[tetrimbath]

impressive trail work

That is some impressive trail work. I spent a lot of time looking at the trail from Obstruction Peak trailhead down to Grand Lake because my quads were having an intense discussion with me about my choice of hikes. Except for at the outlet of the lake, the trail is well-marked, in good shape, and includes some impressive stone work. Oh yeah, and the hike was nice, too.

twilight

I was lucky. I spent two nights at the lake, just before the rains returned. The trail was dusty, but it was after Labor Day so the crowds were gone, relatively, and so were the bugs, relatively. Mosquitoes hung in rare clouds, but didn't descend on me as I walked by. the most exuberant wildlife was a fawn that thought it was a dog, bouncing around the meadows and chasing something real or imaginary. The fish continually rippled the surface, though I never saw any that were very large. The campsites were in good condition, but easy to miss in the confusion of cross-trails near the outlet. Keep following the trail until it crosses a log bridge. As a long-time visitor pointed out, aim for site #2. It's the best, most open, and with a great view of the lake. The bear wire was in good shape, as were the composting toilets. Crews airlifted out a lot of the waste, so the toilets were relatively clean and not too smelly. A nice side trip is the path that passes the toilets. It leads to a moss-covered cascading waterfall. Very elven.

foot photo

There are seven campsites, but each night only two were occupied. Very quiet and private. Evidently the next lake up, Moose Lake?, was packed. I'd like to say I thought it through, but I guessed that I'd be too tired to pass the first campsite. A year off made a big difference. A bow and a bit of applause for the couple who set a nice pace climbing back out on the last day. A chorus of detractors made the hike seem tough, and I talked myself into it, until the couple came along and broke the spell. It's amazing the large effects from small efforts. Thanks, folks.

a pair of angels

The biggest caution I left with was the road. It seemed to have shaken something loose, though maybe that's just a rock rattling around somewhere. The tire and brake store in Port Angeles cleared the truck for travel. I'll watch it. There were plenty of washboard sections, very narrow passages, and blind corners. Several times I met cars coming the other way in narrow passages. One took some arm waving negotiation about which one of us should back up for the other. As tough as the road was, there were a few sedans at the trailhead. There's no way to tell the longevity of their suspensions, though.

trail head and approach road in the distance

It is a good, but tough hike, exposed above the treeline with slopes that water bottles could tumble down, and with switchbacks that are expertly made but also very necessary. My quads were shaking by the time I reached the bottom. A memorable hike, and a great inspiration for some ibuprofen, at least for me.

impressive trail work

Grand Lake trail - Olympic National Park - Sept 2018

Grand Lake

Grand Lake trail - Olympic National Park - Sept 2018

[tetrimbath]

I agree. I've been on both, though not in the same year. I'm finding that my 4WD truck (a family gift, sort of) isn't as forgiving as my old Jeep Cherokee Classic. That probably made a difference, too. The benchmark is that Prius at the trailhead, and a very cautious drive out by almost everyone I saw.