A Salvaged Beauty Spot on Olympic Peninsula

The beautiful trail that traces the north shore of Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park in Washington wasn’t designed as a hikers’ haven; it evolved into one.

During World War I, the Army needed Washington’s spruce trees to build airplane frames. A railroad was built around Lake Crescent to move lumber to Port Angeles mills. Five months and millions of dollars later, the 36-mile line was complete, running through forest and dynamited rock.

The Spruce Railroad wasn’t finished until a few weeks after peace was declared, so not one log aided the war effort. The railway was sold and used by private logging companies for decades. President Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the beauty of the land on a 1937 visit, when local environmentalists pleaded for increased protection of the forest. A year later, Congress created Olympic National Park.

Deep waters filled with trout lured nature lovers to Lake Crescent long before Roosevelt visited. Lake Crescent Lodge, on the south shore, was constructed in 1915. It still offers good food and comfortable accommodation. The two-story, shingle-covered building is a handsome example of Craftsman style.

The four-mile Spruce Railroad Trail, opened in 1981, is fairly flat, well maintained and family friendly. Hikers can still see two railroad tunnels, but most impressive are the gorgeous, nearly continuous views of the lake.

The trail is open all year. Snow covers nearby peaks and ridges, but little falls on the lake, which sits at an elevation of 700 feet.

Directions to trail head: From Port Angeles, on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula (85 miles and a ferry ride from Seattle), take U.S. 101 about 15 miles west. Just east of Lake Crescent, turn right on East Beach Road and follow it three miles, bearing left on another paved road with a sign for Spruce Railroad Trail. After crossing the Lyre River, the road reaches a parking area and the trail head.

The hike: Follow an old logging road down to the Spruce Railroad Trail. The former railway bed travels south and then west, sticking close to shore and serving up views of the lake and forested peaks, including 4,500-foot Mt. Storm King.

After rounding Harrington Point, the trail passes the first railroad tunnel about a mile from the trail head. Then it climbs over Devil’s Point, a rocky headland. Precipitous basalt cliffs frame a lovely cove, a popular summer swim spot known as the Devil’s Bathtub. Cross a steep, arched wood bridge and skirt cliffs where tenacious madronos hang on for dear life.

About three miles out, you’ll pass the second railway tunnel and see Lake Crescent Lodge across the water. (Neither of the tunnels can be entered.) The last mile leads through flat forest to the end of North Shore Road. Most hikers will want to arrange for a pickup by shuttle car here; the more ambitious can turn around and hike back to the starting point.

A hike along the Spruce Railroad Trail can be complemented with a 0.75-mile walk to Marymere Falls, a wispy 90-footer. That trail begins by the ranger station just east of Lake Crescent Lodge.

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For more of John McKinney’s tips, visit https://www.thetrailmaster.com.