Cameron Pass - 22.0 Miles Round-Trip

Cameron Pass (6,448') is located 11 miles from Obstruction Point in Olympic National Park. It's among the highest passes served by a park trail with panoramic views over the Lost River valley and Olympic's tallest peaks.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The trail descends from Obstruction Point and rises through Grand Valley to Grand Pass, a destination that rivals Cameron. It resumes on a gravity-defying descent to Cameron Creek, which it follows into Upper Cameron Basin, a large meadow complex just below the pass.

Despite the relative modest distance for backpackers this out-and-back route is strenuous both ways, particularly the return. Snow and overgrowth may compound the challenge at various points.

Call ahead for trail conditions before setting out, and allow a minimum of two nights to comfortably reach and explore the trail's many highlights:

The trail heads south from Obstruction Point with spectacular views across open tundra toward Mt Olympus. It crests at .7 miles (6,350') and dips along a ridge between the Badger and Lillian River valleys (1.3 miles).

The trail rises up to a saddle (1.65 miles : 6,435'), then falls rapidly down steep, barren slopes. Grand Lake is in view much of the way as switchbacks thread a reconstituting forest at lower elevations (2.65 miles : 5,400').

Travel moderates to a small creek (3.05 miles : 5,065'), past which grades level into a broad meadow at the Grand Pass - Grand Lake Trail split (3.5 miles : 4,945').

The Grand Pass Trail turns up valley to the wooded north edge of Moose Lake (3.85 miles : 5,045'), emerging in open rolling meadows along its west shore (4.2 miles).

It rises over Moose Lake through the vestiges of timber to Gladys Lake (4.65 miles : 5,375'), where the valley opens with abundant wildflowers lining a network of snow-fed streams and tarns.

The trail crosses a creek and makes a decisive turn (east) across the valley (5.1 miles : 5,555') that begins a progressively steep push for the pass. Anticipate lingering snow on this section.

Travel eases around a tarn (5.9 miles : 6,380') up to Grand Pass (5.95 miles : 6,448'). Enjoy magnificent views before descending to Cameron Creek, a 2245' drop in just 1.8 miles.

The trail initially makes a long, arcing turn down the south side of Grand Pass before straightening on a rugged path beside a creek back into forest (6.65 miles : 5,540').

Tightly wound switchbacks lead through stands of subalpine fir, yellow cedar and yew on a knee-jarring descent to the Cameron Creek Trail junction (7.75 miles : 4,203').

The Cameron Creek Trail turns SW and steepens on a rough, overgrown trail with many hidden burrows. Mind your feet on this uneven stretch.

The forest abruptly opens to sloping meadows in the upper valley where you'll cross the north and south forks of Cameron Creek on a decisive southward bend up to the basin (8.9 miles : 4,772' - 9.05 miles : 4,893').

The trail is somewhat vague through this brief section, but cairns offer adequate guidance. Look for a large waterfall high in the upper valley, and back east at Mt Baker in this open area.

The trail shifts quickly in thinning forest before easing by a creek that leads up the left side of a short waterfall (9.8 miles : 5,430').

The trail forks at the top of this waterfall: the left fork leads to campsites, the less-obvious right fork crosses the creek and levels into a vast swale that is Upper Cameron Basin (9.9 miles : 5,450').

Colorful heather covers this large expanse with Cameron Pass straight ahead.

The trail clears treeline and levels one last time in a moonscape flat just below the pass (10.25 miles : 5,785'). Here it begins a strenuous push that weaves lingering snowfields up to Cameron Pass (11.0 miles : 6,448').

Mt Olympus caps the western horizon, with views of Thousand Acre Meadows, Lost Pass and the headwaters of the Dosewallips River immediately to the south.