Queets River Trail

Queets River Trail is a remote, low-elevation out-and-back through the Queets rain-forest valley, from the end of Upper Queets Road to Pelton Creek. The full park route is listed at 16.2 miles one way, so the complete return is about 32.4 miles; allow roughly 24 hours on foot over two or three days. The valley is mostly flat, but low-maintenance tread, a mandatory ford, and difficult route-finding in the upper stretch make this a serious wilderness trip, not a day hike. Bob Creek, about 11 miles from the trailhead, is a shorter turnaround for an already long 22-mile outing.

From the trailhead, follow the short Sam's River path down to the gravel bars and ford the Queets to its north bank. The crossing can be swift, waist deep or deeper, and impossible after rain or snowmelt. Flow below 800 cubic feet per second at the Highway 101 gauge makes a ford more likely, but it can still be dangerous at that level. The river is generally not fordable in late fall, winter or spring, and rain can make a safe outward crossing unsafe before you return. Check the gauge and forecast; do not enter fast, rising water.

The narrow trail follows the river beneath moss-draped bigleaf maples, Sitka spruce and sword ferns. Around 1.8 miles in, Andrews Field opens at an old homestead site; pasture remnants and scattered fruit trees mark the families who once tried to settle this wet valley. Near 2.4 miles, just before Coal Creek, a faint left-hand spur leads 0.2 mile to a giant Douglas-fir about 14 feet across. Parts of the tree have died, and fallen trees can hide the spur. It is a worthwhile shorter turnaround if you want the landmark without committing to the upper valley. For a scale photo, include a person beside the trunk.

Spruce Bottom is about 5 miles in, and Bob Creek is about 11 miles in. The full route continues to Pelton Creek, but the tread beyond Bob Creek crosses the 2015 Paradise Fire area and is difficult to follow. Use map-and-compass skills there; standing dead trees make camping past Bob Creek unwise. Turn at Bob Creek if you want to avoid the hardest route-finding, while remembering that the return is still about 22 miles.

This is a glacially carved rain-forest valley, with salmon side channels beneath old-growth trees. Five Pacific salmon species, including steelhead, spawn in the Queets. Their returns feed wildlife and streamside forest, and area tribes continue to honor them. Elk may browse beneath the maples. The old fields and fruit trees are reminders that this remote valley once held homesteads.

The trailhead is at the end of Upper Queets Road, reached by more than 11 miles of winding forest-road access; large RVs and trailers are not suitable. Parking is limited to about six vehicles. Queets Campground is nearby but separate from the trail, with pit toilets and no potable water. There are no toilets on the route; treat water from the river and tributaries. Overnight backpackers need a wilderness permit and bear canister. Pets are prohibited on park trails, and July through September is the best season for the crossing.