Parking
Sol Duc Trailhead is at the end of Sol Duc Hot Springs Road. The lot holds more than 100 vehicles and has restrooms; in summer it often fills, with cars lining the narrow road. Do not park on vegetation.
Overview
About Appleton Pass Trail
Why go
- Sol Duc Falls and the subalpine pass give the long approach two distinct scenic payoffs.
Heads up
- The 14.8-mile day ends with a steep, sustained climb above the river junction.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Olympic map
Full mapElevation1,936–5,059 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
6 active Olympic alerts
- CautionUS 101 Hoh River Bridge reduced to one laneUS 101 at the Hoh River Bridge is restricted to one lane of alternating traffic; obey the signals and 25 mph speed limit.Official details
- ClosureStaircase wilderness trails and campsites remain closedWilderness trails and campsites around Staircase remain closed during recovery from the Bear Gulch Fire; the developed Staircase area, including the Rapids Loop, campground, and ranger station, is…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Olympic Tour Guide
Your drive to Appleton Pass Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Olympic National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Olympic audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Sol Duc Falls: The Short Forest Walk0:00 / 0:23
“You're nearing the Sol Duc Falls trailhead, for an old-growth forest walk to a waterfall that can split into several chutes.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Olympic Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Sol Duc Hot Springs: Time for a Soak
- The Cone with Three Points
- Ancient Groves: A Short, Hilly Loop
- North Fork Sol Duc: A Wilderness River Hike
- 204 audio storiesacross Olympic’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Olympic Marmot, Humpback Whale, Grey Whale, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 148 trails, 94 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Appleton Pass Trail
The full outingAppleton Pass Trail from Sol Duc is a strenuous out-and-back through Sol Duc Falls and…
Appleton Pass Trail from Sol Duc is a strenuous out-and-back through Sol Duc Falls and old-growth river forest to a 5,100-foot pass. The official Sol Duc-side distance is 7.4 miles each way (14.8 miles round trip); expect a full day and about nine hours, with roughly 3,100 feet of vertical rise from the trailhead to the pass. The route branches toward Appleton Pass at the 4.9-mile junction, then returns on the same corridor. This is a long, hard day, and ordinary pets are not allowed on the wilderness trail.
Sol Duc Falls to the junctionThe first stretch follows a wide, easy-grade path to Sol Duc Falls.
The first stretch follows a wide, easy-grade path to Sol Duc Falls. A short fork beside the shelter reaches the falls bridge; return to the main tread to continue. Beyond the falls, the path narrows and softens beneath fir, hemlock and occasional spruce, with streams and backcountry camps along the valley. Around 3.5 miles, the trail makes a rocky uphill push beside the river. A twin waterfall is visible across the water but cannot be reached from this route. The Appleton junction is about 4.9 miles from the trailhead.
Climbing to Appleton PassAt the junction, take the Appleton Pass branch for 2.
At the junction, take the Appleton Pass branch for 2.6 miles, climbing from about 3,000 to 5,100 feet. This is the steep, strenuous part of the hike. The forest thins into subalpine meadow near the pass, where the route opens to views across the surrounding valleys. The hike ends at the pass before you retrace the same trail to Sol Duc.
Oyster Lake side tripA separate spur near the pass reaches Oyster Lake. Taking it adds mileage beyond the 14.
A separate spur near the pass reaches Oyster Lake. Taking it adds mileage beyond the 14.8-mile round trip, so allow extra time if you add it. The lake below Mount Appleton is the standout place to pause for the mountain-and-water view.
Snow, water and overnight plansSnow commonly lingers into early or mid-July on high ground, and the upper slopes can hold snow…
Snow commonly lingers into early or mid-July on high ground, and the upper slopes can hold snow in any season. When snow covers the steep trail, navigation and self-arrest skills with an ice axe may be needed. Treat water collected from streams or lakes. Restrooms are at the trailhead, with none farther along the route. Overnight camping requires a wilderness permit and bear canister; campfires are prohibited above 3,500 feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Olympic
710 sightingsOlympic MarmotMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
30 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
42 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around noonSighting map
23 sightingsMountain LionMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
71 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
306 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Olympic. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
