Mount Ellinor · Lower Trail
Lower Trailhead via Summer Trail
The Route
The lower start climbs through forest before merging with the upper trail 1.8 miles from the lower trailhead.
- Lower TrailheadForest approach
- Upper Trail JunctionShared mountain ascent
- Summer / Winter SplitSeparate terrain lines
- South RidgeRock and meadow
- SummitReturn to lower-start branch
Lower Forest Approach
The lower trailhead begins around 2,600 feet. The approach climbs old-growth forest, crosses recovering clear-cut terrain and gains a ridge with occasional views. It meets the upper-trailhead approach near 3,900 feet, after roughly 1.8 miles; the two starts share the remainder of the mountain route.
Upper Mountain & Return
Above the merge, steep switchbacks and stairs lead toward the summer/winter route junction. The summer trail leaves forest for rock, gravel and meadows, crossing to the west side before returning toward the summit rim. The lower-start outing returns through the same forest approach rather than exiting at the upper parking lot.
Published reference figures for the named itinerary. Source dates and access notices are separate from current terrain observations. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Lower Trailhead, Washington · Olympic Peninsula
Start
Lower Ellinor Trailhead; the upper parking area is a separate start.
Road & Trailhead
From Hoodsport, SR 119 and FR 24 connect to FR 2419. The lower parking is a separate start from the FR 2419-014 upper lot; descending to the wrong branch reaches a different parking area.
Parking & Facilities
WTA lists no parking pass at the lower trailhead. The toilet and separate forest-pass requirement are at the upper trailhead, not facilities guaranteed at this lower start.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Trip Reports & Route Guide
Open the original publisher’s material. A guide or permit page is not a live condition report.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.