5 Best Lake Quinault Hikes

Not sure which trails around Lake Quinault are worth your time?

The area is packed with options – some short and scenic, others longer and more rugged – and it’s easy to end up on a trail that doesn’t quite match what you were hoping for.

I’ve hiked the best Lake Quinault hikes and I know which ones deliver jaw-dropping scenery, which are better for solitude, and which can be skipped if your time is short.

This is for anyone who wants to experience the magic of the best hikes in the Lake Quinault Rain Forest area, whether you’re after a quick nature walk, a half-day adventure, or something in between.

Want a sneak peek? The Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail is short, easy, and absolutely stunning – giant trees, mossy branches, and the sound of rushing water all around.

In this guide, I’ll share the top five hikes, my honest take on each, and tips to make the most of your time on the trail.

Let’s start exploring.

Guided Lake Quinault Rainforest Hikes

If your time is limited and you want to visit the Lake Quinault area as a day trip from Seattle, then there is a good option for you.  This private Quinault Rainforest tour gives you the opportunity to do three of these five hikes, including the world’s largest spruce tree, Maple Glade and Kestner Homestead.  

➡️ BOOK A FULL-DAY PRIVATE TOUR FROM SEATTLE TO LAKE QUINAULT & THE QUINAULT RAINFOREST

Best Lake Quinault Hikes

Here are the five best hikes in the region – including some of the best easy hikes in Olympic National Park, a difficult hike for those looking for something more challenging, and a network of fun trails in Olympic National Forest.

5. Maple Glade Loop

Length: 0.5 miles loop

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation Gain: 16 feet

Trailhead: Maple Glade Rain Forest Trailhead

This is one of the best rainforest hikes in Olympic National Park and a personal favorite. 

This easy 0.5 loop passes through a magnificent glade of Big Leaf Maple Trees.  These trees twist and turn into fantastical shapes.  They are coated and draped in golden moss that glows when the sunlight shines on it through the trees.

Under foot are enormous ferns and, on the way, you’ll pass ponds that are lacking in water later in the dry season (late summer/ fall) but still filled with lush green grasses.  

The trail starts across from the Quinault Ranger Station and is clearly marked.  It crosses a creek and immediately heads into the glade.  You can take the loop in either direction.  At the far end of the loop, you can either continue around the loop or take the trail that continues on the Kestner Homestead. 

Look down to find banana slugs and through the trees, where you may see Roosevelt Elk.

My Tips:  

‼️ There are often ranger-led hikes into Maple Glade. Check the NPS website for the dates of your visit.

‼️ The light is best early morning, when the sunlight makes the moss glow.

Highlights

✳️ Temperate Rain Forest with maple trees and moss

4. Kestner Homestead

Length: 1.3-mile loop

Difficulty: Easy

Elevation Gain: 30 feet

Trailhead: Maple Glade Rain Forest Trailhead

This one of my top three favorite Olympic National Park rainforest hikes (my other two are the Maple Glade Loop and the Hoh River Trail).

The trail starts at the Maple Glade Loop.  You can do half the loop and then continue along the Kestner Homestead Loop or do the full Maple Glade Loop and then double back on part of the trail before it heads off on the bigger loop to the Kestner Homestead.  

The trail continues through the temperate rain forest before emerging into a clearing where the historic farm is located. 

There is a wooden farmhouse and several sheds with wood shingled roofs.  There are also pieces of abandoned, rusty farm equipment and old cars scattered around the property, plus a bathtub sitting in a nearby field.  There are some small pastures and a tiny orchard.  

It’s a very picturesque place to wander around and appreciate the life that these early homesteaders lived.

The Kestner Homestead Site, built in 1897 and rebuilt in 1900-1905, is the oldest surviving settler-built homestead in the Quinault River Valley.  It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was a hard life and the heavy rain that this area gets in winter proved to be too much in the end and it was eventually abandoned.

The loop trail continues down the main farm road and across a modern bridge before veering off to the right alongside Kestner Creek through mostly unexciting second growth forest.  It soon emerges back at the ranger station.

