Up the Dungeness River to Boulder Shelter

Friday, June 24, 2022 - 12.6 miles and 2,000 feet elevation gain

I left the house at 6:30 am and started hiking at the trailhead at 8:45. It was a beautiful day for hiking -- cool and clear all day. The air felt cold as I headed up the Dungeness River trail, but I warmed up as I strode along. It felt good to be hiking. 

The big firs on the lower trail

Footbridge over the Dungeness River

 I got to Royal Creek in twenty minutes and I arrived at the footbridge at 9:45, exactly one hour. Took a ten minute break and met a photographer coming down the trail. He was hoping to photograph the rhododendron blossoms, but they were still in tight little buds.

Hiked past Camp Handy and started into the steep section of the trail. I felt surprisingly strong and took very few breaks. When I got tired, I just slowed my pace a little. Took a break after another hour. The last mile and a half to Boulder Shelter always seems to take forever because there are no landmarks.

 Finally I reached some good views across the valley and not long after that I emerged into the meadows at Boulder Shelter.

The boulders at Boulder Shelter

I leaned my back against a small boulder and enjoyed a leisurely lunch of peanut butter and crackers, raisins and cheese, chocolate, and an orange. Drifted off into a nice nap in the warm sun.

I woke up at the sound of hiker's voices and decided to pack up and leave. I made my way back down the trail at a leisurely pace, daydreaming as I went. The miles seemed to fly by, and I got to the trailhead at 4:15. Stopped at Camp Handy for a break on the way back.

I was really pleased to find that I'm in pretty good shape. My left big toe, which has bothered me in the past, gave me no trouble at all.

Dosewallips River hike

I planned to hike to the Dosewallips Ranger Station for an early season hike. There used to be a gravel road all the way to the ranger station, but the road washed out in 2003, making it only a foot trail on the old road bed. The weather forecast called for rain in the afternoon, but I decided to go anyway and I was lucky. It was overcast the whole day, but no rain.

My plan was to hike a couple of hours, then turn around. But when I got to the park boundary and the sign said only 1.2 miles to the campground, I decided to go all the way. I hiked 13.5 miles in total with 1,100 feet elevation gain. Pretty good for early in the season.

 

The approach from the parking area is now a mile longer than it used to be because the Forest Service blocked the entrance road at a small slide. This isn't all bad, because the first mile is a pleasant stroll along a flat trail. The main road washout a mile in is easier to get around now, and I had no trouble. (The last time I hiked this trail was in 2014).

The old road makes a good surface for the first major hike of the year. The fine gravel surface and steady incline makes it easy to stride along.

 I left home at 7:45 and started hiking at 9:15. I explored Elkhorn Campground located at mile 1.5, and found it's a delightful area along the river with many fine campsites. It would make for an easy overnight someday. From the campground, the road leads steadily upward, and once I got my stride, the miles seemed to fly by. My legs felt fine and I took only one or two breaks.

When I got to the falls, the canyon was filled with the sound of rushing water from melting snowpack up higher. The amount of water crashing down the rocks is stunning. Took a few photos to capture the magnificent volume. From there it was an easy stroll to the campground, although by this time my legs were getting tired. 

I hiked up to the old ranger station to find that it has deteriorated a lot since I was last here. A couple of trees have fallen, shearing off parts of the porch roof. An man in his sixties launched into a long description of the place. He said he's come to this campground since he was a boy, and he often makes the hike once a week. Lots of lore about the place.

Ate lunch at a picnic table by the river and started down. My legs were complaining and my left big toe hurt on the downhill sections. Probably I should have cut this hike a bit shorter, but I just kept trundling along and got back to the car by 3:15. A good day!