Staircase Rapids, Flapjack Lakes via North Fork Skokomish River — Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025

First, an update on the drive. The road is open all the way to the Staircase parking area. The park entrance booth was not staffed, so you just drive on in and display your pass in your vehicle. The potholes are pretty bad on the dirt portion of the road, but with careful driving, it’s all doable. 

As the attached route screenshot shows, I made it almost to Flapjack Lakes, but the snow is insurmountable in the last 1/2 mile or so. At least I was warned several miles in advance by two separate pairs of backpackers, so I wasn’t too disappointed. It was still a beautiful day for a 13-ish-mile round trip. 

There were probably 8-10 significant blowdowns, many of them before the turnoff for the Flapjacks. All were easily climbed over or under, though. I was glad that, anticipating the snow up top, I wore boots, because there were some mud puddles, and a couple of the water crossings got my boots, but not my socks and feet, wet.