By Judy Smith

September 7, 2018

My 3-year-old grandson wants to visit Granny and Grandpa in Forks so he can “go through the tunnel and drink hot cocoa.” Apparently, our hike through the newly restored McFee Tunnel on the Spruce Railroad Trail last winter left a lasting impression on the little guy. Either that or he was especially fond of the hot chocolate at Lake Crescent Lodge.

As a result, the Spruce Railroad Trail was at the top of our things to do list this summer when I hosted a large group of family and friends at our home in Forks. Our friends had to catch a plane back to Nebraska, so we decided to hike the trail on their way to SeaTac.

We parked at the east trailhead and released a joyful gaggle of small humans from their car seats to charge up the trail. Unfortunately, we miscalculated the time needed to herd free range toddlers and patch up a skinned knee on a pre-schooler, so we sadly turned around just a little way short of the tunnel.

After saying goodbye to our friends we headed to Lake Crescent Lodge, only to find out it was closed that day. Fortunately, my grandson is a good sport, so we agreed to hike the tunnel and drink hot cocoa on his next visit. Instead, we hiked to Marymere Falls, skipped rocks in a stream along the way and then cooled our feet in Lake Crescent.

A few days ago, I returned to the Spruce Railroad Trail for a solo hike. Because of construction on US Highway 101, I drove to the east trailhead via Joyce. Thanks, Google Maps! School is back in session, so it was mostly retired folks out walking with a few tourists thrown in for good measure.

The portal of the restored McFee Tunnel appears after a brisk one-mile walk up the wide gravel trail. At 450 feet, the tunnel is just long enough for hikers to enjoy a dark cool spot in the middle of a warm day.

Beyond the tunnel, the trail narrows down to less than two feet wide. Several through cuts and the gentle grade serve as reminders that this route was built as a logging railroad for World War I, but it wasn’t completed until a year after the war. There are several interesting historical write-ups on the internet.

I make good time for the second and third mile until I spot the partially obscured portal of the Daley Rankin Tunnel above me. This tunnel is my chosen turnaround point today. A mile ahead of me is the western terminus of the trail on the Camp David Jr. Road, but alas, my car is behind me.

On the return trip, I detour around the McFee Tunnel and walk the old trail to the footbridge where I admire the beautiful turquoise waters of the Devils Punchbowl which is surrounded by lovely Pacific madrone trees that shed their bark to reveal satiny trunks.

The Spruce Railroad Trail is a segment of the 134-mile Olympic Discovery Trail, but the tunnels and water views make it one of the crown jewels of the traverse from Port Townsend to LaPush. During the next year, the trail will be widened and paved for universal accessibility and the Daley Rankin Tunnel will be opened and restored. If you want to hike here it is a good idea to check online for closures or construction information.

To get to the Spruce Railroad Trailhead for Lake Crescent on US Highway 101. It’s 44 miles to the east trailhead via East Beach Road or 33 miles to the west trailhead via Camp David Jr. Road.

Young and old alike will enjoy this hike in our big backyard. Don’t forget to stop for hot cocoa on the way home.