Northwest Hike Of The Week -- Flapjack Lakes

Difficulty rating (1-5): 3 Scenic rating (1-10): 9

Length/Time: 16.2 miles/1-2 days. User groups: Hikers and horses only. No mountain bikes or dogs. Permits: Overnight permits are required and limited to 30 per night at Flapjack Lakes. Reserve them through the Staircase Ranger Station: (360) 877-5254. Directions: Take U.S. 101 just south of Hoodsport to Lake Cushman Road and turn west. After nine miles, turn left on Jorsted Creek Road (Forest Service Road 24). Follow the road six miles to the head of Lake Cushman. After the intersection with Forest Service Road 2451, continue for another mile and enter Olympic National Park. The trailhead is at the end of the road. Hike the North Fork Skokomish Trail to the Flapjack Lakes turnoff. Contact: Staircase Ranger Station, Olympic National Park: (360) 877-5254. Trail notes: It's only 4.3 miles to Flapjack Lakes from the trail's starting point on the North Fork Skokomish Trail. But add the 3.8 miles up the Skokomish to the trailhead, and this becomes a seriously long day hike or moderate overnight backpack trip. It's also a very popular one. Don't expect to find much solitude, unless you plan to hoof it off trail from Flapjack Lakes to nearby Black and White lakes or Smith Lake. The Flapjacks are nestled beneath the Olympics' small Sawtooth Range, fascinating, razor-sharp peaks that provide the most challenging rock climbing in the range. Both lakes offer fishing for Eastern brook and rainbow trout. Beyond the lakes, the trail continues about three-fourths of a mile to Gladys Divide, elev. 5,000 feet, which splits the Hamma Hamma and Skokomish drainages. Special note: Because of extreme overuse, there's a limit of 30 campers per day during summer months. Call to reserve a permit, or you're not likely to get one. Once you're in, be nice. Camp in established sites only and pack out all trash. More hikes: For similar details on 999 other great hikes in Washington and Oregon, consult "Pacific Northwest Hiking: The Complete Guide," by Ron C. Judd and Dan A. Nelson (Foghorn Press).