Colonel Bob Trailhead # 851

Approach

Difficulty: Class 1 with a very mild class 2 section
Distance: 14 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain: 4200 feet

Getting to the Colonel Bob trailhead is pretty straightforward. You will want to follow US Highway 101 North until you reach the South Shore Quinualt road. From there you will take a right and follow it for about 6 miles until you see the sign for the Colonel Bob trail. It will read, "Colonel Bob Trail No. 851."

Route Description

The hike up the "Colonel Bob trail" is longer than the "Pete's Creek trail" but is not quite as steep. You can expect to see pretty much the same views as you would on the "Pete's Creek trail," lots of old growth rainforest only there is a substantial amount of switchbacks. I think I counted nearly 70 by the time you reach the junction with the Pete's Creek trail. The elevation gain on this trail is about 4200 feet over 7 miles. So not too bad at all, just a long hike. Again this trail as well as "Pete's Creek trail" does not have many views until you reach the summit. Once you are there you can see views of Mount Adams, Mount Rainer, Mt. St. Helens, Pacific Ocean, Olympic Mountain Range and the Quinault Valley with a stunning view of Lake Quinault.

Essential Gear

I would recommend a day pack with adequate food and water, bug spray if climbing in the summer months and maybe some water purifying tablets.

If climbing in the Winter, I would contact the Park Service to see what they recommend. Snowshoes would be helpful for sure.

Miscellaneous Info

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