Take a leisurely hike back into time on this delightful trail along the Hamma Hamma River to the historic Hamma Hamma Cabin. Constructed by the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), the cabin was used as a guard station in Olympic National Forest. Today it stands as a testament to the craftsmanship and hard work of the CCC. Learn more about “Roosevelt’s Tree Army” and their legacy on this family friendly interpretive trail.
LIVING LEGACY TRAIL DISTANCE: 1.8 miles roundtrip ELEVATION GAIN: 125 feet HIGH POINT: 700 feet DIFFICULTY: easy SNOW FREE: year round TRAILHEAD PASS: None GPS WAYPOINTS:
Trailhead: N47 35.691 W123 07.412 Cabin: N47 35.543 W123 06.902
FEATURES: old-growth forest, kid-friendly, dog-friendly, snow-free winter hiking, historic sites.
Hamma Hamma Cabin FJORD 18
In April of 1933 in the midst of the Great Depression, newly inaugurated president Franklin D Roosevelt established the CCC through an executive order. Roosevelt’s aim was more than just putting young men to work and allowing them to provide for their families.
"Roosevelt strongly believed in the spiritual and physical values of working in nature, and in the importance of conservation of our natural resources for the nation’s health and prosperity." At its height in 1935, more than 500,000 young men were stationed in more than 2900 CCC camps in every state as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. At the program’s close in 1942, more than 3 million men (nearly 5% of the country’s male population) had served in the CCC. This trail sheds some light on what life was like for these men during their time in the Corp—and highlight some of their achievements and legacy. Among their many projects, CCC recruits were responsible for building vast amounts of infrastructure within parks and forests throughout the country—including both the Olympic National Park and Forest.
They also fought fires, reforested large tracts of land and worked on flood control projects. There were camps established right within Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, including one in the nearby Staircase Region. Nearby Twanoh State Park on Hood Canal also was the site of a large CCC camp.
HIT THE TRAIL
Start your hike east on a wide and level path through a riparian forest of large mossy maples and speckled barked alders. The first quarter mile of this recently refurbished trail is ADA compliant. While this trail emphasizes the historic role the CCC played in this corner of Olympic National Forest, there is plenty of natural beauty to be enjoyed long the way as well. It is the only trail (albeit just for a short stretch) that runs along the Hamma Hamma River. The river’s name come from the Twana (whose ancestral lands included much of the Hood Canal region) word Hab’hab, which refers to a reed along the river’s banks. The name means big stink, or literally stinky, stinky in reference to the aroma the reeds emitted. The trail hugs a bank above the river allowing for some excellent views of the pretty waterway.
