• Olympic: Three Parks in One

    Olympic

    National Park Washington

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Olympic Hot Springs Road Closed

    The Elwha Valley's Olympic Hot Springs Road is closed to public entry beyond the Altair Campground during removal of the Glines Canyon Dam. Olympic Hot Springs is not accessible from the Elwha.

  • Elwha River Closures

    Boating is prohibited on the Elwha River between Upper Lake Mills Trail to Altair Campground.

  • Changes to Visitor Services Due to Sequestration

    Due to mandatory, across the board budget cuts, some visitor services at Olympic National Park have changed. See the Plan Your Visit section for more information.

Visiting Staircase

A view of sky mountains from atop a mountain meadow during the summer

View from the upper reaches of the North Fork Skokomish River Valley

Overview:

Enormous trunks reach for the sky, lacy limbs stretch to the sun, grooved bark is sanctuary to tiny creatures in the vast cathedral of Douglas-firs that dominate the forests on this side of the Olympic Peninsula.

Staircase is located in the southeastern corner of Olympic National Park, about a one-hour drive from Olympia, and two hours south of Port Angeles (directions.)

A fire several years ago loosened the soil, causing landslides and rockfalls. For visitor safety, the road is closed in the winter. Make sure to check the status of the road before planning your trip.

A general map and information regarding facilities, picnic areas, camping, and regulations can be found on the park's Staircase brochure (pdf).

 

Places to Stay:

Staircase has a campground with 47 sites. Nearby lodging can be found through the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce.

Recreation:

A variety of hiking trails navigate through the Staircase area along the Skokomish River and the nearby forests.

There are several short day-hikes that explore the area. Shady Lane trail is flat, and less than a mile to Lake Cushman. The hike to Flapjack Lakes is for the stronger hikers, gaining over 3,000 feet in elevation.

Longer hikes, like the North Fork Skokomish River trail, can be done in a couple of days.

Nearby Areas:

To the north of Staircase is Dosewallips, about a 45-minute drive by car. The road is currently closed off due to storm damage. All other park locations are at least 100 miles away. Make sure to consult the Getting Around page for mileages to other park destinations.

Did You Know?

View of the Elwha Valley

Did you know that in 1988, Congress designated 95% of Olympic National Park as Wilderness. The Olympic Wilderness is a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. More...