The flowers are very good with a great variety! We saw 111 speciesofplantsinbloom, thanksPaul for the list! We really enjoyed the flowers we've only seen on the peninsula: Olympic bellflower (photo 1), mountain death camus (photo 2), nodding onion (photo 3), woolly vetch (photo 4), elegant sandwort, and more. The prairie smoke on the top is thick and beautiful (see slideshow). The trail is in great shape, the views are spectacular.

PLANTS IN FLOWER (111 species)

white (41)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

vanilla-leaf (Achlys triphylla)

pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)

sharp-tooth angelica (Angelica arguta)

woolly pussytoes (Antennaria lanata)

raceme pussytoes (Antennaria racemosa)

mountain / glaucus death-camas (Anticlea elegans)

goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus)

chickweed, species uncertain (Cerastium sp.)

alpine sandwort (Cherleria obtusiloba)

little prince’s-pine (Chimaphila menziesii)

Siberian spring-beauty (Claytonia sibirica)

queen’s cup (Clintonia uniflora)

dwarf dogwood / bunchberry (Cornus unalaschkensis)

talus willowherb (Epilobium clavatum)

thread-leaf / mountain sandwort (Eremogone capillaris)

Flett’s / Olympic Mountain daisy / fleabane (Erigeron flettii)

mountain strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

common bedstraw (Galium aparine)

cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

alpine alumroot (Heuchera glabra)

small-flowered alumroot (Heuchera micrantha)

white-flowered hawkweed (Hieracium albiflorum)

western starflower (Lysimachia latifolia)

starry false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum)

rusty saxifrage (Micranthes ferruginea)

little-leaf montia (Montia parvifolia)

one-sided wintergreen (Orthilia secunda)

locoweed (Oxytropis campestris)

three-toothed mitrewort (Ozomelis trifida)

silver-leaf phacelia (Phacelia hastata)

white rhododendron (Rhododendron albiflorum)

dwarf bramble / creeping raspberry (Rubus lasiococcus)

thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)

trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus)

boreal stichwort / arctic sandwort (Sabulina rubella)

spotted / matted saxifrage (Saxifraga bronchialis / austromontana)

campion / catchfly, maybe Parry’s (Silene, maybe parryi)

fringecups (Tellima grandiflora)

foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata)

Sitka valerian (Valeriana sitchensis)

yellow (19)

trail plant / pathfinder (Adenocaulon bicolor) — some yellow, others white

pale agoseris (Agoseris glauca)

mountain arnica (Arnica latifolia)

Parry’s arnica (Arnica parryi)

shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa)

cushion buckwheat (Eriogonum ovalifolium)

Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum)

western / sand dune wallflower (Erysimum capitatum)

large-leaf avens (Geum macrophyllum)

Martindale’s desert-parsley / biscuit-root (Lomatium martindalei)

Flett’s groundsel (Packera flettii)

fan-leaf cinquefoil (Potentilla flabellifolia)

slender cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis)

tall / meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris)

lawn buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

spreading stonecrop (Sedum divergens) 

spearleaf stonecrop (Sedum lanceolatum)

Rocky Mountain goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata)

streamside / pioneer violet (Viola glabella)

reddish: pink to red to red-purple (28)

nodding onion (Allium cernuum)

Olympic / scalloped onion (Allium crenulatum)

candystick (Allotropa virgata)

rosy pussytoes (Antennaria microphylla)

red columbine (Aquilegia formosa)

harsh paintbrush (Castilleja hispida)

scarlet paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

small-flowered paintbrush (Castilleja parviflora)

fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)

pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

spotted coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata)

western coralroot (Corallorhiza mertensiana)

foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

smooth willowherb (Epilobium glaberrimum)

old man’s whiskers (Geum triflorum)

Columbia lewisia (Lewisia columbiana)

twinflower (Linnaea borealis)

pinesap / Indian pipe (Monotropa hypopitys)

sickletop lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa)

spreading phlox (Phlox diffusa)

woodland pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea)

liver-leaf wintergreen (Pyrola asarifolia)

Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)

maple-leaf currant (Ribes acerifolium)

swamp gooseberry (Ribes lacustre)

rose, baldhip or peahip (Rosa gymnocarpa or pisocarpa)

sheep sorrel / common sorrel / sour dock (Rumex acetosella)

creeping snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis)

bluish: violet to blue to blue-purple (15)

Olympic harebell / bellflower (Campanula piperi)

common harebell / bluebell bellflower (Campanula rotundifolia)

edible thistle (Cirsium edule)

subalpine daisy / fleabane (Erigeron glacialis)

northern gentian (Gentiana amarella)

pea, species uncertain (Lathyrus sp.)

broadleaf lupine (Lupinus latifolia)

woodland penstemon (Nothochelone nemerosa)

small-flowered penstemon (Penstemon procerus)

coast penstemon (Penstemon serrulatus)

