Spruce Railroad Trail
Encyclopedia
The Spruce Railroad Trail (sometimes called Lake Crescent Trail) is a rail trail
located on the shores of Lake Crescent
about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Port Angeles, Washington
. The trail follows the former Port Angeles Western Railroad grade along the shores of Lake Crescent. Built during World War I
for the Spruce Production Division
to transport spruce
from the western Olympic Peninsula
for the aircraft industry, it was completed in 1919, a year too late for its intended purpose. The trail is approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) one way, and trailhead
s exist at both ends. The trail is fairly level in most spots and could be hiked by most amateur hikers. Points of interest include the remnants of a railroad tunnel, a bridge that spans a bay called Devils Punch Bowl, and Harrigan Point.
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
located on the shores of Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is a deep lake located entirely within Olympic National Park in Clallam County, Washington, United States, approximately west of Port Angeles, Washington on U.S. Route 101 and nearby to the small community of Piedmont...
about 20 miles (32.2 km) west of Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles is a city in and the county seat of Clallam County, Washington, United States. The population was 19,038 at the 2010 census. The area's harbor was dubbed Puerto de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles by Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza in 1791, but by the mid-19th century the name had...
. The trail follows the former Port Angeles Western Railroad grade along the shores of Lake Crescent. Built during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
for the Spruce Production Division
Spruce Production Division
The Spruce Production Division was a unit of the United States Army established in 1917 to supply the army with high quality spruce and other wood products needed for the production of aircraft for the United States war effort in World War I. The division was part of the Army Signal Corps's...
to transport spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
from the western Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
for the aircraft industry, it was completed in 1919, a year too late for its intended purpose. The trail is approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) one way, and trailhead
Trailhead
A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles...
s exist at both ends. The trail is fairly level in most spots and could be hiked by most amateur hikers. Points of interest include the remnants of a railroad tunnel, a bridge that spans a bay called Devils Punch Bowl, and Harrigan Point.