Waterfall Hero Hikes: Lake Cushman Area (Olympic)

The Lake Cushman area surrounds its namesake lake in the Hood Canal Ranger District of Olympic National Forest in Mason County. The lake was originally a broadening of the Skokomish River, which was expanded to a lake by the construction of Cushman Dam No. 1. It is named for Orrington Cushman, the translator for the Governor in negotiations with the native people. The beautiful lake is extremely popular and parking can be difficult on nice weekend days. In addition to the lake, the surrounding forest lands contain a campground, numerous trails, mountain peaks and Mount Skokomish Wilderness.

Directions:

From Olympia, take I-5 to US-101 and go north for about 35 miles to Hoodsport. In Hoodsport, turn left on WA-119 north for about 12 miles to the lake.

Map:

Trails:

Mount Ellinor Trail (#812):

Mount Ellinor Trail begins at the lower trailhead on FR-2419 and gains almost 3500 vertical feet in just over 3 miles. The trail is initially moderate as it heads up through the forest, then gets steeper as it gets above the treeline. The trail ends at the summit in Mount Skokomish Wilderness.

Points of Interest:

Mount Ellinor:

Mount Ellinor is a 5,944-foot mountain above Lake Cushman. Mount Ellinor Trail (#855) provides access to the summit. The top provides panoramic views of Mount Rainier, Puget Sound, Lake Cushman, Mount Olympus and the Olympic Mountains.