Lower Big Quilcene, 2022

 

 

 

 

Trail sign for Lower Big Quilcene at the trailhead

 

This is a trail that Bob had been on many years ago but I had never been on before.  It is located on the Olympic Peninsula which meant an early start for us that included the Edmonds ferry to Kingston.  Summer ferry wait times can often be an hour or more.  We were prepared for long waits but ended up getting to Edmonds just as the ferry arrived and made it on the outgoing ferry without much of a wait at all.  On the return trip we were in lane 18 and felt certain we would have to wait at least an hour for the next ferry but managed to be one of the last few cars getting on.  Still a long day for us but worth it.  This is another low elevation hike since there is still too much snow at higher elevations.

 

 

Native Rhododendrons

The Lower Big Quilcene trail requires the Forest Service Pass.  There is a frequently serviced, clean, small, older outhouse at the trailhead.  The parking area was almost full when we arrived.  Bob chose this trail at this time of year so we could see the native rhododendrons in bloom.  They grow along the Pacific coast from southern British Columbia, Canada to northern California. The Rhododendron is the Washington state flower.  The weather has been cool this year and the flowers are late coming, but rhodies were indeed in bloom, dotting the trail almost all the way along, and beautiful to behold.  I took so many pictures of rhododendrons it was hard to choose which ones to share. 

 

 

Most of the trail surface is packed dirt and needles

In one place there was a downed tree to step over

 

 

River view

 

 

The surface of this trail is nice, packed dirt with needles, not many rocks or roots.  It is mostly level with a few ups and downs.  Like everywhere else we have hiked this year there was some mud; however, the needles help make it less messy.  We gained a total of 400 ft elevation, with a 5.6 miles RT.  The sound of running river water was often audible.  The river was visible from the trail in places with sturdy bridges crossing over the river in others.   

 

 

 

A section of the Bark Shanty campground.  The Forest Service trail crew had been in cutting and clearing downed trees.

The river running right along side the campground area

 

One of three bridges that cross the river.  This bridge is near Bark Shanty.

Our turn around point was the Bark Shanty campground.  This is a large open space with cut log benches located right alongside the river.  On the way in we met a group of 12 girls scouts with 4 adult leaders who had camped at Bark Shanty and were on the way back to the trailhead.  It turned out that most of the cars in the parking area belonged to this group.

 

 Other flowers:

Bunch berry also called Canadian Dogwood

Columbine

Spotted Coral Root

 Honeysuckle

Miner's Lettuce

Orange Indian Paintbrush

 

Star Flower

 

 

Thimbleberry
 

 

 

We saw this doe and fawn, but before I could get a good picture they got spooked and ran away. 

 

Count for the day:

 

30 hikers, 2 dogs, and 3 deer seen on the drive out

5.6 miles RT, 400 ft elevation gain