The West Elwha Trailhead is located 4.4 miles from the Highway 101 turnoff into the Elwha River Valley. Leaving from the Altair Campground, the trail rides a ridge above the Elwha, paralleling the river for a pleasant 6 mile out and back. Visitors will enjoy enormous old growth Douglas fir and western cedar mixed with plentiful vine maple and western hemlock. 

The West Elwha River leaves from the Altair Campground, the only place where the river is accessible on the hike

The trail leads through a young Douglas fir stand - the largest Douglas fir is 281 feet tall, 13.5 feet in diameter, and also in Olympic National Park

Snails are commonly seen in the early morning in the riparian corridors of the Elwha

Lower Hughes Creek tumbling through vine maple and western cedar

Two banana slugs commune - they can grow to be 5" - 8" on average

Indian Paintbrush belongs to a genus of 200 species of partially or fully parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants

The West Elwha Trail crosses Hughes Creek which lets out into the lower Elwha River

A banana slug and a snail in an unusual meeting along the West Elwha Trail

The Altair Campground provides scenic car camping and easy access to the Elwha River - it is only open in the summer