Marmot Pass

Don't leave the hike to Marmot Pass off your list of must-do hikes on the Olympic Peninsula, and don't be scared off by the nearly 3,500 feet of elevation gain in around 6 miles. The trail is in great condition, and the longest section of steeper trail is only three-quarters of a mile.

The trail starts out rolling through forest for the first mile and a half. The small, steep sections are balanced out by level parts perfect for built-in water or snack breaks. After about 3.5 miles, the trail's grade increases, and you will hike steeply for about three-quarters of a mile. The rest is relatively gentle (compared to that) to the pass.

Start in mysterious forest and hike for 2.5 miles through enormous cedars and hemlocks, old-growth standing silently while the Big Quilcene River babbles along beside you. At Shelter Rock Camp (3,600-foot elevation), you'll leave the river and begin climbing to Camp Mystery, found at about 5300 feet, 4.5 miles in. Past Camp Mystery, you'll hike through a meadow and then up another rise to a second meadow that gives you the view of your goal–the pass.

The pass is home to the junction with the Tubal Cain Trail. A right on Tubal Cain takes you to Buckhorn Lake Camp and the other direction heads to Boulder Shelter camp, Home Lake and a junction to the Dungeness Trail. If you are feeling like bagging a quick summit, the summit of Buckhorn Mountain is attainable in just 1 mile, but with 900 feet of elevation gain.

The Tubal Cain trail past Buckhorn Lake leads to the old Tubal Cain Mine site as well as the B-17 plane ruins, a popular destination for hikers who access it using the Tubal Cain Mine Trail. From Marmot Pass, the views as well as the backpacking possibilities are endless.