The Tubal Cain Trail to Buckhorn Pass is a classic hike in Washington’s Olympic Mountains, offering a mix of history, alpine scenery, and expansive views. The trail leads you to the old Tubal Cain Mine site, where relics of early 20th-century mining operations still rest in the forest. From there, the path steadily climbs through stands of fir and hemlock, eventually breaking into open meadows filled with wildflowers in summer.
As you gain elevation, the trail delivers sweeping vistas of the surrounding peaks, with rugged Mount Worthington and Iron Mountain looming nearby. The final stretch to Buckhorn Pass is steep but rewarding: at the pass, the view opens to the northeast, with the Dungeness Valley and, on clear days, the Strait of Juan de Fuca in sight. Many hikers use the pass as a turnaround point, but ambitious trekkers often continue on to Buckhorn Mountain itself for a full panoramic sweep of the Olympics. Whether you stop at the pass or push for the summit, the Tubal Cain approach combines natural beauty with a tangible sense of history, making it a memorable hike in the Olympics.
The photos below are from a hike I did in 2019 and are in no particular order.
