Lake of the Angels via Putvin Trail #813

Head out to the Olympic Peninsula to take on a famously obscure hike of legendary proportions, passing features with names like the Valley of Heaven and St. Peter’s Gate on your way up to the Lake of the Angels.
Total Distance: 7.0 miles
Total Ascent: 3400ft
Highest Point: 4950ft
Difficulty: Hard
Our Hiking Time: 6h 45m
Required Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Take US Highway 101 along Hood Canal to Hamma Hamma Road (road signs also label it “Hamma Hamma Rec Area Rd”) 13.8 miles north of Hoodsport. Turn west, following the road, also known as FR 25 for 7.6 miles to the end of the pavement at the Lena Lake Trailhead. Continue on gravel another 4.3 miles to the Putvin Trailhead just beyond Boulder Creek. View Google Directions >>
While we highly recommend this hike, it’s definitely not for the unprepared. It’s not the most difficult hike we’ve ever done, but the Lake of Angels was certainly challenging to get to. At the same time, many guidebooks give the impression that this trail requires some serious mountaineering skills to tackle – this is not the case. If you’re a strong hiker and are looking for something a little out of the ordinary, this is definitely a trail to check out.

There's a lot more to Lake of the Angels, and you can learn all about it in Hiking through History Washington: Exploring the Evergreen State's Past by Trail, and Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!