Parking
Start at the Staircase Ranger Station trailhead at the end of Staircase Road, near Staircase Campground. The signed Staircase Rapids Loop shares the access area.
Overview
About North Fork Skokomish River Trail
Why go
- Follows the North Fork through old forest toward a mountain pass
- Big Log Camp offers a shorter valley turnaround
Heads up
- The full return is about 25 miles and suits an overnight plan
- Nine Stream can be deep and swift in high water
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Olympic map
Full mapElevation945–4,675 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 North Fork Skokomish River 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
Staircase: Rapids and the Fallen Cedar0:00 / 0:31
“Up ahead is Staircase, where I’d choose the Rapids Loop for a short outing beside the North Fork Skokomish River.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Olympic Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Bark That Holds Back Heat
- Lake Cushman Site Five: A Picnic by the Water
- Salmon Around the Cushman Dams
- The Dogwood’s Small Flowers
- 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 North Fork Skokomish River Trail
Is this the hike you want?North Fork Skokomish River Trail is a long out-and-back from Staircase Ranger Station to First…
North Fork Skokomish River Trail is a long out-and-back from Staircase Ranger Station to First Divide. First Divide is about 12.5 miles one way, so the full return is about 25 miles. The trail climbs from the Staircase valley to a 4,688-foot pass; I’d plan about 16 hours of walking split over two days rather than trying to squeeze the return into one. For a shorter outing, Big Log Camp makes an 11.3-mile round trip, and the separate Staircase Rapids Loop is about 2 miles.
The river valleyThe lower trail follows the North Fork through lowland forest and ancient trees on maintained…
The lower trail follows the North Fork through lowland forest and ancient trees on maintained tread. The signed Staircase Rapids Loop shares part of the early approach, then circles back to its own river bridge and a spur to a huge fallen cedar. That loop is a good shorter choice; it isn’t the route to First Divide.
Shorter turnarounds and side trailsSpike Camp is about 3.75 miles from Staircase, a 7.5-mile return.
Spike Camp is about 3.75 miles from Staircase, a 7.5-mile return. Big Log Camp is farther up the same valley at about 5.65 miles one way. The Flapjack Lakes route branches at Spike Camp, so leave it out of the mileage if you’re following the North Fork trail to First Divide. Beyond the pass, the trail drops toward Home Sweet Home and the Duckabush River; those miles are beyond this route’s turnaround.
The climb to First DivideThe route moves from lowland river forest into montane forest and subalpine meadow before…
The route moves from lowland river forest into montane forest and subalpine meadow before reaching the small pass at 4,688 feet. First Divide is the strongest mountain-view payoff, after a long stretch of valley walking. Higher elevations are generally a July-to-October trip. Nine Stream can be deep and swift during snowmelt or after heavy rain, so that crossing deserves a real go-or-turn-back decision.
An old Olympic crossingThe trail follows part of a route cut during Lieutenant Joseph P.
The trail follows part of a route cut during Lieutenant Joseph P. O’Neil’s 1890 expedition across the southern Olympics. Soldiers and scientists surveyed nine rivers and tributaries and cut a five-foot-wide trail across 93 miles. It’s a useful reminder that this valley path was part of a much larger crossing, not just a line to a campsite.
Plan it as wilderness travelA return to First Divide is a 25-mile backcountry commitment with a substantial climb.
A return to First Divide is a 25-mile backcountry commitment with a substantial climb. Overnight trips need a wilderness permit and bear canister. Dogs and bicycles aren’t allowed on park trails. There’s a restroom and picnic area near Staircase Ranger Station, and toilets at some camps along the way; treat water from the river and streams.
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.