Jacob’s-ladder, showy or low (Polemonium pulcherrimum or californicum)

Cusick’s speedwell (Veronica cusickii)

American vetch (Vicia americana)

woolly/hairy vetch (Vicia villosa)

early blue violet (Viola adunca)

green (5)

heart-leaf twayblade (Neottia cordata)

slender bog orchid (Platanthera stricta)

white-veined wintergreen (Pyrola picta)

western meadowrue (Thalictrum occidentale)

green false hellebore (Veratrum viride)

orange (2)

orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca)

Columbia / tiger lily (Lilium columbianum)

brown (1)

Oregon boxwood (Paxistima myrsinites)

BIRDS

Varied Thrush

Hermit Thrush

Band-tailed Pigeon

Brown Creeper

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Horned Lark

Anna’s Hummingbird

BUTTERFLIES

Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon)

Parnassian, species uncertain (Parnassius sp.)

Snowberry Checkerspot (Euphydryas colon)

Edith’s Checkerspot (Euphydryas editha)

greater fritillary, species uncertain (Speyeria sp.)

lesser fritillary, species uncertain (Boloria sp.)

Crescent, Mylitta or Field (Phyciodes mylitta or pulchella)

Boisduval’s Blue (Icaricia icarioides)

Having done Townsend once before from the Little River approach (which is actually the Little Quilcene Trail, the WTA narrative for the four approaches is incorrect) I'd have to say this one was a much better choice even though it's a mile longer and 1000' more gain -- you won't feel either, comparatively, due to the well-maintained trail and the nicely done switchbacks, which prevent it from being as steep. We had zero trouble with bugs, never needed spray, as amazed to read that others were plagued as they are to read we weren't. Bugs or not, hiking Townsend is, as almost all the reports will agree, among the best the Olympics have to offer.

Took a wrong turn when I was driving there, ended up starting at the lower trailhead. According to my GPS, this will add 500 feet of elevation gain, and two miles distance to the hike. The trail was in great shape, and bugs were not a problem.

A friend and I did this Mt. Townsend hike starting out on a beautiful Tuesday morning from the upper parking lot.  We arrive at the lot at about 8:45am and there were already 9 cars parked.  The lot might comfortably hold 15 cars with some additional roadside parking for a few more cars along the road.  The vault toilet was functional, but T.P. was almost out.  Might be a good idea to bring along your own roll just in case.  From downtown Quilcene, it takes about 40 minutes to drive to the upper trailhead over mostly paved roads including about a mile and a half of descent gravel roads.  A regular sedan could make it if you just take your time...mainly washboarding in spots on the gravel roads not too many big potholes.  But the paved road does narrow down to a single lane as you get closer to the trailhead, so be cautious around curves.  You should plan on arriving at the trailhead between 7:00 and 8:00 am to assure a parking spot, the earlier the better especially on a weekend.  Depending on what shape you're in and how much of a hiker you are, you should allow about 5 to 5-1/2 hours of hiking to make the roundtrip of approximately 8 miles (and that is just to the actual Mt. Townsend summit).  You can hike a bit further to the North Mt. Washington peak if you're so inclined.  It would probably add another half hour to you hike.  When we returned to the upper parking lot, at around 3:30pm, it was almost empty.  Three cars remained.  So it seems like everyone arrives early and gets back to their cars by 1 - 3 pm.  While we were there, the wildflowers were in full display along the trail, especially at upper elevations as you get closer to the tree line.  The trail was in great condition and is easy to follow.  There are lots of switchbacks (almost 30) which help to lessen the trail's grade some, but there are some pretty steep spots in the trail that will get your heart pumping.  The view at the summit is incredible looking both north toward the San Juans and Canada nd east and south toward Mt. Baker, Seattle and Mt. Rainier (on a clear day of course) which fortunately today was.  It was pretty windy up at the summit (almost blow your hat of kind of winds) and you are fully exposed to the sun toward the top of the trail and at the summit.  The roads between 101 and the upper trailhead are pretty well marked and the directions provided in previous trip reports really helped.  This is a must do experience.  I'm glad it was recommended to me by a fellow WTA member. 

First time up Mt. Townsend and I decided to take the back (less crowded) route with my pup, starting from the Little Quilcene trailhead. No regrets. I took the first ferry at 7:10 am to Kingston. Google Maps got me to the trailhead just fine, but it's a bit of a maze with FS roads back there—definitely recommend having offline maps or Gaia.

Trail's in great shape. Only one tiny stream running in the first half mile for pups, but we stayed cool by getting an early start. The morning shade in the forest helped a lot.

We went to both summits. For anyone hiking with a dog, there's a decent-sized snow patch on the north summit—great spot for pups to cool off and roll around. Mine got the full-on snow zoomies.

Views up top were incredible, especially toward the eastern Olympics—Constance, Deception, Clark, etc.

By the time we finished, it was very hot. If you're bringing a pup, go early and try to be off the trail before it really heats up.