Whiskey Bend Trailhead

Elwha River Trail, Elwha River, Olympic Nat’l Park thoroughfare of north-central Olympics

Elwha River / Trails Thulefoth Comments

Elwha River Trail is the northern half of the main north-south thoroughfare down the middle of the Olympic National Park.  It’s 27.7 miles long, begining at the Whiskey Bend Trailhead and ending at the junction with the North Fork Quinault River Trail. With the southern North Fork trail, the Elwha forms the main north-south through-route in the Park

Sites along the Elwha include Camp Lillian at 4.6 miles; Mary’s Falls Camp 8.8; Camp Baltimore 9.0; Canyon Camp 10.4; Elkhorn Camp 11.5; Remman Cabin 12.5.  Tipperary, Chateau, Hayes River, Wilder, Chicago and Happy Hollow.

This trail makes interior through-connections via Hayes River Trail at 17 miles, and more commonly via Low Divide about 26 miles up.

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Benchmark Rock, Elwha River Trail, Olympic Nat’l Park an early treat on Elwha River Trail

Elwha River Thulefoth Comments
Benchmark Rock and Long Creek view

Benchmark Rock and Long Creek view

Benchmark Rock is an informal spot about 3/4 mile up the Elwha River Trail from its beginning at the Whiskey Bend Trailhead. The author Robert L. Wood, in his book Olympic Mountains Trail Guide, refers to the location as Benchmark Rock, in his Elwha Trail section (pg 40). (Note that historically & culturally, the name of this trail is sometimes seen as Elwha Trail, and other times as Elwha River Trail. The Park uses the later name today.) … cont’d >