Deer Ridge — Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2009

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Wednesday, June 10th 2009. The Deer Ridge Trail in the Olympic National Forest is a 5.2 mile trail that gains almost 3,000 feet of altitude with most of the gain in the first two-thirds of the hike. It was a moderately strenuous beginning but the last third of the hike is in more level, high-meadow country, surrounded by snow-capped peaks. I parked at the Slab Camp Trailhead at 6:15am. It was only a fifteen minute drive from the Quality Inn in Sequim. The weather was perfect, sunny and in the low fifties and the trail was dry. As I hiked through wild rhododendrons the trail turned upwards at thirty degrees and the trail remained steep for long periods of time during the first hour of hiking. There were a couple of knobs that gave me an excuse to take a breather and look out over the Gray Wolf River Valley and the snow-capped ridges beyond. After almost two hours of hiking, I crossed the boundary into the Olympic National Park. The trail changed noticeably at that point. The trees began to spread out and Indian Paintbrushes, dandelions, strawberries and Speedwell appeared. With less than a mile to go, the trail broke out into the open. I hiked along the side of a scree-covered ridge with unobstructed views everywhere. Here the trail surface sloped away and I almost slipped off the trail twice. I’d recommend a hiking staff or poles so as not to twist an ankle. The last part of the trail is through open mountain meadows to the campground where deer were grazing. I arrived at 8:45am. For those who want views and open ridge hiking and don’t mind a bit of exercise this trail is for you. The entire trail was free of obstructions but there is no water anywhere. It took me a fast hour and three quarters to get back down to the trailhead.