Parking
Use the Happy Lake Ridge trailhead pullout on Olympic Hot Springs Road, about 8.7 road miles from the US 101 turnoff. There are no services at this remote access.
Overview
About Happy Lake Trail
Why go
- A grassy alpine shore below red rock outcrops.
- Ridge openings look toward Mount Olympus, Mount Carrie and the Strait.
Heads up
- A sustained, roughly 4,000-foot climb on primitive tread.
- Water is scarce on the ridge, and snow can hide the path.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Olympic map
Full mapElevation1,864–5,220 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 Happy Lake 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 tourMore stories near here in the app
- Madison Falls: A Short Walk in the Elwha
- Hurricane Hill: Summit or Picnic
- How a Salmon Handles Salt
- Hurricane Ridge
- 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 Happy Lake Trail
The full-day climbHappy Lake Trail is a primitive out-and-back up Happy Lake Ridge to a grassy alpine lake.
Happy Lake Trail is a primitive out-and-back up Happy Lake Ridge to a grassy alpine lake. The mapped corridor is about 4.8 miles each way, or 9.6 miles round trip from the Happy Lake Ridge pullout. Expect roughly 4,000 feet of climbing. No dependable hiking time is published, so budget about nine hours and more if you like long breaks. The sustained climb and rough tread make this a hard outing for hikers comfortable with a big ascent and backcountry navigation.
Up Happy Lake RidgeThe trail starts climbing in steep switchbacks through open forest, salal and tall trees.
The trail starts climbing in steep switchbacks through open forest, salal and tall trees. The first major climb gains about 2,850 feet before the grade eases on the ridge. There is little water along much of this stretch, so carry what you need until the lake or a stream.
Views from the ridgeOpenings along the ridge look south toward glaciers on Mount Carrie and Mount Olympus, and…
Openings along the ridge look south toward glaciers on Mount Carrie and Mount Olympus, and north toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The high country can hold snow in any season, and snow can hide the tread; July through October is generally the best season. Carry a map and compass and be ready to navigate if the trail disappears under snow.
The lake spurA signed half-mile spur drops about 400 feet through trees and meadow to Happy Lake's grassy…
A signed half-mile spur drops about 400 feet through trees and meadow to Happy Lake's grassy shore. Red rock outcrops rise behind the water. Take the lake as the turnaround, and frame the shore with the red rock above it for the route's signature view. Treat water from the lake or nearby streams before drinking.
Backcountry detailsThere are no backcountry toilets, food service or potable-water facilities.
There are no backcountry toilets, food service or potable-water facilities. Pets are not allowed on this wilderness trail. 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.
