Klahhane Ridge Trip Report for Sunday, August 24, 2025
The trail description in WTA listing is accurate - this trail starts off right from the beginning as a thigh-burner!
We started out on the trail at the small parking area inside the ONP (about 15 miles after the National Park entrance booth). Room for about 6 or 8 cars next to the bus stop.
The Switchback Trail is aptly named….. it switchbacks up 1500 vertical feet of gain in the first 1.5 miles. It’s a bit technical with roots for the first quarter-mile or so, but most of the trail is dirt (and dust this time of year). The shade of the trees in the lower section was also nice on a hot August day. The trail sort of zig-zags through the treeline but after you reach the first intersection and take a right (toward Klahhane Ridge), it opens up to more meadow, less trees, and tons of sun…be prepared with your sunscreen and clothing protection, it’s totally exposed.
Continuing on the Klahhane Ridge trail, there were only 2 small areas of scree. Otherwise, it was dirt (and dusty but manageable - but wearing gaitors would be helpful), which made for the return down slower than we anticipated with the pitch and a bit slippery in the dust.
There were a few wildflowers (columbine, paintbrush, lupine) but most of them are on the tail end and past prime.
No flying bugs present!
This trail makes your heart pump the whole time, but there are views throughout the hike! As we continued up in elevation, it just kept getting better. At the top of the ridge, WOW! Hurricane Ridge & the snow-capped Olympic Mountains in one direction, and the Straight of Juan de Fuca & Canada in the other direction. It’s here you can go left toward Heather Park or right toward Lake Angeles. We decided neither and headed back down the Switchback Trail (hard on the knees and toes going back down), then took the Sunrise Trail at the lower intersection toward the visitor center area.
The Sunrise Trail was gentle rolling hills compared to the vertical climb of Klahhane/Switchback Trail. We only went about a half-mile then turned back, reconnected with the Switchback Trail for a total of 5 miles and 1700 feet of gain for the day.
For a very warm weekend August day in summer, we encountered only a dozen or so other parties throughout the hike. It’s definitely one you want to be conditioned for. Trekking poles advised, especially for the hike down. And bring LOTS of water, too. So glad we finally made the time to get to ONP for this hike.
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