RAINBOW CANYON NATURE TRAIL

Length 0.5-mi/0.8 km 
Access US 101 
USGS Map Mount Walker 
Agency Olympic National Forest

The Rainbow Picnic Area (727 ft/222 m) is located on US 101 
in the Olympic National Forest near Walker Pass, 4.9-mi/7.9 
km southwest of Quilcene. Overnight camping is not 
permitted; this is a day-use area maintained by the 
Quilcene Lions.

The delightful Rainbow Canyon Nature Trail leads to Rainbow 
Canyon on the Big Quilcene River. The walk is particularly 
pleasant in mid-October, when the fall color is at its 
peak. The trail begins in the picnic area and descends the 
mountainside via a half dozen switchbacks through stands of 
tall Douglas fir and an understory of salal, vine maple, 
and sword fern. The trail first comes to a point 
overlooking the river, then to the brink of a side canyon. 
Here, on Elbo Creek, a tributary stream, a waterfall 
plunges down into a round pool. The canyon walls are lined 
with ferns.

The trail then descends to the river, coming out among 
alders and boulders at the water's edge (0.5 mi/0.8 km; 600 
ft/183 m). This is Rainbow Canyon. Apparently the name 
stemmed from the graceful curve that the river makes at 
this point is it flows past a cliff garlanded with ferns 
and vine maple and topped by evergreen forest.

Originally this trail was the beginning of the Big Quilcene 
Trail, which was known fifty years ago as the Rainbow Trail 
and extended almost 20 miles to Boulder Shelter on the 
upper Dungeness.