Royal Basin via Royal Lake
Upper basin is steep, loose gravel, recommended poles
8 this month · 44 reports
Olympic Peninsula
The trail to Mount Ellinor is reported to be in excellent condition, with no snow present as of September 14. The road leading to the upper trailhead is generally passable but has rough sections, particularly closer to the trailhead, with some reports recommending high clearance vehicles as of August 31. Hikers have encountered varying weather, with some enjoying clear summit views and others experiencing fog that obscures the scenery, as noted on September 10 and September 7. Bugs have not been a significant issue, with multiple reports stating "no bugs" or "bugs were not too bad."
Generated from 147 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.
Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 1 week ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.
The road to the upper trailhead is generally described as rough but passable, with some reports noting a particularly bad rutted or bumpy section about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the trailhead. Some hikers recommend high clearance vehicles as of August 31, while others state it's suitable for all vehicles if driven slowly, as of September 3.
The trail is generally in good condition with no major obstacles reported recently. However, some reports mention that footing can be tricky in spots due to roots and steep sections, especially after emerging from the forest. One report from August 28 mentions 'obstacles on trail' without further detail, but subsequent reports indicate good condition.
There are no creeks reported on the trail for filling water bottles, so hikers should start with ample water. This was noted by a hiker on August 18.
Upper basin is steep, loose gravel, recommended poles
8 this month · 44 reports
The last mile and a half is much more challenging
7 this month · 48 reports
Steep slog rewards with alpine lake beauty
7 this month · 34 reports
Lake level low, ghost trees protrude
6 this month · 110 reports
Trail clear of blowdowns and snow, wildflowers still present
5 this month · 94 reports
Trail work looks amazing
4 this month · 58 reports
Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.
Fantastic hike exactly as advertised on WTA! Shout out to all the trail worker/maintainers -- it's in fantastic condition because of you. No bugs at all. Road is mostly excellent with a couple of r...
I suppose I have to accept that summer is coming to a close -- the season of after-work Ellinor summits by daylight is over. I had to do the last mile out by headlamp.It was foggy the whole way up unt...
Beautiful, moody conditions at the summit today, as hiking through the fog eventually spit us out above the marine layer.I was glad I got an early start, as I got the summit to myself for a bit, but i...
This was my first “hard” WTA hike, and while 3.2 miles sounds doable, it feels a lot longer. This hike makes you want to be in better shape, assuming you’re not one of the people zipping up and back. ...
Hard hike but absolutely amazing views at the top and throughout! Like others have said the last half mile of road to the upper trailhead is a little rough but not bad with a high clearance vehicle.
Today was foggy at times, not a clear view at the summit, we got there at 8:45 at the upper trail, already parking was full, there were large groups of people. At the top was colder so bring something...
There isn't a lot to add over what has already been written on WTA. The route up Washington is steep, rooty, loose and exposed in places and the traverse to Ellinor is x-country with intermittent path...
Nice challenging hike. Not suitable for all dogs, as upper portions are tricky. Easy to see why this is a popular hike. We hiked from Upper TH. Our St Bernard got as far as the final traverse to the r...
With thunderstorms in most parts of the Cascades, we decided to tackle the Washington-Ellinor traverse. Started at upper Ellinor TH at about 7:45 am (still open spots, bathroom in decent shape) and hi...
Hiked Mount Ellinor via the Upper Trail at sunset which was awesome and better than expected! It appeared to be socked in but the clouds dissipated a bit before sunset. The trail itself never felt esp...