My Tips:  

‼️ The loop can be hiked in either direction. I prefer clockwise because then you visit Maple Glade first and get a real sense of the forest as it was before it was farmed, which helps you appreciate even more the task early pioneers faced when turning the forest into farmland. 

Highlights

✳️ Temperate rain forest
✳️ Historic homestead/ farm

3. World’s Tallest Spruce Tree

Length: 0.4 miles out-and-back

Difficulty: Very Easy

Elevation Gain: 6 feet

Trailhead: Just past the Rain Forest Resort Villages’ general store on South Shore Road.

This is the easiest Lake Quinault hike. Across the street from the parking lot is a small sign indicating “World’s Record Sitka Spruce”.  Follow this trail into the forest. 

A flat, fairly wide, and very easy to follow trail goes through a basic forest before emerging into a clearing.  The biggest Sitka spruce tree in the world is across the clearing. There is a small sign nearby giving its impressive statistics. 

The tree about 1,000 years old; 191 feet tall; and has a circumference of 58 feet and 11 inches!  That’s a big tree!  In fact, it is one of the five champion trees in Quinault Valley (the “Valley of the Giants”), and by far the most accessible.

Pose for some photos, admire the tree’s enormity, ponder what life events this tree has witnessed, then return back to your vehicle.

My Tips:  

‼️ Stop at the nearby Salmon House restaurant for lunch or dinner – they have some of the best salmon you’ll ever eat and lovely views of Lake Quinault from their back porch.

Highlights

✳️ Largest spruce tree in the world

2. Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail 

Length: 0.5 miles (other trail lengths vary)

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate

Elevation Gain: Minimal

Quinault Rain Forest Trailhead: There are trailheads for the various trails along the South Shore Road.  The trailhead for the short Quinault Rain Forest Trail is 1.4 miles along South Shore Road from Highway 101.  

Quinault Rain Forest Trail Map

In the Olympic National Forest on the south shore of Lake Quinault, there’s a network of interconnected trails.  Here you’ll find the short and sweet Quinault Rainforest Nature Trail plus several longer Lake Quinault Lodge hiking trails including my favorite Quinault Rain Forest trail in the area, the 1.6-mile hike to Cascade Falls.

They are all pretty (or very) easy and you can do one or connect several into hikes of varying lengths.

A great introduction to the temperate rain forest is the Rain Forest Nature Loop Trail, often described as “the Quinault Rain Forest in a nutshell”.

The short loop through part of Willaby Creek Canyon is the perfect way to experience the enormous ferns and magical moss of the temperate rain forest.  There are interpretive signs at several points along the trail that give a really nice introduction to the rainforest and teach you more about some of the main features that you see. 

The easy 0.5-mile loop is wheelchair accessible for part of the way.

My Tips:  

‼️ There’s a large parking lot suitable for RVs with restrooms and picnic tables at the trailhead.

Highlights

✳️ Temperate rain forest
✳️ Interpretative signs

1. Fletcher Canyon Trail

Length: 4.6 miles out-and-back

Difficulty:  Difficult

Elevation Gain: 1,300 feet

Trailhead: On South Shore Road, 9.4 miles from Highway 101, there is a narrow spur road on the right that leads to the trailhead.  There is a small primitive dirt parking lot at the trailhead.   

Fletcher Canyon is a magical place, with multi-hued moss, enormous ferns and even more enormous trees.  

Although the trail is relatively short, it’s a difficult trail to hike.  Not only is it almost entirely uphill on the way (and downhill on the way back), but there are also multiple obstacles such as rocks and fallen trees to navigate, and it can be difficult to follow at times.

However, if you enjoy the challenge, the rewards are worth it! 

My Tips:  

‼️ There are no restrooms at the trailhead.  The parking lot there is very small – so get there early on the busy summer months.

‼️ The trail is uphill and then downhill.  I recommend using trekking poles to help save your knees.  My favorite hiking poles are these Leki Jannu trekking poles. They’re lightweight, have shock absorbers, and have comfortable natural cork grips. You can read my detailed review here.

