Staircase, Olympic National Park

Date

A few days after returning from Hurricane Ridge, I went for a small day hike in another area of the Olympic National Park, Staircase, which skirts the Skokomish River. Densely forested, with gorgeous mosses blanketing the forest floor and surrounding trees, I hadn’t visited the area in several years. A beautiful new suspension bridge has been installed after a winter storm washed the old one away several years ago. The bridge completes a nice and easy hiking loop which crossing the river and follows its banks there and back again. I was accompanied by friend Avi, who gladly took me up on a dare involving touching the Dog Vomit Slime Mold. Yes, this is a thing that totally exists and yes, it is absolutely disgusting, which makes me want to poke at it with sticks all the more. We also saw a ton of gorgeous Indian Pipe which is otherworldly in appearance and has many medicinal uses.

staircase01

staircase02

staircase03

staircase04

staircase05

staircase06

staircase07

staircase08

staircase09

staircase10

staircase11

staircase12

staircase13

staircase14

staircase15

More Articles