Parking
Park at the shared Barnes Point access for Mount Storm King and Marymere Falls. From US 101, turn toward Lake Crescent Lodge and Marymere Falls, then turn right at the stop sign and continue to the parking area.
Overview
About Aurora Divide Trail
Why go
- A demanding climb through old-growth forest reaches ridge views toward Lake Crescent and Mount Baker.
Heads up
- The 14.5-mile out-and-back gains about 4,800 feet and includes difficult route-finding.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Olympic map
Full mapElevation673–4,767 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Aurora Divide 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 area
Marymere Falls and Barnes Point0:00 / 0:32
“You're coming up on Barnes Point, the starting area for Marymere Falls. The walk takes you through mossy old-growth forest to a narrow, ninety-foot drop.”
Plays on the road 0.1 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Olympic Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Lake Crescent Lodge: A Lakeside Break
- The Chalet That Moved
- Lake Crescent Scenic Pull-Off
- Aurora Creek: A Steep Forest Climb
- 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 Aurora Divide Trail
The routeStart at Barnes Point's shared Mount Storm King and Marymere Falls trailhead.
Start at Barnes Point's shared Mount Storm King and Marymere Falls trailhead. Follow Barnes Creek for about 3 miles, turn right onto Aurora Divide, and climb about 4 miles to the ridge; return the same way. The full outing is listed as 14.5 miles round trip with about 4,800 feet of gain. Allow roughly 10–12 hours; 11.5 hours is a planning estimate, not a reported typical time. Another park route listing gives 15.1 miles for Aurora Ridge without stating its distance convention or exact scope; this route follows the documented Aurora Divide day hike to the ridge and back.
Forest and ridge viewsThe shared approach begins on smoother forest trail, then Barnes Creek tread narrows and…
The shared approach begins on smoother forest trail, then Barnes Creek tread narrows and becomes brushier before the steep climb. The route passes through old-growth and montane forest to a high, forested ridge at about 4,750 feet. In clear weather, the ridge opens toward Lake Crescent and Mount Baker. The much shorter Marymere Falls walk starts from the same access but is a separate outing.
Rules and waterPets are not permitted on this route.
Pets are not permitted on this route. A wilderness permit is required for overnight camping, and backcountry campsites have no toilets. Treat stream water before drinking.
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.
