Lake Cushman sits in the foothills of the Olympics, just up the road from Hoodsport on Hood Canal. I know it well because my family has a home on the fairway of the Lake Cushman golf course, and it has become our favorite place to slow down. Here is my short list for a weekend: where to get on the water, which hikes are worth the drive, and where to eat in town.
On the water
Lake Cushman: public access
Skokomish Park at Lake Cushman, the former Lake Cushman State Park, is the public way onto the lake. It is about seven miles northwest of Hoodsport at 7211 N Lake Cushman Rd, with three boat ramps, a day-use picnic area and more than 60 campsites. Day use runs $20 per vehicle ($25 on weekends and holidays), and a boat launch is $25 with day use included.
Lake Cushman: the community parks
Around the lake, the Lake Cushman community runs its own private parks, known by their division numbers. They are for Lake Cushman Maintenance Company members and their guests, with a member decal or guest pass. If you are renting a home here, ask your host for passes; renters order them for their guests.
- D1 and D3 (Lake Cushman): the big ones. Covered gazebos with grills, docks, boat launches, swimming areas for kids and adults, volleyball, a playground, restrooms with showers, and park hosts from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
- D9 (Lake Kokanee): a covered gazebo with grills, a fishing dock, a kids' swimming area, a playground and restrooms with showers. Quietest of the bunch.
- D14 (Lake Cushman and Lake Standstill): a dock, a boat launch, a kids' swimming area and a fishing area on Lake Standstill.
- D2 (Lake Cushman): a simple boat launch with picnic tables.
Hood Canal
- Ingvald J. Gronvold Park (Port of Hoodsport, 24100 US-101): a public dock with beach access and picnic tables right in town. Grab an ice cream at Hoodsport Coffee and walk it down to the water.
- Potlatch State Park (21020 N US Highway 101): about 5,700 feet of saltwater shoreline with clam and oyster harvesting in season (a shellfish license is required), kayaking, paddleboarding and camping. A Discover Pass is $10 a day or $45 a year.
Hikes worth the drive
Hoodsport is the doorstep to the southeast corner of Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest.
- Staircase: the Olympic National Park entrance at the top of Lake Cushman, about 16 miles from Highway 101 on a paved and gravel road. The Staircase Rapids Loop is an easy river walk for all ages. Trail status changes with the fire season, so check the park's road and trail conditions before you go.
- Mount Ellinor: the classic summit hike in the area. From the lower trailhead it is 6.6 miles round trip with 3,270 feet of gain; the upper trailhead cuts both. Best July through October, and you need a Northwest Forest Pass or Interagency Pass.
- Close to the lake: the Hoodsport Hills walking trails and a disc golf course are a minute or two from the golf course neighborhood, which makes them easy for a short morning outing.
Where to eat and drink
Hoodsport is small, and everything below is on or just off Highway 101. Hours shift by season, so check before you go.
- Fjord Oyster Bank: the seafood stop at the bottom of Lake Cushman Road, built on the recipes of seafood chef Xinh Dwelley.
- Burger Stand: burgers, fish and chips, shakes and hand-dipped ice cream. Get the bulgogi burger.
- El Puerto de Angeles: Mexican food with waterfront seating and a pier over Hood Canal. The best view in town.
- Hoodsport Coffee: espresso, sandwiches and Olympic Mountain Ice Cream.
- Tides Family Restaurant: breakfast all day, plus hand-battered Alaskan cod.
- Model T Pub & Eatery: pressure-fried chicken, burgers and 11 rotating taps.
- Potlatch Brewing Co.: small-batch beer in a rustic beer garden just off 101, open Thursday through Sunday.
- Tasting rooms: Hoodsport Winery (sweet wines from Harstine Island grapes), the Stottle Winery tasting room and Hardware Distillery, all in town.
- Hood Canal Grocery: for whatever you forgot to pack.
- Hama Hama Oyster Saloon (Lilliwaup, about 20 minutes north): worth the drive. Open Friday through Sunday, 11 to 5. Tables are reserved through Tock, and booking opens Mondays at 9 AM for the coming weekend.
The map
The parks, trails and stops around Lake Cushman and Hoodsport, on one map.
Quick answers
- Can I use Lake Cushman if I don't live there?
- Yes. Skokomish Park at Lake Cushman is open to the public for a day-use fee and has boat ramps and camping. The numbered community parks (D1, D3, D9 and so on) are private, for Lake Cushman members and their guests with a pass.
- Is Staircase open?
- It depends on the season and on fire conditions. Check Olympic National Park's road and trail conditions page the morning you go.
- Where can I eat oysters near Hoodsport?
- Fjord Oyster Bank in town, or Hama Hama Oyster Saloon in Lilliwaup, about 20 minutes north. Book Hama Hama ahead on summer weekends.
Want to stay on the lake? Our home, Pink Flamingolf on the Fairway, sits right on the golf course, a short drive from every park on this list. Book it on Airbnb.