Mount Townsend via Little Quilcene Trail

We drove up to the Little Quilcene Trailhead in the northeast Olympic National Forest to hike up to Mount Townsend. this is a 6.8 mile round trip hike with 2,200 ft of gain. The lower portion of the trail had quite a few rhododendrons in bloom, and some lupin near the trailhead.

A short ways up the trail, we had a view of our destination: Mount Townsend.

We saw many different wildflowers in the forest portion of this trail including bunchberries,

and star flowered false Solomon seal.

After joining the Mt Townsend Trail, we soon had views looking southeast into the Olympics

We hiked up the loop on top of Mount Townsend clockwise. Pano looking north from the north end of Mount Townsend, we had clear vies of Mt Baker, Mt Shuksan and Glacier Peak.

Coming up from the north end of Mount Townsend.

View to the northwest from our lunch spot on Mount Townsend

looking south to the "summit" of Mount Townsend, Mt Rainier in the far distance

pano to the west across Hood Canal and Puget Sound to the Cascade mountains

Pano to the east

We then continued along the loop hiking back down around the top of Mount Townsend enjoying the views and wildflowers.        prairie smoke

phacelia and alpine lupine

Lovely views

wallflowers

such a fabulous day!!!   

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today: