Pros & cons
PROS
- Short paved route with wide-open Olympic and Strait of Juan de Fuca views
- Easy to combine with nearby Big Meadow or High Ridge trails without changing this route
- Accessible with assistance and less than 50 feet of reported elevation change
CONS
- Exposed to sun, wind, and fast-changing mountain weather
- Parking at Hurricane Ridge can fill quickly on busy clear days
- Snow or ice can cover the path outside the snow-free season
Park at the Hurricane Ridge parking area in Olympic National Park. Follow the signed access to the Cirque Rim trail; parking can fill quickly on busy clear days, so arrive early. Check the park's road and access information before driving to the ridge.
Stay on the designated paved trail to protect fragile subalpine meadows and keep distance from wildlife. The route is exposed, weather can change quickly, and snow or ice may cover the path. Pets and bicycles are not permitted on park trails except service animals.
Why hike it
Cirque Rim Nature Trail is a short, paved walk along Hurricane Ridge with broad views over the Olympic Mountains, Port Angeles, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The route crosses open subalpine meadows and is exposed to sun and wind, with little shade. In summer, wildflowers and deer are often visible near the path.
Route and distance
The National Park Service lists Cirque Rim as an easy 0.5-mile one-way trail with less than 50 feet of elevation change. This record represents the point-to-point Cirque Rim corridor only, not the nearby Big Meadow or High Ridge trails and not a loop. Parkwolf stores the physical corridor once, from the Hurricane Ridge parking-area access at the eastern lot-side end to the western overlook; the listed 0.5 miles is the one-way visitor distance. The mapped OSM corridor is approximately 0.51 miles.
Access and surface
Park at the Hurricane Ridge parking area and follow the signed access to the Cirque Rim trail. The route is paved and accessible with assistance, although it has rolling grades and exposed sections. Nearby Big Meadow and High Ridge trails connect in this area but are separate routes and are not included in this line.
Practical notes
Parking can fill on busy clear days, so an early arrival helps. Hurricane Ridge weather changes quickly, and snow or ice can cover the route outside the normal snow-free season. Pets and bicycles are not permitted on the park's paved or dirt trails, except service animals. Stay on the designated path to protect fragile subalpine vegetation and keep distance from wildlife.
Elevation
0.5 mi · 30 minWhere it starts
47.9701, -123.4951Wildlife on this trail
Near Cirque Rim Nature Trail
All places →All trails →
0 mi awayMeadow Loop TrailPaved alpine meadow loop linking Big Meadow and Cirque Rim at Hurricane RidgeEasy · 0.9 mi · 45 min
0 mi awayHigh Ridge TrailShort alpine loop with 360-degree views and a Sunrise Point spurEasy · 0.9 mi · 45 min
0 mi awaySunrise Ridge TrailOpen alpine ridge views on a quieter route from Hurricane RidgeEasy · 5.2 mi · 3 hr
0 mi awayHurricane Ridge Ski AreaTiny, throwback ski hill with huge views and natural powderParking · Restroom
0 mi awaySunrise Viewpoint Nature TrailShort loop to Sunrise Point with huge Hurricane Ridge viewsEasy · 0.9 mi · 30 min
0.2 mi awayHurricane Ridge Day Lodge SiteDrive-to alpine vistas and trailheads; services limited post-fireRestroom · Parking
0.2 mi awayHurricane RidgeWind-whipped alpine ridge with huge Olympic Mountain viewsTrailhead · Restroom
2.1 mi awayHurricane HillShort paved climb to sweeping Olympics and Strait viewsTrailhead · Parking
