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Mount Storm King

4.7 (25 reviews)

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K G.

This is one of the most challenging hikes that I have ever done, although the views are worth it. Lake Cresent and Olympic National Park had so many breathtaking trails and natural beauty. If you haven't gone, it's worth it! The hike is 4.1 miles roundtrip (out and back) and although the length of the hike is not that long, the incline is what will get you. It's about 2,000 feet of elevation gain with a lot of switchbacks. Expect that the two miles uphill will take longer than most hikes due to the incline. The views keep getting better as you hike farther up the trail. The views of Lake Cresent are breathtaking! To get to the very top, you will be met with ropes. You can pull yourself up to reach the top and enjoy the overlook. If climbing up the ropes is not your thing, there will be plenty of views that will be stunning leading up to it, so it is no worries. Towards the top of the trail it will narrow so that is something to be mindful of. Another thing to be mindful of is that this trail is unmaintained and the ropes leading up to the top are unmaintained as well, so that is something to be mindful of if you don't want to take that risk. I would recommend wearing hiking shoes, bringing lots of water because the steep incline will leave you thirsty, and allow time to soak in the stunning views. If you want, you can bring snacks and gloves for the ropes if you have them. We didn't go on this hike on a warm day, although if you do consider bringing a hat and wearing sunscreen. Consider wearing layers as well as you will warm up fast hiking up this trail. Most of all enjoy this beautiful part of the world and being surrounded by so much natural beauty in this area of Washington! Some extend their hike and go to Marymere Falls afterwards due to it's close proximity and because of the gorgeous waterfall. We didn't end up doing this due to seeing lots of beautiful waterfalls in the area on our trip, although many report enjoying adding this to their hike to really experience all the beauty in this area.

View from Mount Storm King
Alyssa A.

One of the more taxing, strenuous hikes that I have done, but the end view over Lake Crescent and Olympic National Park is so totally worth it. This hike is about 4 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet. The hike up is no joke as you are constantly just hiking at a steep incline. Don't be afraid to take plenty of breaks, and pace yourself. You don't want to burn out at the beginning. The last 0.1 mile or so is a rock scramble and some rope climbing up the mountain - this can be rough. This portion does require a bit of coordination, and it can be very challenging if you're afraid of heights. Would definitely re-evaluate if you are afraid of heights. For the ropes, wearing gloves is recommended. They do have some gloves sitting around at the base to borrow. The view at the end is 100% worth the entire hike, though. You can see all of Lake Crescent and the surrounding beauty. Absolutely magnificent. Take some time to just soak it in after the hike. The trailhead for Storm King is on the trail to Marymere Falls. If you want to do that hike too, do it first - you will feel absolutely wrecked after Storm King and while Marymere isn't nearly the same difficulty, you're probably just gonna want to relax afterward. Pack plenty of water, some snacks, and sunscreen and a hat if it's sunny. And just remember to take it 1 step at a time.

View halfway
Christine J.

This hike was actually fun and exhilarating to get to the top. Full of zig zags, rope climbs up, and great views. I saw kids running up and down the mountain. I think the hike itself was moderate and doable for all ages. Once you get to the ropes, just be careful not to slide. The ropes are there for a reason! I would say coming down from the ropes was slightly harder than going up. Once you get to the top of the rock, you will see amazing views of the lake and mountain. The only thing I didn't like were the slightly annoying kids taking selfies for hours and being in the way of getting some nice pics, but other than that, I enjoyed it! Or maybe some kids jumping their way down from the mountain giving me a heart attack because they were close to falling off the cliff... anyways... Bring food, water, hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and good shoes. Very hot at the top in the summer!

Parking lot
Brian F.

Mount Storm King is a mountain and a hiking trail within Olympic National Park. The trailhead is located at the Storm King Ranger Station just south of Lake Crescent where there are parking lots, restrooms, and the Lake Crescent Lodge. The hike is ~4.1 miles roundtrip with 2,000 feet elevation. When you first start the hike, you'll be on the same trail at Marymere Falls which forks off after a couple minutes. After that, there were multiple switchbacks with pretty big incline which could make you think twice about continuing up, and it doesn't really stop after that. Most of the way up the ~2 miles is incline and I recommend taking multiple breaks throughout if needed. At about ~1.75 miles up we hit the first view point which was nice but was covered up by trees. After a couple minutes more of incline, we reached a pretty narrow and rocky portion which was the end of the maintained trail. This was where the ropes came into play. To get to the very top of Mount Storm King for the best view of Lake Crescent, there were a set of ropes that you needed to climb. It's recommended that you bring gloves for this part because the ropes and rocks can get slippery, but if you forget you can use communal ones left by other friendly hikers. The view is much better up there but it's up to you if you feel comfortable doing so. Half of the people we interacted with during the hike ended up not doing it for a variety of reasons, and these were some things that I noted from a variety of folks who did it and who didn't: - "You're this close you might as well" - "It's worth it" - "The journey was more worth than the view" - "I'm good, the accomplishment to get up here was enough" - "This is not for me" - "I'm not risking my life for that" I ended up not doing the ropes, and no one will blame you if you don't because it can be dangerous and uncomfortable for some. On the way back down, it was a steep decline with a lot of loose gravel and there was a high chance of slipping. It did a good number on my knees. The hike was pretty steep and challenging so we took breaks as needed. Luckily most of the hike was shaded so you don't have the sun beaming down on you. It took us about ~1.5 hours to get right before the ropes and about 1 hour to get back down. It wasn't the most challenging hike I've ever been on but it was above average with a lot of work on my knees and thighs. Although we didn't get views at the very top, it was still a rewarding hike.

Lake Crescent
Roger P.

Do not underestimate this hike. There's a reason that AllTrails rates this as HARD. In just 2 miles, you'll need experience over 2,000 ft. elevation gain which is no easy task. Make sure you bring plenty of water and start early in the day to avoid the heat. We got there around 10AM and I think we got lucky with parking. There's a dedicated lot but it's not big and when we finished the hike, there were a lot of cars circling around. Driving from Port Angeles, you don't pass any ticket booths but we had annual passes to hang from the rearview mirror. Double check the rules and find out if you actually need to pay a fee for Mount Olympic Park. The trail starts off by Lake Crescent and shares the beginning of the hike with the Marymere Falls. As soon as the paths diverge, the elevation begins. The majority of the hike is shaded until the very top. There's a couple of openings where you can see the lake but that's not the end of it! The hardest, and most dangerous part, is at the last 10 minutes and you'll have to pull yourself up some even steeper parts with ropes. Don't underestimate this section because it's even harder coming down and you wouldn't want to get stuck. I also see people bringing gloves to protect their hands from rope burns. At the very top, the view opens up and you get unobstructed, 360 views of the entire area. It's beautiful and you'll be able to take some great pictures but for the effort, I didn't think it was very worth it (hence 4 stars). There isn't that much space at the top too but there were many groups crouching in the area to rest and snack. By the time we left, there was kind of queue just to get to the overlook. What I regret doing, is not being prepared for the lake. After the hike, we walked by the lake and noticed people jumping in. That would've been the perfect, refreshing end to our long hike. I'm glad I got to experience it but I would never do it again!

Tiffany Y.

The views are absolutely worth it! The hike up is STEEP (over 2,000 ft in ~2 miles) and in the dry summer months the way up (and especially the way down) can be a bit slippery due to the loose gravel. It's mostly a hike through the forest until the very end where there are some exposed cliff edges. I feel like the hike overall especially the ropes section at the very end that others have mentioned is far safer and more enjoyable the fewer people that there are. Really the only way to achieve this I think is to arrive early early in the day.

Ropes and top of trail
Elisabeth P.

This was a very challenging and rewarding hike that ended up being everything we thought it would be and more! The hike is basically a 1000 miles of elevation a mile with the steepest at the top so it is not for the faint of heart. It is the most challenging hike I've done so far in the PNW. The trailhead has a great parking lot at Crescent Lake with plenty of space and clean well kept bathrooms. The start of the trailhead is accessible through a short underground tunnel that leads to it and Marymere Falls. This 5.3 mile round trip hike has a 2,076 ft elevation gain..and trust me, you feel it! There are gorgeous views throughout the hike both of the natural forest as well as peak-a-boos of the lake here and there. The trail is well maintained up until the final climb to the summit. The trail then has a sign letting you know you are heading off the maintained trail and there are ropes that have been set up for you the scale up the remainder of the trail. It's not exactly rock climbing status but if you let go you'll slide on the slippery tail, so not for those with fear of heights or for those without good upper body strength and core. The view from the top is epic and well worth it. The hike down takes its toll on the knees so poles aren't the worst idea. Once you get to the bottom you'll probably be sweaty..likely be tired..and definitely be dirty so do yourself a favor and snag a left to Marymere Falls and a close up to the river.

