O'Neil Pass Trail

O'Neil Pass Trail is a 12-mile, one-way backcountry connection from the Upper Duckabush River Trail to the East Fork Quinault River Trail, crossing O'Neil Pass at 4,950 feet. It is not a loop or a road-access day hike. You can reach the segment by hiking in on Duckabush River Trail, East Fork Quinault River Trail, or West Fork Dosewallips River Trail, then keep going on the far side. Allow about 10 hours for this segment alone; add the miles and time needed to reach it and get back out. Late July through mid-October is the park's stated best season, but snow can cover high sections in any season. A 7.4-mile figure describes the Quinault side to the pass, not the full through-route.

The route climbs from the Upper Duckabush junction through forested river country and montane forest toward subalpine meadows. Marmot Lake lies east of the pass and has backcountry campsites, so it can make a useful stop on a larger trip. This is a real wilderness traverse: the park rates the trail low-maintenance and moderate to strenuous. Expect the terrain to change as you gain elevation, and don't mistake the remote start pin for a parking area or an easy walk from a road.

O'Neil Pass is the high point at about 4,950 feet, with views toward Mount Anderson, Mount Steel, and Mount Duckabush. The route crosses the pass and descends toward the East Fork Quinault junction; it does not turn back at the viewpoint. If you take a photo, include a strip of the pass or trail in the foreground so the peaks have scale. The park warns that snow can hide the high trail in any season and that map-and-compass navigation may be needed. Hart Lake and LaCrosse Lake cutoffs shown on some maps are cross-country routes, not maintained trails.

There is no toilet on the trail, and water from small streams needs treatment. Campfires are prohibited above 3,500 feet. Overnight camping at Marmot Lake or Upper Duckabush requires an Olympic wilderness permit, and pets are not allowed in the park wilderness. If your approach uses the East Fork Quinault route, White Creek below the O'Neil Pass junction must be forded; it can run swift or become impassable after heavy rain or snowmelt. Check the approach and crossing before you commit, and plan your exit through the connected trail system rather than treating this as a stand-alone out-and-back.