FLAPJACK LAKES TRAIL

Length 5.6 mi/9.0 km 
Access North Fork Skokomish Trail 
USGS Map Mount Skokomish 
Agency Olympic National Park

This route, which leads to Flapjack Lakes and the mile-high Gladys Divide, 
at the head of the Hamma Hamma River, is popular not only with hikers and 
anglers but also with alpinists headed for high adventure in the nearby 
Sawtooth Range, which provides some of the best rock climbing in the Olympic 
Mountains, Because the area is heavily used, the number of persons permitted 
to camp one night at the lakes has been limited since the early 1970s.

The trailhead is located near the end of the old, abandoned road that is now 
considered an extension of the North Fork Skokomish Trail. This point is 
3.7mi/ 6.0 km beyond the Staircase Ranger Station, at an altitude of 1475 ft/450 m.

The trail climbs an easy grade through stands of western hemlock and Douglas 
fir, and at the first switchback goes by a small campsite where water is 
available in a nearby stream. After zigzagging upward, the trail turns north 
and makes a long, ascending traverse. Occasionally, one can see the mountains 
beyond the North Fork Skokomish River. Huckleberries are abundant along this 
part of the trail, and when the berries are ripe hikers often stop to feast.

As the trail approaches Madeline Creek, one can hear the stream cascading down 
the slope. The trail descends to the creek and crosses via a bridge of boulders 
to a campsite on the far side (2.0 mi/3.2 km; 2100 ft/640 m). Beyond this camp 
the route parallels Donahue Creek, and the trail climbs again as it switchbacks 
up the mountainside. Because the grade is steep, this stream consists of a 
series of waterfalls and cascades. A couple of poor campsites are located 
here (3.5 mi/5.6 km), and then the trail crosses the stream. The creek was 
named for a prospector who planted trout in the Flapjack Lakes in the early 
1900s. A man named Bonell assisted him.

At this point the route intersects the Smith Lake Trail (3.6 mi/5.8 km;
 3500 ft/ 1067 m), which leads left to Black and White Lakes and Smith Lake. 
 The Flapjack Lakes Trail continues to the right, climbing directly to the two 
 lakes (4.1 mi/6.6 km; 3900 ft/1189 m). A seasonal ranger station is located 
 at this point.

The Flapjack Lakes are the source of Donahue Creek. The eastern or larger lake 
is more or less round, which no doubt gave rise to the name inasmuch as the 
western lake is irregular in outline, shallow, and apparently evolving into a 
marsh, The lakes, which contain Eastern brook and rainbow trout, are surrounded 
by the forest and have several campsites. The ones with the best views are located 
between the lakes. Because the area has been overused, the water is polluted and 
unsafe to drink without treatment. Overnight camping is now by reservation only.

The campsites at the lakes are often used as an operations base by climbers headed 
for the Sawtooth Range. The rugged peaks, composed of blocks and pinnacles of pillow 
lava and breccia, loom above the lakes. The crags of Mount Lincoln stand at the 
southern end. Also visible are The Fin and Picture Pinnacle. The lava beds here are 
tilted on edge, and the sharp peaks were created by erosion along parallel cracks.

East of Flapjack Lakes the trail ascends through meadowland to Gladys Divide 
(5.6 mi/9.0 km; 5000 ft/1524 m), the saddle between Mount Gladys and Mount Cruiser. 
The divide overlooks the headwaters of the Hamma Hamma, but the view directly east 
is blocked by Mount Cruiser (6104 ft/1861 m). An easy walk leads to the rounded top 
of Mount Gladys (5600 ft/1707 m), where the view is better. Mount Anderson rises 
above the ridge to the north, and Mount Olympus is visible far to the northwest.

Mount Cruiser was named for the Bremerton Ski Cruisers. The peak, which is visible 
from Puget Sound, was first climbed in 1937, and its vertical basalt cliffs challenge 
the mountaineer. The highest peak in the Sawtooth Range, it stands near the national 
park boundary and is considered one of the more difficult rock climbs in the Olympics.

The Murdock Lakes, the source of the Hamma Hamma River, lie on the north slope 
of Mount Gladys. They were named for L. F. Murdock, a photographer who roamed 
the southeastern Olympics in the late 1890s and early 1900s.