Beaver Flats at Staircase – Kid’s Campout

Jay Adventure!, Family, Olympic Peninsula, Overnight Backpacking, Washington August 27, 2016January 9, 2019Backpacking, Kid's Campout, Olympic Mountains, Olympic National Park, Staircase Rapids Loop 0 Comment

August 27 2016

This was a quick overnight trip that my friend Megan sponsored. Megan does a trip or two every year with her grand-daughter and thought it would be fun to do a kids trip with a larger group. It was quite successful as there were about 12 of us which I believe is also the maximum group size per park rules. This is a great destination for bringing kids as it is only a little over a mile to the camp. The trail is mostly flat on the way out there and almost everywhere to pitch a tent is on nice soft river sand. The river this time of the year is pretty low and flows slowly, so playing in the water is ideal.

Beaver Flat can be found by hiking up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail from the Staircase Campground, past the Staircase Rapids and the footbridge. When you get to the footbridge, don't cross it but continue going straight on the Four Stream Trail. The gravel/sand bar is not too far past the footbridge. When you see a couple side trails going off to the river, you'll be there. Look for a fire pit and you'll know you're in the right spot. Of course, being inside the park, you'll need to stop at the ranger station before venturing out there for the night. The ranger that issues your overnight permit will be able to give more specific directions on how to get out there or if the river has changed the landscape since this was written.

My son Hayden at the old road bridge going across the North Fork of the Skokomish River near the trailhead.

Hayden on the footbridge. This bridge was recently installed as the old one got washed out some time ago.

Gravel Bar at Beaver Flat looking towards the sandy camp site.

Timelapse from Beaver Flat

The kids played on that log all afternoon. The river was shallow and running pretty slow so there was no danger of being swept away in the current or being pulled under a log.

Hayden getting ready to jump in 3. 2. 1...

He didn't stay in long. That water is COLD!

Here is a group shot of all of us. A friend of one of the guests and her family visited us for a couple hours to play in the river but did not stay the night.

Mt Lincoln sits as the backdrop across the river. There used to be a trail up Mt Lincoln before a fire took it out in the 80's. The Park Service has failed to restore it.

Adult campers illuminated by the fire as the kids are illuminated by their cell phones.

The kids played some kind of game and Hayden had to dance for a full minute or he would lose. The good moves he gets from his mother, the not so good moves definitely come from me, LOL.