Beautiful early autumn hike from Deer Park to Obstruction Point and back. This route has become a personal classic and is always worth the annual pilgrimage, four years and counting! I still get excited by:
- Emerging from the Deer Park forest onto the golden meadows of Grand Ridge
- The steep "treacherous section" of dusty trail with an exhilarating view down to the tree-covered valleys below
- The first glimpse of Mt. Olympus peeking over the horizon
- Peering into Badger Valley on the approach to Obstruction Point
- A well-earned lunch break at the Obstruction Point parking lot
- Watching the late-afternoon fog/clouds roll in over the coast on the return to Deer Park
Deer Park: Long gravel road to trailhead is in great condition. The TH lot was full, but roadside parking was wide open. We started our hike shortly after 11am.The first few miles were surprisingly quiet for a sunny Saturday morning. We only saw a couple other hikers before the Roaring Winds campground.
Grand Ridge: Haze from nearby forest fires clouded the view of Mt. Olympus and the surrounding peaks ever so slightly. We encountered more hikers coming in from Obstruction Point.
Obstruction Point: Stopped here for lunch. The parking lot was full! Lots of folks exploring the area. Wildfire haze was a bit thicker here and we occasionally smelled smoke.
Return to Deer Park: Had the trail to ourselves for most of the return trip, except the occasional shy grouse and curious Douglas squirrel. Arrived back at the TH around 6pm.
Another wonderful day in the Olympic NP backcountry. I'll be back next year...
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