Striped Peak — Saturday, Jun. 29, 2024

This was my first time on the new loop trail to Striped Peak, and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed fine views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island and Sakt Creek Recreation Area along the way and at the peak. We also foraged red huckleberries, salmonberries, wild strawberries and blackberries. Yum!

We took the trail clockwise, which meant that we didn’t reach the summit until we were three-quarters through the hike. The way trended uphill, but nothing too steep. WTA’s hike mileage of 7.5 seems long. The map posted at the trailhead shows it to be closer to 6 miles, and that is what it felt like.

An unexpected highlight was the WWII bunker. There was a warren of corridors and rooms — all filed with graffiti — to explore with a flashlight. In one room, we found bats. Please be careful not to disturb them!

I definitely recommend this hike to anyone camping at Salt Creek or those who want to find a rewarding hike away from park crowds. It was a summer Saturday, and we only saw three other groups. We had the summit to ourselves for an hour.