Six Ridge Primitive Trail

Six Ridge Primitive Trail is a rugged long-distance hike in Olympic National Park that follows primitive tread with long stretches that can be hard to keep on route between Belview and McGravey Lakes. Expect map-and-compass navigation to be a core part of the day rather than an extra skill.

The trail is remote and extremely demanding, with a steep elevation gain trend from about 1,500 feet up to about 4,650 feet and a total mapped distance on the order of 10.6 miles. Sections can be exceedingly difficult to follow, so treat route-finding as advanced even if you know the general corridor.

Water planning is critical: there is no water between the North Fork Skokomish River Trail and Belview. Beyond that, only small springs/streams are available in the general Belview-to-McGravey Lakes stretch, so start with enough and plan for constrained refills.

Camping is tied to designated primitive sites at Belview and Sundown Lake; elsewhere you should camp on bare ground instead of vegetation to protect subalpine meadow conditions. Keep campsite and impact discipline tight—camp at least 200 feet from water sources, and note there are no toilet facilities on this route.

Seasonally, the best window runs roughly mid-July through October. Primitive conditions plus difficulty make this a poor fit for shoulder seasons when travel time and weather risk rise.

Because this is Olympic National Park wilderness hiking, overnight trips require a wilderness permit, and food storage follows strict rigid food storage rules (bear canisters required). Fires are restricted above 3,500 feet, and winter travel may require appropriate traction gear where snow is present.

More information: Conditions, Conditions, Visitor information