LOST PASS TRAIL

Length 2.8 mi/4.5 km 
Access Dosewallips Trail 
USGS Map Wellesley Peak 
Agency Olympic National Park

This route leaves the Dosewallips Trail at Dose Meadows (4450 ft/ 1356 m) and 
climbs steeply up the north side of the valley. Now and then the trail switchbacks 
beneath outcrops of sandstone, where penstemons add a bit of color.

At Lost Pass (0.8 mi/1.3 km; 5500 ft/1676 m), the low point between Lost Peak 
and Mount Claywood, a wide expanse of country is in view: Lost Peak, Mount 
Claywood, Wellesley Peak, and Sentinel Peak are close at hand; Stephen Peak is 
visible in the distance.

The trail then skirts the headwaters of Lost River. Here are mountain meadows 
as beautiful as any in the Olympics, where wildflowers blossom with lavish abandon, 
growing in such profusion the hiker cannot avoid trampling them. During midsummer 
millions of avalanche lilies wave white petals with every passing breeze or rub 
shoulders with magenta paintbrush and common bistort. Other varieties are also 
present-fescue sandwort, subalpine spiraea, thistle, and arnica. Marsh marigolds, 
anemones, buttercups, and elephants head brighten the moisture spots. During late 
summer the meadows are colorful with lupine, buckwheat, arnica, paintbrush, and 
the aster rlcabanc, or mountain daisy.

Three Sons Camp (1.7 mi/2.7 km; 5400 ft/1646 m) is located between two brooks on 
a level area protected from the wind by subalpine trees. A rockslide comes down 
from Lost Peak almost to the camp. Beyond this campsite the trail climbs through 
meadowland covered with a riot of wildflowers-primarily asters, buckwheat, and 
lupine-and by dwarf huckleberry. When the fruit ripens in late summer, bears are 
attracted to the area.

As the trail gains altitude, Mount Olympus lifts its snowy crown above the meadows 
to the west, and Mount Anderson pierces the sky due south, beyond Hayden Pass. Near 
Cameron Pass the peaks of the Bailey Range come into view, as do the mountains 
near Low Divide.

The route becomes the Cameron Creek Trail at Cameron Pass (2.8 mi/4.5 km; 
6450 ft/1966 m), where the hiker can look out over Cameron Basin toward the distant 
Strait of Juan de Fuca. The unnamed peak (6733 ft/2052 m) west of the pass can be 
reached by an easy walk. Here one has an unobstructed view of the Olympics in all 
directions. Mount Cameron stands directly east, with its steep glaciers on the North 
Slope, and one can look down into Cameron Basin.