CAMERON CREEK TRAIL

Length 11.3 mi/18.2 km
Access Lower Graywolf Trail: Upper Graywolf Trail 
USGS Maps Tyler Peak; Maiden Peak; Wellesley Peak 
Agency Olympic National Park

This trail follows Cameron Creek to its headwaters in Cameron Basin, and then 
climbs to Cameron Pass. Beyond this high divide, the route (now known as the 
Lost Pass Trail) continues to the Dosewallips River.

The trail starts near Three Forks in a three-way intersection (2125 ft/648 m) 
that marks the division between the Lower Graywolf Trail and the Upper Graywolf 
Trail. The path follows down the east bank of the Graywolf, past a camp, to a 
high log (with handrail) that spans the river just below the entry of Cameron 
Creek. Normally both streams are clear, but on warm afternoons during late 
summer and fall Cameron Creek sometimes becomes milky white with glacial silt, 
only to clear again during the night.

After crossing the Graywolf, the trail follows the north bank of Cameron Creek 
past the point where Grand Creek flows into the stream, then comes to a junction, 
in a tiny meadow, with the Three Forks Trail (0.3 mi/0.5 km; 2100 ft/640 m). 
Often it is cool here because cold air flows down the valley' and settles at 
this point.

The trail crosses Grand Creek near Three Forks Camp, and then follows beautiful 
Cameron Creek, at times along its banks, at others high above the stream. The 
route leads through stands of large Douglas fir. The creek has many deep pools, 
which alternate with rapids; and trout up to a foot long test the angler's skill.

As it makes its way up the valley, the trail crosses Cameron Creek four times, 
beginning and ending on the north side of the stream. The trail then climbs away 
from the creek through stands of big Douglas fir and enters the first of six 
meadows that extend from Cameron Creek up the mountainside forming the valley's 
northern slope. Avalanches, due to snow having swept down from the ridge above, 
created the meadows. On the divide between Cameron Creek and the Graywolf, to the 
south, Shelter Peak (6590 ft/2009 m) rises above the timbered slopes. Beyond the 
meadow, the trail winds through a forest of old firs.

At the edge of the second meadow, which extends on both sides of Cameron Creek, 
stand the ruins of the Lower Cameron Shelter (5.3 mi/8.5 km; 3800 ft/ 1158 m). 
The shelter was struck by a falling tree and rendered unusable. This area is of 
botanical interest because big tree hunters Robert Van Pelt and Arthur Jacobsen 
discovered groves of ancient Engelmann spruce growing on the flats between the 
trail and Cameron Creek here. The largest trees are more than 6 feet in diameter 
and about 175 feet tall.

The route now alternately traverses forest and meadowland, with beetling cliffs 
overlooking the trail. Marmots whistle protests in the open country; from the 
fifth meadow the Cameron Glaciers arc visible to the south. The sixth and last
 meadow in the series is a large open expanse. Directly opposite, on the south 
 side of Cameron Creek, the slope is strewn with avalanche debris. Beyond this 
 meadow the trail ascends to a junction with the Grand Pass Trail 
 (7.6 mi/11.2 km; 4200 ft/1280 m).

The trail now climbs steeply through thickets of slide alder, willow, Alaska 
cedar, and salmonberry. The trail has been cut through; otherwise the jungle 
would be impenetrable. Eventually the trail emerges into partially open country 
below McCartney Peak, where one can look down the V-shaped valley of Cameron 
Creek to Three Forks and observe the avalanche chutes alternating with lines 
of trees that extend up the steep mountainsides.

Upper Cameron Camp (10.0 mi/16.1 km: 5400 ft/1646 m) is located beside a little 
stream near the northern end of Cameron Basin, where meadow and sub alpine 
forest are intermingled. This wild and lonely basin is a delightful place to 
explore, its remoteness from well-traveled paths adding to its charm. Occupying 
a glacial cirque about a mile long and somewhat more than a half mile wide, the 
basin is surrounded by snow-clad peaks and ridges, including McCartney Peak to 
the northwest, and Mount Cameron to the east. Although the floor is more or less 
level, the terrain is varied, the meadows broken by rocky, tree-covered knolls. 
Near the southern end, at the foot of the shale slopes that lead up to Cameron 
Pass, the basin is flat and marshy. This area is the home of countless insects 
and thus not a good place to camp. Little moss-lined brooks, edged by wildflowers, 
meander across the flats. The displays are gorgeous-avalanche lilies bloom first, 
followed by buttercups, bog orchids, anemones, elephant's head, lupine, bistort, 
asters, and arnica.

As it crosses the basin, the trail becomes indistinct, and the route-marked by 
Cairns because the path is hard to follow - traverses meadowland. At the basin's 
head the trail improves and makes long switchbacks across shale slopes and snowfields, 
then short ones as it climbs a barren moraine to Cameron Pass (11.3 mi/18.2 km; 
6450 ft/1966 m). This is the low point in the ridge.

The view from the pass is splendid but still better from the peak to the west, 
which is reached by a short walk. Here, near the center of the high-country 
Olympics, one can look down into Cameron Basin, and all about are snowy peaks, 
including Mount Olympus in the distance. Directly east is Mount Cameron, with 
its glaciers and snowfields; far to the southwest is Low Divide. (See Lost Pass 
Trail for description of the route from the pass to the Dosewallips River)