North Fork Skokomish River Trail to First Divide - 26.2 Miles Round-Trip

The North Fork Skokomish River Trail runs 13.1 miles from Staircase Trailhead to First Divide (4,688') in Olympic National Park. The Home Sweet Home Trail continues 2.6 miles miles from First Divide into the Duckabush Valley, where backpackers can access O'Neil Pass, La Crosse basin and La Crosse Pass.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

This long but generally moderate trail follows the river through long sections of impressive old growth to Nine Stream Camp, then bends away on a steep climb into the subalpine for the pass. 

While the river itself doesn't have quite the aesthetic of a Hoh or Quinault, this attractive valley supports notably large trees and concentrations of berries. Higher elevations open to flower-studded meadows with terrific views.

Visitors will enjoy deep backcountry access with multiple campsites to choose from en route to First Divide. Lengthy sections with mild grades enable day hikers and runners to cover long distances and enjoy the heart of the valley without having to camp:

The trail heads north on level grades through an old growth bottomland to the Rapids Loop Trail split (.98 miles : 950'), whose connecting bridge over the North Fork washed away in the mid-2000s and has since been replaced.

It continues with a few nice views over wide bends in the river into the Beaver Burn area of August 1985 (1.75 miles : 985'), where swathes of forest are noticeably young and tightly packed. Mild, nondescript travel continues to the Flapjack Lakes Trail split (3.75 miles : 1,515'), past which the forest regains its healthy, old growth character.

The trail undulates to a high bridge over Madeline Creek (4.75 miles : 1,520'), which originates from Flapjack Lakes. Ford the creek if uncomfortable with heights, especially when slick. It rises and drops to a footbridge over Donahue Creek (5.25 miles : 1,570'), and on to the Big Log Campsite and split for Black and White Lakes (5.4 miles : 1,550').

The trail crosses a scenic gorge to the Six Ridge Trail split (5.8 miles : 1,540'), past which it weaves through some really big trees into a bottomland at Camp Pleasant (6.6 miles : 1,630'). Look for elk on these banks, which show obvious signs of browsing. 

It rises steadily to Eight Stream Bridge (7.9 miles : 1,860'), and crosses a high (somewhat unnerving) slide above the river (8.2 miles) back down to a level bank. Travel quickens under sprawling bigleaf maple to a wide creek ford at Nine Stream Camp (9.6 miles : 2,040').

Here the North Fork bends SE, and the trail aims NE up to a cairn-marked path across a stream at the base of a deep, washed-out gulch (10.1 miles : 2,310'). Once over travel steepens considerably on a 1.7 mile, 1360' climb to Two Bear Camp (11.8 miles : 3,670').

There's no suitable camping on this tough section, which winds tightly through a drier montane forest into the subalpine. The forest opens with views across brushy slopes leading to Two Bear. It continues on variously steep grades across rolling meadows which expand on the final push up to First Divide (13.1 miles : 4,688').

Exceptional views reach down the Duckabush and Skokomish valleys, and across their defining peaks and ridges. The trail continues north on a steep drop past Home Sweet Home Campsite to the Duckabush River Trail junction.