Washington · Rock climbing · Hoodsport

Lake Cushman

Lake Cushman in Washington has 10 climbing routes across 9 difficulty grades, featuring mixed, sport, and trad styles.

10 routes
5.6 – 5.11-
Sport · Trad · Mixed

Is Lake Cushman open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 8 alerts for Olympic National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Olympic National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Lake Cushman

Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    45° / 36°

    20 wet · 1 snow

  2. Feb

    48° / 35°

    17 wet

  3. Mar

    52° / 37°

    18 wet

  4. Apr

    58° / 40°

    16 wet

  5. May

    65° / 46°

    12 wet

  6. Jun

    70° / 50°

    9 wet

  7. Jul

    76° / 54°

    5 wet

  8. Aug

    76° / 54°

    5 wet

  9. Sep

    69° / 50°

    8 wet

  10. Oct

    58° / 44°

    15 wet

  11. Nov

    50° / 39°

    19 wet

  12. Dec

    44° / 35°

    20 wet · 1 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA, 10.4 mi away at 21 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Closures we've recorded since August 2026

  • Alcohol ban in effect along Lake Cushman corridor

    Olympic National Forest · Order dated May 21, 2023; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

Lake Cushman is a climbing area in the Hood Canal Ranger District/Hoodsport of Olympic National Forest in Washington, about 10 miles from the Cushman Powerhouse weather station. The area is a cluster of sport climbing routes, with a few mixed and trad options, and the most comfortable months for a visit are July and August, when typical highs reach about 76°F and wet days drop to around five a month. Winter is much wetter, with about 20 wet days a month from December through February. The climbing here is concentrated in a small area, with Reclamation wall and Open book both about 0.1 mile away. The North Fork Skokomish River, a paddling route, is about 1.2 miles off, and Big Creek campground is about 3.7 miles away.

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive