Grand Peak
route details
TRAIL NAME: Grand Peak via Grand Pass Trail
DATE: July 15, 2022
LENGTH: 12.5 miles, with ~4,000 feet elevation gain
TRAILHEAD: End of Obstruction Point Road
FEES/PERMIT: All visitors to Olympic National Park (ONP) must pay applicable entry fees or display valid interagency park passes. No permit is required to day hike this trail. Overnight hikers must obtain an ONP Wilderness Permit for stays between May 1 and September 30; visit Recreation.gov for more details.
DIFFICULTY: Hard
WATER: Grand Lake, Moose Lake, Gladys Lake, and multiple (seasonal) stream and tarn sources are available to filter water, beginning approximately 2.5 miles from the trailhead.
TIPS: The trailhead is located at Obstruction Point, and is accessed via an 8 mile, single-lane gravel road originating at Hurricane Ridge. The road is open to vehicle traffic from mid-July to late September/early October (at the park’s discretion), and may be closed at any time due to weather- or fire-related conditions. For current road status information, call 360-565-3131. Obstruction Point Road is not suitable at any time for recreational vehicles or trailers.
Snow can linger in the upper portions of Grand Valley into late July and August. Microspikes are advised. The trail also crosses several small streams; be prepared to get your feet wet.
trail notes
Grand Peak - located at the southern end of Olympic National Park’s scenic Grand Valley - is a challenging but extraordinarily rewarding day hike destination. The trail to the peak begins at Obstruction Point and traverses windswept ridges, beautiful subalpine meadows, and a trio of lakes - Grand, Moose, and Gladys - en route to a 6700 foot summit. Views from the trail are magnificent from start to finish, and those atop Grand Peak among the most spectacular in the park.
I spent a lot of time in Grand Valley - at Gladys Lake, specifically - as a young child, joining my family on backpacking treks as soon as I was old enough to carry my own pack and gear. I hadn’t been back in many years, since I was 12 or 13 years old, but felt drawn to return to this area during a visit home to Washington in the summer of 2022.
the hike
I left the trailhead at 6:30am, under a beautiful supermoon and mostly clear skies. The views were stunning from the outset (even from the parking lot!) and only improved as the trail climbed through tundra-like terrain dotted with groves of subalpine fir and newly emergent wildflowers. I encountered a large snow field, easily navigable, within ten minutes of departing, and continued on the undulating path across Lillian Ridge.
At a little less than one mile from the trailhead, the path dropped down a series of stone stairs and traversed several additional snow fields and meadows.
It was here, a few minutes after 7am, that the sun began to stretch across the landscape, enveloping the trail and its surroundings in a lovely golden glow.
At 1.5 miles from the trailhead, I came to what my family has long affectionately referred to as Ptarmigan Pass, and the junction with the Lillian Ridge Way Trail. This trail (pictured below) goes on to traverse a tricky and precipitous ridgeline above Grand Valley. My route - indicated by the sign - points the way to the valley floor, reached by one mile of switchbacks and 1,500 feet of elevation loss.
The upper section of switchbacks are occasionally steep - on loosely packed dirt and scree - moving in and out of fir groves before emerging into a series of wooded meadows teeming with wildflowers. The trail continued its descent here - albeit more gradually - and a peekaboo view of Grand Lake appeared through the trees.
Grand Lake, the lowest and largest of the eponymous valley’s three lakes, is a short downhill walk from the junction with the Badger Valley Trail, 2.6 miles from the trailhead. It is, in my opinion, the least beautiful and most buggy, and I opted to continue on the main trail rather than visiting on this particular hike.
Half a mile beyond the trail junction, I arrived at Moose Lake. The views here were beautiful, and I noted with interest (for future excursions) the lovely campsites dotting the lake’s north shore. I also noted the presence of a privy and bear pole, as well as a backcountry ranger station, staffed seasonally.
While I never encountered a park ranger, I did spot this big fella as I continued up the valley, surveying with pride the grandeur of his domain.
The trail - lined with beautiful wildflowers, including avalanche lilies - climbed nearly a mile between Moose and Gladys Lake. Rather than stopping here, I decided to continue pushing up the valley en route to Grand Pass - 1.5 miles and 1,000 feet of elevation gain ahead of me. This section of the trail was absolutely breathtaking, winding through flower speckled meadows, beside crystal clear tarns, and across glittering snow fields, the sound of bubbling streams, waterfalls, and whistling pikas ever-present. In my estimation, this is one of the loveliest and most serene places in the entire national park.
At approximately one mile below the pass, I encountered a snow field I couldn’t navigate safely in trail runners alone (despite a deer appearing to show me how it’s done!). I threw on microspikes and continued hiking, but my progress slowed as I searched for the snowy path and adjusted to my new footwear. At the time, it had been years since I’d hiked on snow, and I’d forgotten how onerous and challenging it can be. While lower portions of the snow field had been navigated by other hikers, most of the route had no footholds at all, and creating them on the steep slope took considerable time and care. The last quarter mile to the pass is slip-and-fall-down-a-rocky-chute terrain, so caution was truly of the essence.
I reached Grand Pass - directly adjacent to this pretty, frigid tarn - at 10am, and immediately scrambled up the remaining quarter mile to the summit of Grand Peak.
While I expected the views up top to be impressive, they truly exceeded my expectations. Snow-capped peaks stretched for miles in every direction, their scope and beauty absolutely mesmerizing. This is a place that relatively few visitors to Grand Valley reach - the trail beyond Grand Pass actually circumvents the peak, dropping into Cameron Meadows instead - and I felt as if I’d stumbled across something unspoiled, raw, and magical.
I took off my backpack, sat at the summit, and marveled at the enchanting vista before me. I also ate several of my mom’s homemade molasses cookies - a tribute to her (the founder of my OG hiking squad) and a much-needed energy boost after the nerve-wracking climb I’d just made.
Alas, I’d committed to return to the trailhead by 2pm, and I had hard work (in the form of those steep switchbacks at the entrance to the valley) ahead of me. I packed up my belongings, gave a wistful final glance to the gorgeous expanse of mountains beyond the summit, and headed back down into the valley.
I had largely bypassed Gladys Lake on the hike in, but stopped for several minutes on my way out. A wave of nostalgia washed over me as I stood on its shores, my mind flooded with happy memories of childhood camping trips here - fishing with my dad, swimming with my beloved cousin Briana, and watching bears leisurely amble through the meadows in search of berries. This was, is, and always will be a special place to me, and I hope one day that Aleks will want to visit here as well.
My marmot friend was still on duty as I arrived back at Moose Lake. I gave him a little wave - he ignored me completely, no time for chit chat - and I carried on.
The hike up the switchbacks was every bit as unpleasant as I remembered, although I was grateful not to be doing it this time in a full pack. Clouds blissfully moved in as I climbed, blocking the hot afternoon sun, and I made good time on my way to the junction with the Lillian Ridge Way Trail.
A short distance from the trailhead, I stumbled upon my favorite view of the day: Aleks! He was in his pajamas (because why not?) bundled up in his flannel coat for some snow play with Gramma and Grandpa. There is no better way to end a beautiful hike than with a big hug from my sweet boy!
final thoughts
My return to Grand Valley was a quarter-century in the making, and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful or special day of hiking. If and when Aleks is ready, I look forward to making new family memories in this magical mountain paradise.
