Story by Patrick Wu
Photos by Patrick Wu and Bret Wirta
Roundtrip distance: 4 miles – Time out: ~3 hours
Elevation gain: 2000 ft – Degree of difficulty: 2
June 1st 2013
Lake Crescent Lodge
For those wanting to get some beautiful views of the Olympics without having to commit too much time to any one hike, Storm King Trail near Lake Crescent is a great option; short enough to complete in a morning or an afternoon, and steep and physically demanding enough to make you feel like you really earned it once you’ve reached the overlook. At the overlook you’ll find incredible views of the lake and valley below. Your total time on the trail could easily vary by an hour either way depending on the traveling speed of your party, as the large majority of the two mile one-way trip consists of steep switchbacks, and some may want to spend more time relaxing at the summit than others. In any case, I would certainly recommend this short hike to the overlook of Mount Storm King to anyone seeking a classic view of Lake Crescent who doesn’t mind sweating a little bit on his or her way up!
