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Olympic Hot Springs

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast
48.0412, -123.5902 Map & Directions
Length
4.8 miles, roundtrip
Elevation Gain
600 feet
Highest Point
2,084 feet
Calculated Difficulty About Calculated Difficulty
Moderate
  • Dogs not allowed
  • Old growth
  • Fall foliage
  • Established campsites
  • Rivers

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

National Park Pass

Hike to some remote hot springs on the Olympic Peninsula. Continue reading

Rating
3.54 out of 5

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Hiking Olympic Hot Springs

These hot springs are a popular destination for visitors from all over the world, but there are a number of interesting stops along the way. Consider the 0.1 mile trail to the beautiful Madison Creek Falls, a picnic stop along the Elwha River, and an incredible look at the site of the former dam at Glines Canyon. The road to the trailhead is mostly paved, with some rough and narrow sections but it is suitable for all cars. At the trailhead, you'll find a vault toilet and plenty of parking for both cars and horse trailers.

This hike is more of a road walk. The path is wide and smooth and would be good for hikers of all ages. At 2 miles, the road narrows and you will see where the Crystal Creek suspension bridge washed out.

Cross the log bridge and head uphill for 0.1 miles to the junction for Boulder Creek campground. Use the outhouse if you need it and take the trail down to the left. After another quarter mile, you will cross the bridge over Boulder Creek. Take a moment to snap some pictures of the beautiful creek and admire the hard work of the bridge builders.  

Once you're on the other side, you're in hot spring territory. Some pools are right along the trail, others are a bit more secluded. When you find one you like, be sure to test the temperature; some can be as high as 118 degrees.

The National Park Service warns that these pools "are not monitored or maintained and may contain high levels of fecal coliform bacteria".  This doesn't stop hot spring lovers from enjoying a soak in their bathing suit or birthday suit.

Hike Description Written by
Jenny Lamharzi, WTA Correspondent

Olympic Hot Springs

Map & Directions

Trailhead
Co-ordinates: 48.0412, -123.5902 Open in Google Maps

Before You Go

Road Closed: The Olympic Hot Springs road is inaccessible to vehicles due to a washout. Hikers can still access this trail by walking or biking 7.8 miles one-way along the closed road from the Madison Falls parking area.

See weather forecast

Parking Pass/Entry Fee

National Park Pass

WTA 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

Head west on Highway 101 from Port Angeles. Before crossing the Elwha River, turn left on Olympic Hot Springs Road and follow this road for about 2 miles to the Madison Falls trailhead.

Note: This is currently  and will indefinitely be  as far as a vehicle can go on Olympic Hot Springs Road due to flood damage. For hikers, this will add a one-way 7.8-mile road walk to your hike, from the Madison Falls trailhead to the Olympic Hot Springs/Boulder Creek trailhead. 

More Hike Details

Trailhead

Olympic Peninsula > Northern Coast

Olympic National Park

Guidebooks & Maps

Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula (Romano - Mountaineers Books)

Buy the Green Trails Seven Lakes Basin/Mt Olympus Climbing No. 133S map

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Olympic Hot Springs

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