A World War I railroad finished too late for the war is now a paved trail through two tunnels beside Lake Crescent

Somebody blasted a railroad through the cliffs above Lake Crescent to build airplanes, and the war ended before it mattered. That’s the real origin of the Spruce Railroad Trail, and it’s the reason you can now walk or roll through a hand-cut tunnel on a smooth path beside one of Olympic National Park’s prettiest lakes.

The railroad was built during World War I by the Spruce Production Division to haul spruce timber off the Olympic Peninsula for aircraft. It wasn’t completed until 1919, too late for its original purpose, and it was abandoned in 1951. The rail bed sat there waiting for a second career.

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What the trail looks like now

Today it’s a roughly 10-mile paved route along Lake Crescent’s north shore, shared by hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, and people in wheelchairs. The park service finished the final phase in December 2020, and it’s fairly level in most spots. That makes it one of the easiest ways in Olympic National Park to get a big lake view without a big climb.

The tunnels are the main event

Two historic railroad tunnels sit along the route, and both have been restored. The McFee Tunnel is 450 feet long and got a $1.2 million restoration in 2017. The Daley-Rankin Tunnel followed when the rest of the trail opened.

Here’s my one firm opinion: skip the urge to rush to the lake overlooks and slow down in the tunnels. Walking into a cool, dark passage that was cut for a train a century ago, then stepping back out to turquoise water, is the whole trick of this trail.

Devils Punchbowl and the bridge

A bridge spans Devils Punchbowl, a bay along the route, and it’s the spot most people stop to photograph. Stand in the middle and you’re looking down into the lake from above, which is a different angle than most Lake Crescent views.

Getting there and what to pair it with

The eastern end is the Lyre River Trailhead, which has parking for regular vehicles, oversized vehicles, and horse trailers. The trail is also part of the planned 135-mile Olympic Discovery Trail, which is meant to link Port Townsend to La Push, so you’re technically walking a piece of something much bigger.

Want more to do around the lake? Browse our favorite Lake Crescent hikes, or build a whole weekend around the best things to do in Port Angeles.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Would you walk it, bike it, or do a little of both? Tell us which tunnel you’d tackle first.

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