25. MOUNT TOWNSEND, OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST
Hike across a broad high summit at the northeastern edge of the Olympics and savor dazzling wildflowers and sweeping views that include snowy Mount Baker, the lofty jagged eastern Olympic Mountain front, Puget Sound, and the Seattle skyline shimmering before Mount Rainier.
Townsend is one of the most climbed mountains in the Olympics. With all of its scenic attributes, it’s not difficult to see why. From the trailhead, steadily climb through a stately grove of firs and hemlocks adorned with Pacific rhododendrons. After entering the Buckhorn Wilderness, the forest thins and views begin to emerge. The trail weaves through patches of brilliant wildflowers and crosses a handful of cascading creeks. The climb is steady but more than two dozen switchbacks soften the grade intensity.
At a small knoll, pass by tiny hidden Windy Lake. Then continue upward and bear right at a junction with the Silver Lakes Trail (a beautiful side trip). The trail then ascends Mount Townsend’s summit plateau, an expanse of alpine tundra adorned with ground-hugging junipers and brilliant clumps of cinquefoil and phlox.
At 4.0 miles reach a junction. The main trail continues left descending to the Little Quilcene Trail (an alternative approach). Take the trail right and shortly reach the mountain’s 6,280-foot high point. You can continue on this path a short distance to Townsend’s northern 6212-foot summit if you’d like. The views are spectacular from anywhere along the open peak.
Gaze out at Puget Sound with its network of islands, bays, and channels and watch ferries ply azure waters. Stare out at the Seattle skyline sparkling in the sunlight. A fortress of Cascade peaks, punctuated by snowy volcanoes, dominates the eastern horizon. To the north lie Dungeness Spit, Discovery Bay, the San Juan Islands, and Vancouver Island. And to the west, it’s pure Olympic wilderness—jagged peaks and deep green valleys.