Trail of Treasures

Hiking the Tubal Cain Mine

L. Lisa Lawrence L. Lisa Lawrence is a local freelance photographer and writer and an avid hiker, backpacker, skier, cyclist and snowshoer. She has worked in the outdoor field for more than 20 years as a park ranger, river guide, ski instructor and an environmental educator and often field tests gear and apparel.

Panoramic views of the Olympic mountains await the traveler willing to make the journey to the Tubal Cain Mine Trail. As if the natural beauty of this treasure nestled in the rain shadow of the Olympic mountain  range was not enough, there’s also a challenging scramble up to an abandoned copper mine, a side trail to view the wreckage of WWII aircraft and miles of green wilderness to rejuvenate the soul.

The trail starts out in a cool conifer forest along Silver Creek. Less than one-tenth of a mile from the trailhead is the Silver Creek Shelter. It’s a convenient lunch stop, or camping area for those who do not wish to travel the long steep trails beyond. It’s a great stop for those with small children, too.

For those who want to continue, the trail opens up to spectacular views of the Olympic mountains and the Brother’s Wilderness. This part of the trail can be quite hot and dry in summer, and there’s significant elevation gain and exertion, so you will want to make certain you have plenty of water and are up for the work.

At mile 3.2, where the trail becomes quite steep and you will have already climbed a little over 900 feet, is the cutoff for the Tull City Way trail on your left. This is a worthy side trip for those who like to get off the beaten path, as well as history buffs. A 500-foot climb up a steep trail into Tull Canyon brings the curious adventurer to the site of a crash of a WWII plane that reportedly slammed into the mountainside during a snowstorm while on a rescue mission in 1941. The wreckage is scattered throughout the valley and provides great opportunity for exploration. There are also many signs of mining activity in this area.

After climbing back down to the main trail and continuing on about one-quarter of a mile, there is a cutoff to the namesake of the trail — the main entrance to the Tubal Cain Mine. There are many nice campsites in this area, which is the site of a ghost town that has all but disappeared.

To the left, the trail meanders through an area cut by streams. Keep moving toward the rocks, follow the water, and you’ll find the way to the mine entrance. Just look up. 

The route to the mine is not so much a trail, it is a challenging scramble up a steep slope composed of mine tailings. Some are tempted to climb straight up, but there’s risk of a painful slip or fall, or kicking loose rocks on your hiking companions.

Instead, traverse to your left and take a long, sweeping (and much safer) path to the mine entrances. If you’ve hiked up on a hot day, your arrival at the mine is much like finding an oasis: a cool breeze flows from its dark, rocky depths as the vividly blue-green water of the creek bubbles out. You may even catch a welcome chill. This is a wonderful spot for lunch on a hot day.

Backpackers and hardcore hikers can continue another 2.1 miles to the junction with the Buckhorn Lake Trail and on to Buckhorn and Marmot passes. The trail is quite steep with 10 to 15 percent grade, so a majority of day hikers turn around at the mine or Tull Canyon.

How to Get There
Take Highway 101, west of Sequim. Turn on Louella Road just across from the Sequim Bay State Park. Follow the road to the T intersection. Turn left on Palo Alto Road and continue onto Forest Road No. 28. Turn right on road No. 2880. Just past the Dungeness Forks campground, veer left onto road No. 2870. From there, it’s 8 miles to the Upper Dungeness trailhead. Three miles up from the recreation area (and your last chance at a semi-civilized bathroom) is the Tubal Cain trailhead off to your right.

 

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