The Sam’s River Loop explores a rich bottomland ecosystem in the Queets Rainforest. It’s a great choice for families, and alternative to the Queets River Trail when the river ford is not possible. Visitors will enjoy active wildlife, level grades and light crowds in the Park’s most remote and primitive rainforest.
The trail begins on a high bank just above the Queets – Sam’s River confluence. Here you can see the Queets River Trail marked by an orange symbol on the far bank, and sense for the difficult ford required to reach it.
The Sam’s River Trail curls into a lush mix of bigleaf maple, vine maple, hemlock and Sitka spruce. Large elk herds frequent this area, and their regular browsing has created an open (and even manicured) feel in places.
The trail emerges in a large meadow once homesteaded that is now frequented by elk (.95 miles : 295′). It enters a thick hemlock forest (1.3 miles) and emerges on the trailhead access road at the Queets Ranger Station (1.55 miles).
Walk toward the Ranger Station (seasonally staffed) and follow signs for the trail. This section leads to a high bank over the Queets River with good views and improvisational access.
It follows the river closely before rejoining the road (1.7 miles), which you’ll take back to the parking area to complete the loop (2.95 miles).
Open year round except during wind storms. No fee.
Getting there:
From Amanda Park take U.S. 101 North for 10.6 miles, then turn right at the Upper Queets entrance to Olympic National Park. Follow USFS 21, also called West Boundary Road, for 6 miles, following the signs.
Turn right at the bottom of the decent into the Queets Valley and drive just past the campground to the end of the road.
Did you know?
Olympic National Park’s rainforests produce more biomass (living or once living matter) than tropical rainforests.
© Larry Workman, May 2022
This article was originally published in the May 2022 edition of the Nugguam. Shared with the permission of the author.