Not too much wind today. Made for a pleasant time at the top.
Don K.

Second time climbing to the summit proved to be a bit more difficult. Must be getting old. The roped sections were fine, but the incline of the first quarter or so mile felt more difficult this time around. The views at the summit were gorgeous on a beautiful sunny day. Some scrambling required to get to the summit. Well worth the effort.

Harley M.

Hiked on a Saturday in January and WOW was it gorgeous out!! Started around 11am and there were still lots of spots in the parking lot. 5 mi hike with 2000 ft of elevation, so it's pretty much a steep uphill the entire way up. My legs were very tired by the time I made it to the top! The last 0.3mi or so are a scramble with ropes to assist you up. Bring gloves to help you grip the ropes. The view at the top is absolutely beautiful - although not a ton of space to sit around at the peak.

rocky ridge to climb up to the top
Tyra L.

The view from the top is sick, but the trek up is a killer and a bit scary at times. It's a tough hike mostly because of how relentlessly steep it is, so be ready for some cardio. I would also recommend good hiking shoes. We did it in tennis shoes because that's all we had, but it would have been much easier / safer with better traction. Once you get to the ropes there is really nothing to grab onto for your hands or feet, other than the ropes. I would have literally slide of the side of the cliff without the ropes. It requires a bit of trust in the ropes and the trees they are tied to. Once you are to the top of the ropes, head to the left and carefully scramble up the rocky peak. There is another trail to the right, not sure where it goes. Five star views for sure.

The iconic stone to sit and take pics
Amanda L.

The one place in all of PNW that had some sane air quality for a hike in sept of 2020! Be sure to drive to the ranger station of lake crescent and not just type in Mt storm king in the god to get there. After a 3 hr drive from Seattle area, made it here and really like the clean bathrooms with soap and plentiful parking when I arrived at 9:30 There are several hikes here: one to a waterfall, one to a creek, but was here for storm king The hike is brutal and if you haven't hiked much it will hurt haha: i had to take breaks once in awhile and I have already summited my ellinor and mailbox peak and found it challenging. It's short and sweet but painful: with not much endurance needed. The view is worth it and except for a couple hogging the main stone where people take pictures, it was beautiful. The lake is so crystal blue and it makes a great pic There are a lot of bees up here so be careful with your food and don't get stung! Note: for the last little bit of trek you will need to use some ropes to climb up to the very top - they are provided and you will see them: tread carefully and I highly recommend good hiking boots: my sportivas really helped out here A pretty unique hike would highly recommend! The lake is also amazing to check out after and a wonderful place to swim! You can also bring your boat and there is a boat launch! The water is so blue and clear it's unbelievable: reminds me of tahoe waters in northern Cali

Rope scrambles- honestly the most fun part
Courtney J.

If you're looking for a challenging but WELL WORTH IT hike, do this one. You have to go to the Mt. Storm King ranger station to start near Lake Crescent and it's a bit confusing if you GPS it on your Apple Maps. You need to park at the ranger station though and start on the Marymere Falls trail. It will loop under a bridge and be flat through a forest for maybe a quarter of a mile before it starts the serious INCLINE UP! A couple miles of switchbacks followed by some rope-assisted scrambles and some free-scrambles. I won't lie, it's not for the faint of heart, but also definitely not as difficult as a lot of people say. Unless you're afraid of heights or not surefooted. We hiked up with hiking boots and slapped some microspikes on to help with the loose rock, but saw some others in their regular day shoes so it's definitely possible. My boyfriend made the valid point that this can't be marked as strenuous or dangerous if people can make it up in Vans. Anyway, the view of Lake Crescent and beyond at the top is the ultimate reward. Also plenty of beautiful Canadian gray jays to come and keep you company. It was a beautiful hike and a wonderful end to our vacation.

View of Lake Crescent, once you reach the viewpoint.
Jessica S.

