Hiking the Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mount Angeles, Olympic NP

In this post, learn how to hike to Mount Angeles. If you are looking for something shorter or less challenging, you only need to hike a portion of this trail to still get some truly amazing views of Olympic National Park.

Here’s how to do it.

Mount Angeles Hiking Stats

Distance: 6.25 miles round-trip (this includes the short spur trail to Sunrise Point)
Total Ascent: 2,550 feet (75% of this elevation gain is on the hike from Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center to the peak of Mount Angeles, the other 25% comes on the return hike)
Starting Elevation (Hurricane Ridge): 5,250 feet
Highest Elevation (Mount Angeles): 6,450 feet
Difficulty: Most of the hike is easy to moderate; the final hike and rock scramble up to the peak is difficult
Length of time: 4 to 6 hours
When to go: The best time to hike to Mount Angeles is during the summer season when the trail is free of snow. During the winter season, the road to Hurricane Ridge is only open on weekends and can close at anytime due to snowfall. Learn more on the NPS website.

Elevation profile

Hiking the Klahhane Ridge Trail to Mount Angeles

Step-by-Step Trail Guide 

Getting to the Trailhead

The trail starts next to the parking lot for the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

To get here, drive Hurricane Ridge Road to the very end. The parking lot for the visitor center is enormous. However, the trail starts at the eastern end of the parking lot, so there is no need to drive to the end of the lot (unless there is limited parking when you arrive).

Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and parking lot seen from Sunrise Point Trail.

Look for the paved trail labeled with the sign for the High Ridge Trail. This is where your hike begins.

High Ridge Trail

High Ridge Nature Trail to Sunrise Point

The High Ridge Nature Trail starts off as a paved trail. It climbs up onto a ridge and nice overlook. It then becomes a dirt trail that can be rather dusty if it has not rained recently.

The view along the trail of Sunrise Point and Mount Angeles.

Another view of Mount Angeles and Hurricane Ridge Road

After walking across the ridge, you have the option to hike the spur trail to Sunrise Point. This detour adds 0.2 miles onto the hike. The view from Sunrise Point is nice but honestly, I don’t think you lose much by skipping it. Here is the view to help you decide.

View from Sunrise Point

Hiking to Mount Angeles

Continue past the spur trail to Sunrise Point. The trail goes by two different names, based on trail maps I have seen and online reports: the Sunrise Point Trail and the Klahhane Ridge Trail.

Along this trail, you have great views of Puget Sound and the snowcapped mountains of Olympic Park. You get some great views from this part of the trail, although it doesn’t even come close to what you will get from the peak of Mount Angeles.

The trail alternates between exposed ridgeline and dense forests with wildflowers.

Looking back along the trail towards the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.

View of Mount Angeles from the trail. The white line marks the short, easy trail to the overlook. The trail to Mount Angeles is the red line.

After a big descent followed by a smaller climb, you will come to a fork in the trail. Take the trail to the left to continue to Mount Angeles. When we did this (July 2020), the trail to the left is not marked by any sign. The only trail marker here is a sign labeled “TRAIL,” which marks the Klahhane Ridge Trail.

Hiking/Scrambling up Mount Angeles

Once you get to the fork in the trail, the hike gets radically harder. It is a constant uphill hike, mostly through a forest, although you will get some occasional views out over Olympic National Park. This part of the trail isn’t too bad in terms of difficulty, but that will change.

Once you emerge from the trees, Mount Angeles will be in front of you. At this point, the trail gets steeper and can be hard to follow in spots. There are no trail signs at this point and very little in terms of rock cairns to keep you moving in the correct direction. Basically, you have to follow the worn trail of those who have hiked here before you, but the trail can be easy to lose in some spots.

After hiking up steep dirt trails and over scree slopes, you have one final climb before you. There is a fork in the trail. If you take the trail to the left, it’s a little bit longer, but it is also less steep with just a little bit of rock scrambling at the very end. If you are not confident in your rock scrambling skills, we recommend going left at the fork.

The trail to the right is a shorter but steeper climb to the summit with some technical rock scrambling. This is the route we took and here are our photos.

The last scramble onto the peak is the most challenging. Some other hikers turned around without attempting this part. If you can do it, it is worth it to get to the top, since you get to see those panoramic views you worked so hard for. However, if you get to this point and don’t think you can manage the rock scramble, I recommend retracing your steps to the fork and going up the left side.

Once standing safely on top of Mount Angeles, enjoy the spectacular view. On a clear day, you can see Puget Sound, Vancouver Island, the mountains of Olympic National Park, and Mt. Rainier.

To get down off of Mount Angeles, we hiked down the left side of the peak, and it is much easier than the tricky rock scramble.

To get back to your car, retrace your steps.

Tips to Have the Best Experience

In order to stand on top of Mount Angeles, you will have to do some rock scrambling. The rock scrambling in this hike is challenging and if you have never done any rock scrambling before, you should consider skipping this hike. The scrambling is tricky in spots with steep drop-offs, so you need to be confident in your ability before attempting this climb.

This hike is best done on a clear day. If it’s cloudy, you won’t get to see the amazing views that you worked so hard for. Check the weather forecast before you go and if you will be in Olympic National Park for multiple days, consider hiking this trail on the clearest weather day.

Leave no trace. When you are in the park, practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace. This includes packing out what you bring into the park, be considerate of other hikers, stay on the trail, and do not remove anything from the park.

What to Bring on the Hike

Hiking shoes. Don’t do this hike in anything other than hiking shoes or hiking boots. The final trail up to Mount Angeles, with the loose rock and scree, is slippery. You will also need shoes with good traction for the final section of rock scrambling.

Hiking poles. Hiking poles take the stress off of your legs and help to ease leg pain and fatigue.

Water and snacks. At least 2 liters of water in the summer.

Sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses. For much of this hike you will be exposed to the sun, with very little shade.

Rain jacket or fleece. It can be chilly on top of Mount Angeles, even in the summer. Be prepared for all weather conditions.

Check trail conditions on the National Park Service website before you go.

If you have any questions about hiking to Mount Angeles in Olympic National Park, let us know in the comment section below.

More Information for Your Trip to Washington

THINGS TO DO IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK: Hiking one or more of the trails is one of the best things to do in Olympic National Park. See the full list of must-have experiences in our guide to the Best Things to Do in Olympic National Park.

NATIONAL PARKS IN WASHINGTON: In our guide to the Washington National Parks, we give an overview on all three parks, Mount Rainier, Olympic, and the North Cascades. Learn how to visit all three national parks in our Washington Road Trip Itinerary.

BEST OF THE NORTH CASCADES: Don’t miss the beautiful Maple Pass Loop and hiking to Sahale Arm for stunning views across the park. Get the full list in our article Best Things to do in North Cascades National Park.

HIKES IN MOUNT RAINIER: Popular hikes in Mount Rainier include the Skyline Trail, Tolmie Peak, the Mount Fremont Hike, and hiking to Summerland and Panhandle Gap. You can see the full list in our article Best Hikes in Mount Rainier.

NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries.