Staircase Rapids, North Fork Skokomish River — Saturday, May. 20, 2023

We hiked the North Fork Skokomish up to the Flapjack Lakes junction. On our way back, we crossed the suspension bridge and returned along the Staircase Rapids loop, taking the short spur to Big Cedar. For this abbreviated route our stats were 7.5 miles and 790ft elevation gain.

The North Fork trail had a nice view of the river early on, then the river was largely in earshot but out of sight. We crossed a few small streams that were running cold, and it was a pleasure to dip our hats in and let the water drip down and cool us off. The trail was mostly shaded, but it was still pretty warm. We saw a lot of trillium along the trail, including some that looked more lavender colored, which I don't think I've seen before. We did not encounter snow up to the Flapjack junction, but if you're going deeper on the North Fork trail soon, a ranger told us the snow currently starts around 10 miles in.

The suspension bridge across the river is big and sturdy. The Staircase Rapids loop on that side (the part not shared with the North Fork trail) has nicer views of the river. The Big Cedar spur is worth it! It adds a few minutes each way to see a downed cedar 14 feet in diameter.

Most of the people we saw were on the Staircase Rapids loop - beyond that, the North Fork trail was pretty quiet. We arrived later in the day and there was no line at the entrance, but the parking lot was pretty full. The road along Lake Cushman is gravel but well-graded, and becomes paved again when you enter the park. Watch out for aggressive drivers along Lake Cushman and between there and Hoodsport.