North Fork Skokomish River Backpacking Trip – Olympic National Park
A low-elevation early summer adventure in Olympic National Park: vibrant forest, cascading river, high bridges, and quiet campsites along the North Fork Skokomish River Trail.
ITINERARY
- day 1 – Staircase trailhead to Big Log campsite: 5.5 miles, 1,085 ft. gain
- day 2 – day hike: 7.7 miles roundtrip, 1,280 ft. gain
- day 3 – hike out to Staircase trailhead: 5.5 miles, 1,085 ft. loss
TRIP PLANNING
- best months: May – September
- location: Olympic Peninsula; nearest town: Hoodsport
- land management: Olympic National Park
- trail conditions: Olympics: North Fork Skokomish River Trail
- hike description: Washington Trails Association
- permits: required in advance for all backcountry campsites
- trailhead pass: National Park Pass
Day 1 – hike in to Big Log Camp
The entire trip takes place within Olympic National Park, starting at the trailhead where the popular 2-mile Staircase Rapids Loop begins. One side follows the Staircase Rapids Trail, the other the North Fork Skokomish River Trail. We chose to begin on the Staircase side, which offers more scenic views and keeps you closer to the river.
The Staircase Rapids Trail crosses the river on a large suspension bridge before meeting the North Fork Skokomish River Trail. I’d first been drawn to this area because of the bridge itself, so I lingered while crossing, taking in the views and the experience.
Once we were across the bridge, we turned left and continued on the trail towards our camp, which is about another 4.5 miles. Along the way, we passed several groups of young Americorps trail crew members hard at work. I’m thankful for the work they do!
This was my third backpacking trip here – on the first, we stayed at Spike Camp, which is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead and just before the trail that heads up to Flapjack Lakes.
The weather was hot and humid, with temps in the high 70s, so we were happy to be hiking in the shade.
From Spike Camp, it’s another 2 miles to Big Log Camp through forest, with a couple of creek crossings. The high bridge over Madeline Creek is definitely a highlight of the trail.
Just before reaching camp, there’s a crossing over Donahue Creek on a low log that’s been flattened on top to make it easier to walk across. It leans slightly to one side, but it feels solid and doesn’t shift underfoot.
By the time we reached Big Log Camp, there were a couple of groups already setup, but we lucked out and got the same campsite I’d stayed at back in 2021. Not long after, a large group with eight teenagers and two moms showed up, filling up the camp.
This camp has great access to the river with a wide rocky area to sit and enjoy the scenery.
It also includes bear wires for hanging food, and a privy.
With a 50% chance of rain in the forecast, I set up a tarp just in case. Normally, even a small chance means it ends up raining — but this time, it stayed dry the whole trip.
Around dinner time, mosquitoes were swarming heavily around us, so we cooked dinner under the tarp with the help of mosquito repellent powered by a gas canister.
I tried a new meal from Pinnacle Foods, one of my favorite backpacking food brands. Read my review here: Pinnacle Foods Backpacking Meals Review
Overnight it dropped to 49 degrees but I slept warm inside my tent.
Day 2 – Day Hike to Nine Stream
The next morning, we set out for a day hike up to Nine Stream, going beyond where I’d been on this trail before.
About a quarter mile past our camp is a bridge over the river where it runs through a rocky gorge.
The forest through the section between Big Log and Nine Stream is very lovely, filled with old growth and alternating open sections with overgrown shrubs and Big Leaf Maples. We saw a lot of butterflies in these sections, but no other wildlife on this trip other than birds and squirrels.
We passed through Camp Pleasant and saw several campsites but no campers.
At this creek crossing, I chose to wade across instead of using the log. Photos never do justice to these crossings… the water was deeper than it looks, and the log was higher above the water than it appears.
Another highlight was crossing the scenic bridge over Eight Stream.
The old-growth forest here is amazing!
We didn’t see anyone all day until we ran into a large group of young people from Houston on a guided trip — they had camped at Nine Stream and hiked up to First Divide where they ran into heavy snow. They were on their way out, with a plan to camp at Big Log for their last night. I looked forward to learning more about their group when we returned to camp.
As we climbed higher on the trail, we had occasional glimpses of the peaks in the Olympics.
When we reached Nine Stream, it looked like a challenge to cross, so we ended our hike there, taking a long lunch break before heading back to camp.
Back at camp, the group we met earlier was there and I talked to several of the trip leaders. They were from a non-profit – The Woods Project – and they take Houston high school students on life-changing backpacking trips. I was so inspired by them!
After dinner, I explored more of the area, discovering quiet riverside spots, before another warm night with a low of 51 degrees.
Day 3 – Hike Out
On the final morning, we lingered at camp — took photos, had lunch, and spent time sitting by the river enjoying the sound of the current — before packing up and heading out. As I left, I knew it wouldn’t be my last trip here – I love the rivers and old-growth forest in the Olympics and look forward to spending more time here.
