Everything You Need to Know Before Hiking Klahhane Ridge in Olympic National Park

Klahhane Ridge offers some of the most breathtaking views in Olympic National Park. From the ridge, you can see the Strait of Juan De Fuca to the North, the Olympic Mountains to the South. The Klahhane Ridge trail is one of the longer hikes at Hurricane Ridge but it is definitely worth it! If you’re planning a hike in Olympic, here’s everything I wish I’d known before hitting the trail.

At a Glance

Location: Hurricane Ridge
Distance: 5.5 miles or 8 miles round trip (more on this below)
Difficulty: Moderate

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Getting to Klahhane Ridge

Klahhane Ridge is located at the Hurricane Ridge area in Olympic National Park, around 4o minutes from Port Angeles. You will need a National Park pass to do this trail and you can get one at any of the entrances in the park.

There are two ways to access Klahhane Ridge: via Sunrise Ridge or the Switchback Trail. The Sunrise Ridge route is about 8 miles round trip and begins at the Hurricane Ridge parking lot.

The Switchback Trail route is shorter, at around 5.5 miles round trip, and starts at a parking area about halfway up the road to Hurricane Ridge. While this option is shorter, it involves gaining significant elevation in just 1 mile.

The Trail to Klahhane Ridge

We personally started at the Hurricane Ridge parking area because we could not take another steep incline after doing Mount Storm King earlier in the week.

From the parking area, follow the trail on the right-hand side of the lot, as if you’re heading toward Sunrise Point. Before reaching Sunrise Point, take the trail that veers to the right and slightly downhill. You’ll follow Sunrise Ridge for a while, enjoying incredible views all around.

After about a mile, the trail becomes a bit washed out, making it hard to see which direction to take. If you encounter this, head to the left toward the trail that leads into the trees at this point.

Straight goes to Sunrise Point, head right to Sunrise Ridge
Sunrise Ridge
Views from Sunrise Ridge
Left is a view point, head right to continue to Klahhane Ridge
Head left to continue on the trail
The trail you’ll follow along sunrise ridge

After around 2.8 miles you’ll reach a junction where going right takes you down Switchback trail and straight takes you to Klahhane Ridge. From here you’ll have around another mile before you reach Klahhane Ridge, this part of the trail is all uphill with quite a few switch backs. Take your time and as many breaks as you need and just remember you’ll be at the top before you know it!

Sign at the Junction was down, continue straight
After the junction the trail is very narrow

After you finally finish the switch backs, you will find yourself on Klahhane Ridge! You can go as far along the ridge as you wish, we found some rocks off to the side with an incredible view were we enjoyed our lunch and took in the view. Once you are finished in this area, just retrace your steps the way you came.

If you have more energy and want to continue, you can follow Klahhane Ridge down to Lake Angeles. Another option is to take the trail to the left when you first reach Klahhane Ridge, which leads to the Heather Park Trail. Both of these options will make for a 10+ mile day, so only continue if you have enough food and water to safely make it back!

Wildlife Safety

Wildlife are often seen in this area, so always be prepared in case you encounter any.

You’re likely to see marmots, chipmunks, and deer, which shouldn’t pose any harm to you. Just be sure to give them space and continue on.

While it’s less likely, there’s still a possibility of encountering a cougar or bears. Always carry bear spray and keep it easily accessible. If you encounter a cougar, don’t run. Instead, make yourself appear bigger by raising your arms and throwing rocks in its direction. Although it’s rare to see a cougar, it’s important to know what to do just in case.