Day Hike to Camp Handy

In his trail guide, Craig Romano describes this as “quite possibly the easiest 3.4 miles of wilderness in the Olympics”.

6.8 miles round trip with 600 feet of elevation gain. We’ll have lunch at the turnaround point, the shelter at Camp Handy.

The Upper Dungeness River trail is an easy stroll along a roaring river and among towering trees. It’s great for all ages, and the shelter at Camp Handy is a welcome and dry lunch destination on rainy days. The trail parallels the river during most of the journey, always within earshot and often in view.

The forest canopy is magnificent, with old growth Douglas-fir more than 200 feet high and hundreds of years old. The forest floor is no slouch either, with a green, mossy carpet and an array of fascinating fungi. The trail crosses the river at 2.6 miles and a junction at 3.2 miles takes you right to the Camp Handy shelter. This is a great turn-around spot for an easy day on trail.

A NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass is required for parking at the trailhead.