I wish yelp would allow you to give 1/2 stars but unfortunately that is not the case. I would give this hike 3.5 but I feel generous to bump it up to 4. Please be mindful, this hike will knock the wind out of the unconditioned hiker. Also, please note, this trail can be dangerous because of its exposed ledges. While I consider myself and my partner to be in decent shape, we found this trail a butt kicker as Sherman W. puts it nicely. HOLY MOLY. I was deceived. Don't be like me and let the distance fool you. This is not an easy hike. And please, please, please for crying out loud pack the damn water. Mount Storm King round trip is 3.8 miles with 1700 - 2400 in elevation gain. At the first .5 mile the trail is shared with Marymere Falls, so be aware of the heavy foot traffic and other folks - no need to worry, most are headed to Marymere Falls. Mount Storm King trail sign will be on your left. You quickly gain in elevation, with switchbacks, as you rise above Barnes Creek - listen for the waterfall in the distance. As you increase in elevation you will FINALLY, make it to a viewpoint of Lake Crescent. I recommend stop, take some photos, drink some H2O, and head back. My only complaint is that there is no real sign or posting notifying you that you've reached the end of the trail. You seriously pop out of forested area and BOOM rocky cliffs on both sides of you. I'll be honest, once I reached this point my legs got a bit shaky and vertigo took over. I couldn't summon the courage to summit the top. A sign is posted stating "Maintained trail ends here." You can proceed forward for another 400 feet in elevation gain but no view of Lake Crescent at this point, why bother if you ask me. Overall, I would rate this trail a 5 out 5 in difficulty and a 3 out of 5 in the scenery and views.

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Review Highlights - Mount Storm King

Storm King ranger station to start near Lake Crescent and it's a bit confusing if you GPS it on your Apple Maps.

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Hurricane Ridge

Hurricane Ridge

4.7
(107 reviews)
16.7 mi

Located outside Port Angeles, this is the alpine portion of the national park. The shorter version…read moreof the hike is fairly fun and there is a much longer out and back route. Show up early to get away from the crowds and see the wild animals closeby. Plenty of deer and marmots.

Better late than never! We made it to the Hurricane Ridge hike on 8/12/25 between 10am-12pm and it…read morewas too hot for me with barely any shade up top and throughout our way down. I would recommend going sooner 7-8am starting time. We camped the night before at HEART O' THE HILLS Campground without prior reservation. It was a quick drive up top to Hurricane Ridge the next morning for our hike. The hike didn't live up to our expectations. Not much to see and not much shade anywhere. Some decent views up top but you can get much better views without hiking up this way. What I appreciate is wheelchair accessible trails up to certain areas of the trail! Plenty of free parking areas up top. For me personally, the views, the landscape, the scenery aren't worth the hype and planning for me to make a trip out here during the second week of August. There are better choices for hikes elsewhere and in the next state, Oregon. The HEART O' THE HILLS campground was nice option for camping and I do appreciate they still offer spots without reservations as it should be as first comes first served instead of let people hoarding them way ahead of time because they have the means to do so and preventing available spaces for true camping spirit. The restroom was cleaned and maintained.

Photos
Klahhane Ridge Trail | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie
Klahhane Ridge Trail | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie
Klahhane Ridge Trail | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie
Klahhane Ridge Trail | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie
Hurricane Ridge

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Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park

4.8
(213 reviews)
16.7 mi

Olympic NP is very diverse, you get the mountain ranges on the north side, the lush rainforest in…read morethe southwest and the classic PNW coastline all in one park. We actually enjoyed some of the less crowded spots more than the main attractions. Parking can be very limited, so it's worth it to arrive very early, especially during peak season. Since there isn't a road cutting through the park, plan your accommodations accordingly to reduce driving each day. The dinning options are subpar in the area, and businesses close very early. It's a good idea to plan your meals ahead of time and have snacks on hand.

Better late than never! We made it to the Hurricane Ridge hike on 8/12/25 between 10am-12pm and it…read morewas too hot for me with barely any shade up top and throughout our way down. I would recommend going sooner 7-8am starting time. We camped the night before at HEART O' THE HILLS Campground without prior reservation. It was a quick drive up top to Hurricane Ridge the next morning for our hike. The hike didn't live up to our expectations! Not much to see and not much shade anywhere. Some decent views up top but you can get much better views without hiking up this way. What I appreciate is wheelchair accessible trails up to certain areas of the trail! Plenty of free parking areas up top. For me personally, the views, the landscape, the scenery aren't worth the hype and planning for me to make a trip out here during the second week of August. There are better choices for hikes elsewhere and in the next state, Oregon. The HEART O' THE HILLS campground was nice option for camping and I do appreciate they still offer spots without reservations as it should be as first comes first served instead of let people hoarding them way ahead of time because they have the means to do so and preventing available spaces for true camping spirit. The restroom was cleaned and maintained.

