Hikeoftheweek.com

Quick Facts

Location: Buckhorn Wilderness

Land Agency: Olympic National Forest

Roundtrip: 5.6 miles

Elevation Gain: 1,100 feet

Green Trails Map: Tyler Peak, WA-No 136

Contact: Hood Canal District, Quilcene (360) 765-2200; www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic

Access: From Sequim, head west 2.5 miles on US 101 turning left onto the Taylor Cut-off Road just after crossing the Dungeness River. In 2.6 miles, bear right onto Lost Mountain Road. In another 2.6 miles turn left onto FR 2870. In one mile bear right onto FR 2875 and continue for 3.5 mile to Slab Camp and trailhead.

After a devastating flood in the early 1990s claimed a bridge spanning a treacherous gorge on the Gray Wolf River, the upper Gray Wolf Valley became off-limits to all but the most tenacious and daring adventurers. But hikers can once again access this quiet wilderness valley, thanks to a new heavy duty bridge across the Gray Wolf via the Slab Camp Trail.

The only downside to this new access is that you’ll have to hike down to the valley, before hiking up it. But the trail is well-maintained, the grade is good, and chances are decent that you won’t be sharing the way with too many fellow hikers. Just be sure to save some extra energy for the 1,000 foot climb on the return.

From a 2,500-foot saddle between Deer Ridge and Ned Hill, the Slab Camp Creek Trail begins a delightful descent into the Gray Wolf River Valley. Immediately enter the Buckhorn Wilderness and wind your way through a thick forest of second growth hemlock. Much of this area succumbed to major fires early in the 20th century.

After a nice stretch of level walking, the trail begins to drop. Through an open forest lined with an understory of rhododendrons, salal and Oregon grape, sneak peeks of surrounding ridges hovering over the valley below. After about 1.5 miles, the grade eases as it comes along Slab Camp Creek. Big old trees appear; survivors of the past fires.

With the Gray Wolf River now audible, the trail makes a final, somewhat steep drop to the valley floor. Cross cascading Slab Camp Creek on a good bridge before emerging onto the rich bottomland of towering cedars known as Duncan Flat. Here a scattering of campsites along the tumbling and thundering Gray Wolf River make good lunch spots.

A little beyond the flats the trail crosses the Gray Wolf River on a sturdy iron beamed bridge, flown in and constructed in 2005. A quarter mile beyond the bridge, the Slab Camp Creek Trail ends at the Gray Wolf River Trail. Continue up this trail for lonely wandering. Although much of the trail between Camp Tony and the national park boundary is on a slope high above the river, the country is wild and beautiful.

Slab Camp Trail is one 125 hikes in my Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula book. Check it out for more details and hiking suggestions.