Olympic
Olympic National Park
Staircase Area
Staircase Ranger Station
(see area detail on back)
rk S
h Fo
Nor t
mis
koko
Wagonwheel
Lake Trail
Entrance Station
il
h Tra
To 101
North Fork
Skokomish River
Lake
Cushman
r
Pa
2000 feet
ek
Elk Cr
e
0.6 km
ar
Shady Lane Trail
North
0
nd
Big Cedar
ou
sL
kB
Rapid
rail
oop T
Copper Creek
USF
S 24
51 R
d.
A Legacy of Fire
normous trunks reach for the sky, lacy limbs stretch to the sun, grooved bark is sanctuary to tiny creatures in
the vast cathedral of Douglas-firs that dominate the forests on this side of the Olympic Peninsula. A tree that
grows best on bare mineral soil with loads of sunlight, the Douglas-fir's survival depends on that most fearsome but respected of forcesfire. The eastern Olympics experience large scale natural fires every 300-400 years.
Thick bark protects mature trees, so they can survive to produce seeds that repopulate burned areas. Flames burn
away organic forest floor debris, giving Douglas-fir seeds access to the soil they need. Fire also kills understory plants
that may intercept the young sapling's sunlight.
Along with death for some forest plants, fire brings life for the system as a whole. In a national park, preserving
natural processes like fire is an important goal. Without it, the Douglas-firs would leave no heirs and be replaced by
shade-tolerant hemlocks, not Douglas-firs. The forest structure would change; the cathedral pillars would crumble.
Staircase Information
Facilities:
Camping:
Staircase Road: open year-round weather permitting. If snowy,
may be gated at park boundary (about 1 mile from end). Call
(360) 565-3131 for status.
Staircase Ranger Station: open in summer when staffing allows,
with information, exhibits, wilderness permits, bear canisters,
map sales and wheelchair available for checkout. Stock corral,
trails and accessible restroom and picnic area nearby.
50 sites, picnic tables, fire rings, accessible restrooms, potable
water, animal-proof food lockers. Pit toilets and no water or
trash collection mid fall into May. May be walk-in in winter.
Regulations: Pets and bicycles are not permitted on park trails. Wilderness
permits are required for all overnight hikes in the park and are
limited for Flapjack Lakes. See www.nps.gov/olym for more
information about permits and reservations. Above 3,500 feet
fires are not allowed; stoves only.
Deer fern
North Fork
Skokomish Trail
Final Frontiers
Wagonwheel
Lake Trail
Staircase Ranger
Station
er n
Ov
ig
in
ar k
ht P
Stock
Corrals
Entrance
Station
Walk-in
Sites
River Viewpoint
Accessible to
(may need assistance)
R
ap
ids
L oop Tr
ai l
Big Cedar
Hydro-plant
Elk Creek
No
S
or k
r th F
Shady Lane Trail
o
kok
R
ish
ive
North
152 meters
500 feet
Day Hikes Around Staircase
Staircase Rapids Loop: This easy 2-mile trail winds through old growth
forest to a bridge over the North Fork Skokomish
River with only a 200-foot elevation gain. A spur
trail leads to a huge fallen cedar. The 0.6 miles to
the Big Cedar, and the 0.5 mile section to a river
viewpoint are accessible with assistance.
Four Stream:
Pass Staircase Rapids Bridge on southwest side of
river and hike 1.2 miles to Beaver Flat, a swampy
section of red alder and redcedar forest where Four
Stream meets the river. Elevation loss 100 feet.
Wagonwheel Lake:
2.9 miles, with an elevation gain of 3,365 feet.
Strenuous hike up forested slopes, with occasional
mountain views.
Shady Lane:
Flat 0.9 mile to Four Stream Road and Lake Cushman. First 0.1 mile is accessible to wheelchair users.
Flapjack Lakes:
7.8-mile one-way hike with a 3,115 foot elevation
gain; a day hike only for very strong hikers.
North Fork
Skokomish River:
Dayhikers can walk the valley part of this 15.1-mile
trail that leads eventually to the Duckabush River.
In 1890, Lieutenant Joseph P. O'Neil
led the first exploratory expedition
across the entire southern stretch of
the Olympic Mountains. His group
of soldiers and scientists surveyed the
watersheds and peaks of nine rivers and their tributaries. They cut a
5-foot swath of trail across 93 miles
of wilderness. More than 100 years
later, you can follow their lead and
hike part of that same trail into the
wilds along the North Fork Skokomish River.
In an era when exploitation went
unchecked in the northwest, O'Neil
set a camp ruleno animal was
to be shot unless it was needed for
food. He worked hard to uncover the
mysteries of this vast wilderness, and
his one wish for the future was that it
retain its wild character. A place with
animal populations and ancient forests still intact. A place where people
could come, forever, to gaze upon
magnificent, unaltered beauty.
It has no geysers but every other
requisite for a national park,
as many wonders and natural
beauties as can be found in any
localities....
Lt. Joseph P. O'Neil, 1890
How Staircase Got Its Name
You will see no staircase at Staircase today. In 1890, when Lt. O'Neil
and his crew blazed their trail through the Skokomish wilderness, the
rock bluff across the river from the campground was a major obstacle.
To get over it they built a cedar staircase. Until the Shady Lane Trail
was built in 1911, the Devil's Staircase was the only path over the bluff.
The name, and O'Neil's legacy, remains.
8/16
