, if you’re lucky, watch the elk.
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.
The 6 Mile Bridge … actually at 5.6 miles (9.0 KM) … is where the North Fork Skokomish trail crosses from the east side of the river to the west side. As you can see, the river runs through a narrow chasm at that point. It’s one of my favorite spots for a break … such a nice view. And even on a hot summer day there always seems to be a cool breeze coming down the valley at this point.