[Hesman]

I saw an earlier post about abandoned trails and it listed only a few from the Olympic Peninsula. One was the Mount Lincoln Trail. I believe the NPS has reopened the trail, because in 2004 and 2005 I saw the trail had been cleared and getting some use. The trail is not marked so you would have to know where to look. The following trails are not longer maintained. There are few of these trails that are still in reasonable condition. I didn't mention some that receive limited maintainance. Most are no longer shown on the Green Trails Topo maps. A few are shown on the Custom Correct Topo Maps. All these trails are described in the Olympic Mountains Trail Guide, 3rd Edition by Robert L. Wood. Barnes Creek Trail (last 5.5 miles) Crystal Ridge Trail Anderson Ranch Trail Seek Way Trail Cox Valley Trail Ned Hill Trail Baldy Trail Old Dosewallips Trail Muscott Basin Trail Mount Olson Trail (In good condition from the Six Ridge Trail to Lake Success) Mount Hopper Trail (Faint boot track through brush can be easily followed in most places. There is ribbon tied to some trees. A few spots were tricky to follow. In 2001 I counted 125 trees across the trail in less than a mile.) Cedar Creek Trail Anderson Butte Trail Fletcher Canyon Trail Pyrites Creek Trail Finley Peak Trail Rustler Creek Trail Sams River Trail Kloochman Rock Trail Tshletshy Creek Trail Tumwata Creek Trail Mt. Tom Creek Trail Geodetic Hill Trail Bigler Mountain Trail North Fork Soleduck Trail (last 4 miles) Thats about it. So, for those hikers who like a challenge, have fun!

[Luc]

Thanks HJT! I've been wondering about that pyrites way. I'm kinda glad the cartographers aren't documenting these old routes. Makes it more fun for us. On that note, I wonder who will carry on Wood's legacy? Maybe I'll do it! Heck, i'm only 25 and have enough time. The thing is..... it's mostly y'all Oldies that know of these old routes and can give the real tips. And, I haven't seen the park's change patterns since I've only been backpacking for 15 years - I wouldn't know what would be best for the park. Maybe it should be a partnership of old farts and young squirts. Part of this reply is because I notice that the ONP area gets so little internet/published play compared to the Cascade areas. Good - probably. Annoying for the squirts who are trying to find the real american pie - absolutely. For all you dinosaurs..... I'll be emailing you come spring!

[reststep]

A park service trail crew cleared the Duckabush River Trail from Duckabush camp to the park boundary in 2003. I don't know if anything has been done since then.

[aestivate]

[Luc]

aestivate hey that's fine with me, I think that's still just as interesting for me. to be in a place with such mysterious history is very intriguing, especially if 99% of it is imagined or reenacted in my mind. I prefer them gone physically but would like modern-day backcountry junkies to retain the records. keeping them Woods-perpetuated myths is also an interesting and worthwhile idea. Good Ol' Woods would be pleased with that tag!

[Slugman]

I'd like to go up the Goldie river and see if the cache made by the Press Expedition is still there. Wood's "Across the Olympic Mountains: The Press Expedition, 1889-90" says they left a large equipment cache and never returned for it. That would be a cool find.

[kiliki]

One thing you have to remember about a lot of ONP/ONF trails-they weren't ever built and maintained in the first place, so I'm not sure it's correct to say they are now abandoned and unmaintained. Many were simply boot or hoof beaten routes of travel for early foresters/land managers or most often, firefighters (and before that, for Indians). Another thing to keep in mind is that some old maps show trails the forest service and NPS planned to build but never did.

[mike]

[kiliki]

[Don]

[aestivate]

[Phil]

[Phil]

HJT wrote: "I saw an earlier post about abandoned trails and it listed only a few from the Olympic Peninsula. One was the Mount Lincoln Trail. I believe the NPS has reopened the trail, because in 2004 and 2005 I saw the trail had been cleared and getting some use. The trail is not marked so you would have to know where to look" It's in surprisingly good shape for the distance I've followed it....maybe a mile or two. A few small blow-downs is all. Would love to take it to its end and then continue up to Lincoln.

[Phil]

[Phil]