Photos
Rime ice along the trails! I love how sharply geometric is looks - reminds me of the Fortress of Solitude from Superman LOL! (Jan 2025)
Rime ice along the trails! I love how sharply geometric is looks - reminds me of the Fortress of Solitude from Superman LOL! (Jan 2025)
This is hair ice!!! It's actually quite rare and has been so interesting to see it all over the trails! (Jan 2025)
This is hair ice!!! It's actually quite rare and has been so interesting to see it all over the trails! (Jan 2025)
Storm King

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Storm King
Heart O' The Hills Campground

Heart O' The Hills Campground

4.6
(7 reviews)
16.7 mi

Beautiful campground so close to town, yet feels very secluded. We drove through each loop multiple…read moretimes searching out a spot. Best suited to tent camping as a majority of the sites have shorter paved drives that are quite uneven. Would definitely be hard for longer rigs. First come only, and to get your site you must either log into the system (with limited cell service) or write your entire credit card info onto the form and leave it to be processed...no cash. Not so much a fan of that notion. We took the Heart o the Forest trail available from the top loop, although we didn't take it to the end. An out & back, narrow, with lovely trees. Overall a nice forested campground, with loads of sites of varied shapes and sizes and levels of privacy.

On our tour of the Olympic Peninsula this was our first stop. It made for a great first night and…read moreis just outside of Port Angeles. We arrived late on a weekday night after working a full day on the Eastside. This campground is first come first serve so we couldn't really plan ahead and had to hope there would still be something available. Even though we arrived only a few hours before dark we were able to find a really nice campsite nestled in the woods. There are several loops with nice sized camp sites for both tent and Rv camping. We found a lovely private site that was clean and free of litter and well maintained of debris. Each site is surrounded by gorgeous trees for privacy, mossy rocks, and peaceful forest views. After getting set up we enjoyed a restful and quiet night. The bathrooms were well maintained and there was also water for cleaning our dishes. Each loop seemed to have its own bathroom and garbage sites which was super convenient. We saw several deer, birds, and other little critters on our brief night's stay and look forward to coming back to visit them soon.

Photos
Heart o the Hills Campground
Heart o the Hills Campground
Heart o the Hills Campground
Heart o the Hills Campground
Heart o the Hills - campground trail

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Heart o the Hills - campground trail
Adventures Through Kayaking

Adventures Through Kayaking

4.8
(47 reviews)
13.7 mi

Originally booked the 130pm half day sea kayaking tour online. Received a call the next day saying…read morethe 130pm tour was already full for the next few days (not sure why it let me book online then). But luckily I was able to be flexible and switch to the morning tour (they gave me a day's notice). The staff on the phone said it would be much less windy anyway...which definitely turned out to be true and I was so glad for it bc it would've been chilly otherwise! They're doing great on the Covid safety measures as much as possible. Instead of parking at the office and riding a bus to the bay, they just have you either follow the guide in his vehicle with the kayaks or give you an address/coordinates for your gps. It was easy to keep up with our guide. Everyone wore masks until we got into our own individual kayaks. Very easy to practice social distancing in this setting! The office was very easy to find, right off the highway and even has a winery right next door (and was highly recommended by the host at my inn). Plenty of parking everywhere we went. After a brief safety talk and bit of equipment orientation, we launched from a rocky beach in Freshwater Bay and went out into the Strait of San Juan de Fuca. It was absolutely gorgeous weather - sunny and calm and a perfect temperature. The water was insanely clear! We saw jellyfish and kelp crabs and all manner of birds! We even sampled a little bit of the kelp haha! Our guide, Chris, was so knowledgeable and he made the tour interesting and really fun! There's even a little cave you can swoop through if you have one of the smaller kayaks! I highly recommend you bring sturdy water shoes and waterproof camera!

Absolutely amazing! We kayaked on Lake Crescent and had the best time. Everyone at the shop was so…read morekind getting us ready. Our guide was so much fun and very knowledgeable about the area. Kayaking Lake Crescent was the highlight of our trip! We saw bald eagles, lots of birds, baby geese, and baby ducks!

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Adventures Through Kayaking
Adventures Through Kayaking
Adventures Through Kayaking

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Mount Storm King - hiking - Updated July 2026

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