Lower Gray Wolf River

The Lower Gray Wolf River hike is a beautiful stroll through old-growth forest just outside of the Olympic National Park. With minimal elevation gain, the effort to reward ratio is very much in your favor. This hike is great in all seasons: It is a wonderful leg stretcher in the winter, a great place to see the beauty of fall colors, flowers blooming in the spring, or to go for a dip in the river in the summer. The hike will take you along the Gray Wolf River past conifers and over cascading creeks. With several smaller hikes branching off from the trail, there are many possibilities for day hikes if you choose to make it an overnighter. 

After approximately a mile and a half you will enter into the Buckhorn Wilderness with the occasional break in trees giving you a viewpoint of Gray Wolf Ridge. The hike takes you up a final steep incline to a narrow gorge that is no longer passable. Do not attempt to cross the river to continue the hike, as it is extremely dangerous. 

There are a few established backcountry sites that bring you right up to the river, offering a perfect spot to make it a multi-night trip. If you want to further explore the Upper Gray Wolf you must enter from the Slab Creek Trailhead.