Mount Muller Trail - 12.0 Miles Round-Trip

The Mount Muller Trail is located within the Olympic National Forest between the towns of Forks and Port Angeles, WA. This is a popular multi-use trail open to equestrians, bikers, hikers and dogs.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The Mount Muller summit can be accessed via a 10.3 mile round trip out-and-back hike, or a slightly longer 12.0 mile loop described below. This challenging loop offers sweeping views across Mt Olympus and the Olympic Mountains, Lake Crescent, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island, Canada.

The following describes the recommended clockwise route for the Mount Muller Loop:

From the trailhead, take the trail to the left of the trailhead sign toward Littleton Creek. It follows the creek north for several hundred yards before breaking west and intersecting with Miner's Crossing (.60 miles : 1,365') - marking the initial major ascent to Mount Muller.

The trail switchbacks up over 700' in one mile (1.0 miles : 1,755') and 1500' in two miles (2.0 miles : 2,575') to Nosebag Point (2.5 miles : 2,885') and first break in the canopy.

Sporadic breaks over the next half mile offer decent views of Mount Olympus, Snow Dome and Blue Glacier before reaching Jim's Junction (3.0 miles : 3,250'). 

The trail now undulates down along the south-facing ridge line through Milsap Meadows (3.2 miles : 3,380') providing the first unobstructed views of Mt Olympus, Appleton Mountain, Aurora Ridge and the Sol Duc Valley. 

After descending to Thomas Gap (4.0 miles : 3,065') the trail slices through a series of alpine meadows (Jasmine, Allison and Markham Meadows) where impressive Olympic Range views continue to get better. 

The trail reaches the Mount Muller spur trail (5.0 miles : 3,680') - a brief .15 mile path which leads to the enclosed, heavily forested summit of Mount Muller (5.15 miles : 3,748').

Views just beneath the summit are spectacular. Notables include Mount Olympus, Appleton Mountain, Aurora Ridge as well as the entire Sol Duc Valley and the northwest corner of Olympic National Park.

Those not continuing on the loop can walk down the trail a large rock outcrop called Panorama Point which offers clear views of Lake Crescent, Mount Storm King and even Mount Baker to the east.

Those continuing on the loop trail will drop back down the summit spur split and continue east on the Mount Muller Trail.

The trail now leads along the south face of Mount Muller passing Panorama Point with sweeping views of Lake Crescent, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island in the distance. 

After undulating briefly along the ridge line, the trail bends to the north face of Mount Muller and begins a steady descent (6.0 miles : 3,290') passing Cahill's Overlook (6.5 miles : 3,045) before switch backing down to Mosley Gap (6.75 miles : 2,800'). 

Now on a steady descent, views give way to an enclosed Douglas fir forest (7.5 miles : 2,315') as the trail drops to a geological wonder in Fouts Rock House (8.0 miles : 1,780'). An available spur trail meanders through this steep hillside strewn with van sized boulders covered in moss and lichen.

The trail slowly levels out and makes a deliberate bend west, crossing Hatch Creek (9.0 miles : 1,150') as it turns into a wide fire road (part of the Olympic Discovery Trail) for .25 miles before exiting back onto the trail (9.25 miles : 1,030').

Now back on the trail, the well maintained path becomes level and heads west through scenic Crow Caw Flats, passing Bog Creek along the way before crossing a major Forest Service road (9.7 miles : 951').  

The trail continues past the Forest Service road running through a beautiful landscape of vine maple and red alder trees, stitched together with hanging moss and a dense fern-based understory (10.0 miles : 984').

For the next two miles, the landscape remains unchanged as the trail gently rolls through Mistletoe Lane (11.3 miles : 995') on its way back to the the Mount Muller Trailhead (12.0 miles : 1,025').