The Olympic Adventure Route

location USA, Washington
We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. Moreflag On Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe & Coast Salish Land

  • Distance

    66 Mi.

    (106 KM)

  • Days

    2

  • % Unpaved

    99%

  • % Singletrack

    75%

  • % Rideable (time)

    99%

  • Total Ascent

    7,900'

    (2,408 M)

  • High Point

    1,511'

    (461 M)

  • Difficulty (1-10)

    3?

  • 8
    Climbing Scale Strenuous120 FT/MI (23 M/KM)
  • -
    Technical Difficulty
  • -
    Physical Demand
  • -
    Resupply & Logistics
About Our Ratings

Contributed By

Patrick Colleran

Patrick Colleran

Guest Contributor

When clocked in, Patrick organizes supported road tours for hundreds of people around the United States. In his free time, he seeks out dirt trails with few people in is backyard and beyond. He is continually trying to vindicate himself for not stopping at that middle-of-nowhere pizza vending machine while bikepacking in France

The Olympic Adventure Route offers a great weekend bikepacking getaway on the Olympic Peninsula. The route is mostly singletrack through dense mossy forests with spectacular views of mountains and sea.
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Feb 2024 Alert: The Spruce Railroad Trail along Lake Crescent is currently closed due to a rock slide. Learn more here.

This 66-mile out and back route ties together the Olympic Adventure Route and the Spruce Rail Trail starting at the Elwha River and ending at Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. From its high points, you'll catch views of the Olympic Mountains, Vancouver Island and the Straight of Juan De Fuca. Down through the old growth forests, you will see more moss species than people.

Minus a couple of spots where the trail crosses paved roads, this route is all dirt, most of which is completely rideable singletrack. If grueling hike-a- bikes through stinging nettle, long stretches without access to water, super technical riding, and suffer fests are your thing, this probably isn’t the route for you. It is better for those into well-maintained, flowy singletrack, sub 40-mile days, and ending the day with swims in crystal clear water. Despite being an out and back, the trail has enough undulations and variation to keep it exciting in both directions.There are a couple campgrounds around Lake Crescent and ample stealth camping opportunities as well. The route is rideable year round though it can be wetter in winter months.

For those looking for a slightly more challenging version of the route to create a loop, check out Miles’ take on the Olympic Adventure Route here.

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  • Highlights

    camera

  • Must Know

    alert

  • Camping

    home

  • Food/H2O

    drop

  • Trail Notes

    signpost

  • Popping out of dense rainforest to vistas of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • Swimming in the crystal clear waters of Lake Crescent and jumping off the footbridge or cliffs into Devil’s Punchbowl.
  • Bikepacking in Olympic National Park.
  • Smooth, well-built singletrack.
  • Dog-friendly bikepacking route
  • The route is rideable year round. While summer offers great swimming at Lake Crescent, there are more people around. Winter offers exceptional riding and opportunities for solitude.
  • There is parking at the east end of the trail at the Olympic Adventure Route Trailhead. It is easy to take the bus from Port Angeles on the Clallam County Transit route 10 right to the trailhead. Busses are equipped with bike racks. From Seattle, one could even take the ferry to Bainbridge Island, then two busses to Port Angeles.
  • There are several motorized use barriers along the trail that a biker can ride through but they require you to slow down significantly.
  • There are two campgrounds on Lake Crescent. Fairholme Campground is at the west end of the lake and the route. The other designated campground is the Log Cabin RV and campground.
  • There are numerous streams along the route which make for easily accessible water.
  • Port Angeles has numerous grocery stores, a bike shop, and an outdoor gear store to stock up for supplies and food for the route.

Heading west, the trail gradually climbs up through singletrack to a high ridge, the trail then descends to a 4-mile section of doubletrack to the shore of Lake Crescent. From here, the route follows a mix of single and double track along the shore of Lake Crescent to the end at Fairholme Campground. The route follows the same path in reverse heading east to the starting point.

Terms of Use: As with each bikepacking route guide published on BIKEPACKING.com, should you choose to cycle this route, do so at your own risk. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be used as a point of inspiration in conjunction with your own due-diligence. In spite of the fact that this route, associated GPS track (GPX and maps), and all route guidelines were prepared under diligent research by the specified contributor and/or contributors, the accuracy of such and judgement of the author is not guaranteed. BIKEPACKING.com LLC, its partners, associates, and contributors are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other such situation that might happen to individual riders cycling or following this route.

FILED IN (CATEGORIES & TAGS)

USA

Washington

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