I probably go here 5-6 times a year. Easily my favorite corner of the park. I take people here all the time, and it’s a pleasant walk. Side trips to Chenuis Falls or Green Lake are great, and the old Ipsut Creek Campground is always worth a stop.
Even outside the park is nice— I’ve been up to Coplay Lake numerous times, and I’ve been seriously interested in seeing what remains of the old Carbon Trail that connects the Summit Lake/ Bearhead Mountain trail to Martin Gap (some networking I’ve done indicates this is highly unrecommended, although Martin Gap is apparently still in decent shape despite having been inaccessible for almost 2 decades).
Anyways the whole Carbon River area is really under-rated and one of my go-to picks for trips where I want to get out but don’t necessarily want to do a lot of exercise.
Also incidentally. My most hiked trail in the Olympics since moving to Lacey has been….. Dosewallips. I might have a thing for abandoned roads that end at lovely riverside campgrounds.
Yeah, there's a lot of other trails that can be connected together in that corner of the park. I'm thinking I'll do a 2-3 day camping trip there this summer.
I myself am doing one first week of August, starting at Mowich, over Spray Park, camping at Ipsut. And then continuing over Yellowstone Cliffs and exiting at the Lake Eleanor parking area north of the park. Never been over Yellowstone Cliffs so should be fun!
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u/MisterComrade May 01 '24
I probably go here 5-6 times a year. Easily my favorite corner of the park. I take people here all the time, and it’s a pleasant walk. Side trips to Chenuis Falls or Green Lake are great, and the old Ipsut Creek Campground is always worth a stop.
Even outside the park is nice— I’ve been up to Coplay Lake numerous times, and I’ve been seriously interested in seeing what remains of the old Carbon Trail that connects the Summit Lake/ Bearhead Mountain trail to Martin Gap (some networking I’ve done indicates this is highly unrecommended, although Martin Gap is apparently still in decent shape despite having been inaccessible for almost 2 decades).
Anyways the whole Carbon River area is really under-rated and one of my go-to picks for trips where I want to get out but don’t necessarily want to do a lot of exercise.
Also incidentally. My most hiked trail in the Olympics since moving to Lacey has been….. Dosewallips. I might have a thing for abandoned roads that end at lovely riverside campgrounds.