Mount Townsend– supreme viewing of mountains and sound

Quick Facts:

Location: Buckhorn Wilderness, Olympic National Forest

Land Agency: National Forest Service

Distance: 8.2 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 2980 feet

Contact: Olympic National Forest, Hood Canal Ranger District, Quilcene,

Detailed Information: Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 3rd edition (Mountaineers Books)

Notes: NW Forest Pass or Interagency Pass required; trail open to horses; wilderness rules apply

Access: From Quilcene drive US 101 south and turn right onto Penny Creek Road. After 1.5 miles bear left onto Big Quilcene River Road (Forest Road 27). Continue on FR 27 for 13.7 miles and turn left onto FR 27-190 reaching the upper trailhead in 0.7 mile

Good to Know: Dog-friendly, kid-friendly, exceptional wildflowers, exceptional alpine views, busy on weekends

One of the most climbed mountains in the Olympics, Townsend is fairly accessible and provides stunning views and copious wildflowers. There are three trails leading to its summit, this route is the most popular.  From the upper trailhead (the lower trailhead provides access to gorgeous old-growth forest), the well-worn path climbs steadily through a stately grove of fir and hemlock adorned with Pacific rhododendrons. The trail soon enters the Buckhorn Wilderness and the views begin. Through flower gardens and by cascading creeks the trail pushes upwards. Over two dozen switchbacks will keep you heading in the right direction: up!

At a small pine and fir grove nestled on a knoll, look for tiny (and in season, buggy) Windy Lake. Then continue onward, bearing right at the Silver Lakes Trail junction. Now leaving the trees behind continue climbing, eventually reaching Townsend’s summit plateau, an expanse of alpine tundra. Ground-hugging juniper and brilliant clumps of cinquefoil and phlox carpet this high country.

Come to a junction. Here the main trail continues left descending to the Little Quilcene Trail. Take the trail right a short distance to the mountain’s highest point (elev. 6280-feet). You can continue on this path a short distance to Townsend’s northern 6212-foot summit if you’d like. The views are great from anywhere along the open peak.

Puget Sound with its islands, bays, and channels sprawls below. Watch ferries ply azure waters. Gaze out at the Seattle skyline to glass and metal twinkling in the afternoon sunlight. A fortress of Cascade peaks, punctuated by the snowy volcanoes, occupies the eastern horizon. To the north lie Dungeness Spit, Discovery Bay, the San Juan Islands, and Vancouver Island. To the west, nothing but pure Olympic wilderness—jagged peaks and deep green valleys. It should be no surprise why this peak is so popular.

For more detailed information on this hike and 135 others throughout the Olympic Peninsula, pick up a copy of my best selling Day Hiking Olympic Peninsula 3rd edition. No AI slop, just boots-on-the-ground research and writing by a passionate and knowledgeable human being. Thanks for supporting real writers!