Grand Valley, Olympic National Park, Washington
Grand Valley
Olympic National Park
The hike through Grand Valley to Grand Pass is widely considered one of the finest alpine treks in Olympic. The trail begins at 6,125' in open tundra before descending steeply into the valley over Grand Lake. It continues by Moose Lake, Gladys Lake and a string of tarns, streams and glaciers up to the Grand Pass (6,448').
| Related Trails: | Grand Lake Grand Pass |
The valley opens above Gladys Lake en route to Grand Pass
The trail weaves up narrow ridges in the upper valley
The trail crosses the ablation zone of a glacier on the final approach to Grand Pass
The trails drops 1,680' in just 2.1 miles to Grand Lake from Lillian Ridge
Grand Lake is the first of three main lakes and countless tarns in Grand Valley
Rural urban legend states that if you smell a tiger lily, you're bound to get freckles
Lupine envelops the trail in the upper valley
View from Grandview Peak (6,701')
'Edible thistle' was consumed by early tribes, but has little modern appeal
The trail moderates for .1 mile between this tarn and the pass
The Lillian Ridge Trail runs above several glaciers on the routes highest points
Moose Lake from its open west shore
You may find up to 4 types of lupine in any given area within Grand Valley
Gladys Lake (5,375') is more aptly described as a large, shapely alpine pond
Wildflowers generally peak in mid-July and linger in abundance through late August
The view from Grandview Peak (6,701) over Grand Pass (6,488')
Paintbrush, thistle, lily, and lupine are the four most common flowers in Grand Valley
A tarn is formed by glacial melt and typically has no outlet
The barren descent is in sharp contrast to verdant, glacier lined slopes just across a gulch
Gladys Lake lies on the edge of open alpine where backpackers will enjoy lighter crowds
Looking down the precipitously steep Cameron Valley side of Grand Pass
The level tundra extends for miles from Obstruction Point
At first narrow and wooded, Moose Lake expands with large meadows on its west side
Grouse are common but difficult to see in tall grass meadows
View down the Lillian River Valley from Grandview Peak

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