Smokey Bottom Trail

Smokey Bottom Trail drops you into the heart of the Elwha Valley, where one of the largest dam removal projects in American history is rewriting the landscape in real time. The nearly two-mile one-way route follows the Elwha River through second-growth forest that's slowly reclaiming what was once reservoir bottom — you'll notice young alders and willows colonizing sandy flats where water sat for a century. The trail is moderately rugged with some uneven footing over root tangles and river cobble, and it stays mostly shaded under a mixed canopy of Douglas fir and bigleaf maple. The payoff is the river itself: wide gravel bars, surprisingly clear water, and the eerie-beautiful sight of a valley rebuilding itself from scratch. This one's for hikers who care about ecological stories as much as scenery — nature nerds and curious walkers will eat it up.