Duckabush River

The Duckabush River Trail climbs through thick moss-covered forest of bigleaf maple, old-growth cedar, and Douglas fir. The river runs a distinctive blue-green, visible from several points along the trail. At about 2.5 miles, the path passes through a grove of massive cedars in a quiet, shaded glen. The trail then gains elevation through a series of switchbacks up Big Hump, where Snack Rock provides a viewpoint overlooking the river valley and surrounding peaks.

Past Big Hump, the trail drops steeply to Fivemile Camp at roughly 5 miles in, losing about 650 feet of the elevation just gained. This makes the return trip more demanding than it first appears. The 2011 Duckabush Fire left standing snags in portions of the upper trail, and winter storms regularly drop trees across the path. WTA crews clear blowdowns annually, but expect to navigate over or around downed trees, particularly early in the season.

The trail continues deeper into the Olympic wilderness for backpackers, connecting to a broader network of river valley routes. Day hikers commonly turn around at Snack Rock or Fivemile Camp. The trailhead sits at the end of a 6-mile road that transitions from pavement to gravel, with some rough sections in the final stretch.