Flapjack Lakes Trail

Flapjack Lakes Trail is a long out-and-back from Staircase Trailhead to two subalpine lakes beneath the Sawtooth Range. The standard visit covers 15.6 miles round trip: the Staircase-area brochure lists 7.8 miles one way and 3,115 feet of gain. The first leg follows the North Fork Skokomish Trail; after its Flapjack turn, the route climbs toward the basin. The lakes are the goal, then you retrace the entire approach. The park describes this as a day hike only for very strong hikers, so treat it as a full-day commitment and leave time for the return.

Published distances vary slightly. The park's dedicated page lists 7.5 miles without stating direction, while a 2024 hike report records 15.4 miles round trip. This entry uses 15.6 round trip from the brochure. The stored route line measures about 6.9 miles from the trailhead to the lakes, shorter than the published distance; it follows connected mapped paths and shows the route shape, not an exact odometer track.

The North Fork approach is the easier part: reports describe its first several miles as wider and gentler. At the Flapjack junction, the tread narrows and the climb becomes much steeper. You gain from about 785 feet near Staircase to roughly 3,900 feet at the lake basin, so the full route calls for sustained effort rather than a short scramble. Save energy for the walk back down to the junction and the long return along the river trail.

The lakes are the destination for this route. Gladys Divide lies farther beyond them and is a separate extension; adding it changes the day's distance and effort. The stored line stops at the lakes and does not include that continuation.

The two lakes sit side by side just below tree line, with the Sawtooth Range rising above them. Wildflowers are a feature of the basin in season, and the contrast between forest, open water and rugged peaks makes this the trail's defining view. Take a break here before retracing the route; the distance back to Staircase is still substantial. Vault toilets and wilderness campsites are located at the lakes, but there is no food service along this remote route.

The North Fork approach follows part of an older travel corridor. In 1890, Lieutenant Joseph P. O'Neil led an expedition across the southern Olympic Mountains, surveyed nine river watersheds and cut a 93-mile trail. A portion of that route can still be followed along the North Fork Skokomish. The present Flapjack route only overlaps part of the historic line; its entire modern path should not be mistaken for the expedition trail.