The 4 mile dirt road to the top of Mt Walker is a big part of the fun. It is narrow and steep enough to weed out RVs and give you a mild sense of adventure, but well maintained enough to be safe and is accessible to normal cars (4 wheel drive and high clearance not required).The view at the top was great on the clear day I went. The view of the Olympic mountains was obscured by some clouds, but the sound view was amazing. This is a place where you can see great stuff without needing to be a mountain climber.The nearby Falls View Canyon makes an excellent companion destination to Mt Walker. Seeing both is a worth while and easy day trip.
We were on 101 on our way to Olympic National Park when we decided to stop off and head up to see this viewpoint. I felt it was well worth the stop even though it wasn't a clear day. On the contrary, we seemed to end up above a blanket of clouds. The only time I normally see that if from inside an airplane and it was a neat feeling to see it while on solid ground. We stopped at both viewpoints. The second one didn't have as many clouds and we were able to see some buildings and trees. If you've got time, you should check it out!
My sister an I had taken the Port Angeles ferry and were heading south along the Olympic Peninsula on our way to Vegas when we saw the sign for the Mount Walker lookout."Want to check it out?""Sure!" With that, we took the exit and started heading up without really knowing what we were getting in for. It had been raining and kind of cruddy at road level, but as we started to drive, the fog got thicker. The road was narrow, the visibility was very short, and we were noting that this was the part in the horror movie where someone flew out of the trees and smacked into a window. The road seemed to go on forever, twisting and winding, ever upwards, and we had to pull over at points to let cars come down.Finally, we broke through the top of the clouds into sun that we hadn't seen all day. Another half mile and we finally came to the top and stretched our legs, walking to the lookouts. It was glorious, the mountain tops emerging from seas of cloud, vanishing and reappearing as the clouds shifted. We spent about half an hour at the two lookouts, happy for sun and to be walking for a bit, then returned to the car to make the long way down.We noticed there's also a trail leading to the top, so it would be a neat hike, though probably quite a hill climb. As a car detour, it's a reasonable hour when you go up and down, but hiking would probably take a couple of hours. Worth it for some great views, I think.
It is easy to miss the turn off from southbound Highway 101 to Mount Walker. It is about five miles south of the town of Quilcene. The road is gravel, very dusty in the summer, blocked by snow in the winter. There is also a trail which gains about 2000 feet in about four miles. At the summit, there are both north and south viewpoints. Each is a short walk from a small parking area with latrines. From the South Viewpoint, one can see (on a clear day) Mount Rainier, the City of Seattle, and even Mount Saint Helens to the south. From the North Viewpoint, one can see Mount Baker and the San Juan Islands. The trail up Mount Walker ends at the North Viewpoint. Mount Walker is the easternmost of the Olympic Mountains and well worth a visit, if only to see a perspective of Mount Rainier and Seattle which is unavailable from any other point. Take water, as there is none available on the mountain.
If you're in good shape hike up to the View Point or drive the 4-5 mile narrow dirt road all the way to the top - on a clear day you can even see Mt. St. Helens!
Mount Walker is an excellent viewpoint since it is pretty much the last mountain before Puget Sound. The valleys unfold beneath you and on a clear day you can see Seattle skyscrapers. There are two loops at the top for parking, with very short walks to viewpoints and vault toilets. There's a small amount of picnic space but no camping area. There's no fee or donation to visit as it is on a forest service road.The road to the top is much like a hike as it is rocky, muddy, unpaved, winding, and narrow with few pullouts. Although we saw a camper at the top we would NOT attempt it ourselves. When we went around a few corners we were right on the edge of a cliff. As I covered my eyes at the sight of the ground so far away, my DH reminded me that after all, we ARE driving up the side of a mountain!For people like us who spend most of our time sitting in front of a computer, a hike that doesn't involve hours of being on our feet is a welcome adventure. For those of you that like a challenge, there is a trail that goes straight up. Yuck.
Great trip which offers wonderful views of the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, and on a clear day Seattle in the distance. Lots of good chances to see passing raptors fly by as well. The road and hiking trail to the top is just off of Highway 101. Be sure and check out "both" lookout areas at top for different views of surrounding environment. For pics/videos of mountain:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEjYaFtkQ80
Off of Hwy 101. Drive up a gravel road to some beautiful views. Worth the drive. Go to both viewpoints.
Driving down Hwy. 101, we spotted a sign to Mt. Walker. We took she short drive up the mountain and chose the North Lookout. Wow! You could see Mt. Rainier and the surrounding areas on this beautiful sunny day. The South lookout was not as impressive. Definitely worth the short jaunt up to the North side.
words cant describe the splendid view here. just perfect for hiking but the trail is slippery so carry proper footwear and wind cheater. Be prepared to be accompanied by the mist and the clouds on the sides of the curvy uphill road.