➡️ Check prices on Amazon here or on REI here

Highlights

✳️ Temperate rain forest
✳️ The challenge of a more difficult hike

Quinault Rain Forest Hiking Trails FAQs

Lake Quinault Hiking Trails Map

You can use this Lake Quinault trail map to get a sense of where the trails are, but for an actual hiking trails map, pick up a National Geographic topographic hiking trails map of Olympic National Park before you go.

What to Pack for Lake Quinault hiking trails

1. Some parts of the longer Quinault Lake hiking trails are overgrown, so if you hike these trails and don’t like brushing against leaves, wear long pants. If you need some, get some hiking pants for men here or some hiking pants for women here. This isn’t necessary for the short hikes.

2. There can be ticks and bugs, especially in spring and summer.  Although I’m not aware of any reports of Lyme Disease, bug spray is a good idea. I’m a fan of DEET-free insect repellent, as it’s better for the environment and your skin.  Get some here. 

3. There can be muddy sections in winter, spring and through early summer – even on the shorter trails.  Good quality waterproof hiking boots will really make a difference! If you need to get some, take a look at my Guide to Buying the Best Hiking Shoes/ Boots to help you know what to look for and get some recommendations.  My top pick is this pair of Salomon Gore-Tex boots.

4. This is a rain forest, so it can rain a lot.  I recommend taking a rain jacket and wearing layers that you can take off or put on depending on the weather, which can change throughout the day. If you need one, I like this Columbia rain jacket for men and this Little Donkey Andy rain jacket for women.

5. Trekking poles are a big help for navigating around mud and puddles and up hills – especially for the longer trails. My favorite hiking poles are these Leki Jannu trekking poles. They’re lightweight, have shock absorbers, and have comfortable natural cork grips. You can read my detailed review here.

➡️ Check prices on Amazon here or on REI here

6. For any hike, you should take water.  There is a refill station at the Visitor Center, so you just need a refillable water bottle. I love this hydroflask. It’s easy to carry, keeps temperatures well, and comes in multiple colors.

7. You’ll definitely want to take a camera.  I love the GoPro HERO 12.  It’s designed for travel.  It’s water resistant and durable and takes photos, video and even does streaming.  Check current prices on the GoPro HERO 12 here 

8. Check my list of essential things to take and wear on a day hike to make sure you have everything you need.

Tips for Hiking Quinault Rain Forest

‼️All of these hikes can be accessed along the Lake Quinault Loop Drive.  Read my guide to this scenic drive for more information. 

‼️The trails can be muddy in spring.  If you’re hiking then, or after it has rained, a good pair of hiking shoes or boots will come in handy. If you need to get some, take a look at my Guide to Buying the Best Hiking Shoes/ Boots to help you know what to look for and get some recommendations.  

‼️Because most of the annual precipitation is in winter, the rain forest can be a little dry looking by early fall.  There’s not much you can do about this other than to adjust your expectations or the timing of your trip.  Though even in September, it’s stunning. 

‼️There are often ranger talks or guided walks to Maple Glade from the Quinault Ranger Station.  These are a great introduction to the temperate rain forest.  Check for ranger programs for the dates of your visit.

‼️Keep an eye out for animals. Banana slugs are around, but may be hidden if it’s been dry.  Roosevelt elk and deer are often seen in this area.  It’s also bear country, so stay aware.

Travel Insurance for Olympic National Park

You should definitely get travel insurance before setting out on any of the Lake Quinault trails.  Good travel insurance will cover you for trip cancellation, theft or damage if your property when traveling, medical help if you have an accident while hiking in Quinault Rain Forest or medical repatriation if you need to get medi-vaced out.  

➡️A great insurance option is Travelex.  It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:

Happy hiking!

More Planning Resources for Olympic National Park

Do you have any other top picks for the best hikes near Lake Quinault/ the best hikes in Quinault Rain Forest?  I’d love to hear about them.  Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).

If you liked this article about the best hikes: Quinault Rain Forest, Pin It to your Olympic National Park board! 

About the Author

James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.

He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.

Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.

As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.

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