South Snider – Jackson Trail

South Snider – Jackson Trail – 10.4mi / 16.8km

While the Hoh River area can be a busy place, this nearby climb up a ridge is big on solitude and elevation, but short on sprawling views. From the busy road, you’ll cross a small bridge near a pond, then start aggressively climbing.

The forest is full of the area’s enormous trees and varied flora. After a swift 400ft/120m of climbing, the trail levels out on a bench and the canopy opens up overhead. The bench collides with the mountain, and you resume steeply climbing up on the ridge through changing forests as you move through different elevations and aspects.

Views of the Hoh River below make the occasional appearance. Mt. Olympus can be spotted through the trees as the trail moves along the top of the ridge. You’ll eventually come to the high point on the heavily wooded ridge, where you can barely see down into the Bogachiel River drainage. Turn around before the trail begins to descend.

Trailhead: Turn onto the Upper Hoh Road from Hwy 101 (13 miles south of Forks). Just before the entrance station. Walk west approximately 0.1mi/0.2km along the road to the trailhead on the north side.

Elevation Gain: 3,500ft / 1,050m – Elevation Loss: 3,500ft / 1,050m

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