North Fork Quinault River Trail - 32.2 Miles Round-Trip

The North Fork Quinault River Trail runs 16.1 miles from North Fork Road to Low Divide in Olympic National Park. This long but generally moderate trail passes through temperate rainforest, montane forest and open meadows up to the divide (3,602'). The Elwha River Trail picks up here and continues 27.7 miles to Whiskey Bend Road on a 43.8 mile route across the park.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

This trail runs many miles above deep canyons and has less contact with the river than hikes in the Hoh, Enchanted Valley and Queets. Still the old growth is equally impressive, and you'll likely have more of the valley to yourself. The meadows at Low Divide have compelling campsites and active resident bears.

Grades are generally moderate to Trapper Shelter, past which the valley narrows and travel steepens up and down high slopes to the river ford at 16 Mile Camp. This ford may be impassable during the thaw and periods of heavy rain. The trail continues on steep switchbacks with many down trees before leveling in meadows up to Low Divide:

The trail heads north through dense salmonberry to a high bank with good views (.75 miles : 600'). It crosses two ravines into a bottomland with large trees to Wolf Bar Camp (2.6 miles : 680'). Travel steepens across a bridge (3.45 miles) and creek (4.1 miles) to Wild Rose Creek (4.95 miles : 845'). Locate the trail on the far side for the most efficient route across this wide, rocky ravine.

Once across the trail levels right along the river to Halfway House Camp (5.1 miles : 825'). This is the last easy river access for some time, and fine turnaround point for day hikers. The trail edges away in big timber to a bridge (5.7 miles) and down to Elip Creek (6.4 miles : 945').

Cross this wide ravine and pick up a vague path through the campsite to a steep switchback up to the Skyline Trail split (6.5 miles : 1,035'). Keep right through a nice stretch of forest to high bridges over Stalding Creek (7.4 miles : 1,080') and Kimta Creek (7.75 miles : 1,090'). The trail moves fast to a large down tree, which you'll circle (right) to Trapper Shelter (8.15 miles : 1,210').

The shelter is serviceable but fairly confined by brush. The valley narrows past the shelter on business-like intervals up and down steep slopes - you'll feel this uphill on the return.

The trail hops an exposed slide (9.55 miles : 1,530'), crosses the mid-section of a cascade (10.0 miles) and drops to a bank from which you can access the river with some deft scrambling (10.6 miles : 1,650'). It stays high over the river to Geoduck Creek, then climbs and drops steeply to 12 Mile Camp (11.45 miles : 1,830').

Follow a vague path through this skeletal bottom up and down to the river ford at 16 Mile Camp (12.1 miles : 2,060'). Pass through camp and cross a ravine to begin the long, steep push to Low Divide. Expect many down trees on this section, some of which have fallen length-wise and are difficult to pass.

The trail pitches up through big old growth and a wider valley with emerging views. Tread carefully across an exposed slide (13.05 miles : 2,735') to a bridge over a gorge (13.85 miles : 2,870'). It negotiates several down trees to successive streams that may wash over the trail (14.75 miles).

The trail passes through a wood gate into a big meadow under Mt Seattle (15.35 miles : 3,485'). It levels into a second meadow past the Skyline Trail split 15.6 miles 3,560') to a third meadow at the Low Divide Ranger Station and Campsite (15.8 miles : 3,532').  

Weave through willow patches on the far side back into the forest up to Low Divide (16.1 miles : 3,602'). The trail continues a short distance to Lake Margaret and down into the Elwha Valley.