Start from the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center parking lot, following the paved High Ridge Nature Trail. Pass avalanche lilies and a chairlift as you ascend, and come out of the trees onto a bare ridge, with Puget Sound to the north and a beautiful panorama of the Olympic mountains to the south.
Continue on the Klahhane Ridge Trail until you come to a fork, about 2.5 miles in. A distinct climbers trail branches off to the left here, and you begin a steep climb through meadows and subalpine forest, until you come to a scree slope. Snow stays here well into summer, be careful of stepping through rotten snow as late as July or August.
This is where the real climbing begins. Do not attempt summitting Mount Angeles unless you are experienced in scrambling and ready to take on a class 3 ascent. The views are staggering from the top, but don't get distracted when you descend. It's a rough fall.
Mount Angeles
47.9838,
-123.4525
Map & Directions
-
Length
- 6.25 miles, roundtrip
-
Elevation Gain
- 2,100 feet
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Highest Point
- 6,454 feet
A scramble up Mount Angeles just off the Klahhane Ridge hike in Olympic National Park.
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Hiking Mount Angeles
Map & Directions
Trailhead
Before You Go
Parking Pass/Entry Fee
National Park PassWTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead.
Getting There
From Port Angeles, exit Hwy 101 near milepost 249 and drive south on Race Street for 1.2 miles to Hurricane Ridge Road. Pass the Olympic National Park Visitor Center and Wilderness Information Center, and continue 17.5 miles up the hill to the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center. A paved trail departs from the north side of the parking lot, as described above.
An alternate, steeper route offers less drive-time and more elevation gain for those so inclined: Follow the directions above, except drive only 14.8 miles up Hurricane Ridge Road to a small parking lot for the Switchback trailhead on the north side of the road. Taking the Switchback trail means 700 feet of vertical gain in just 0.6 miles, leading to a junction with the Mount Angeles trail.
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