Rosario Head Trail
Markus being told that everything the sun touches belongs to him on Rosario Head Trail in Washington
About Rosario Head Trail
Type: Trail
Length: 2.4 km
Traffic: Low
Route Type: Out & Back
Welcome to a brief, yet remarkable hiking experience that will leave you and your dog enchanted by the Pacific Northwest. The Rosario Head Trail may be short and may not require an extensive time commitment (that’s a plus in my books), but it promises an abundance of beauty and tranquility that we’ve come to know in the great PNW. If you’re looking for a momentary escape from the bustle of daily life, this short, scenic hike offers a delightful respite for the soul, leaving you refreshed and inspired.
Markus enjoying the view on Rosario Head Trail in Washington
If you're anything like me, you're all about those easy-win hikes. You know what I mean - the low effort/high reward type hikes. If you're looking for one of those, then the Rosario Head Trail is the hike for you. The hike was easy to do (though there are some steep parts at the beginning) and the best part was for the little amount of work you have to put in, the view at the end is absolutely outstanding.
During our research, a few people have mentioned that the trailhead was hard to find although we didn't have that same experience. From the parking lot, just keep following the trail towards the right (make sure you don't end up on the Bowman Bay/Rosario Beach Trail because that'll take you somewhere else!). You'll eventually come across a totem and a dock. Since it was so quiet and traffic wasn’t heavy, we brought Markus down to the dock where we were greeted by a seal.
Markus enjoying the view from the dock on the Rosario Head Trail in Washington
If you head back towards the totem, the trailhead is just beyond it and into the woods. We went counter-clockwise since the path looked a bit more straightforward for a dog and as you work around the path, you'll eventually emerge into a rocky area with amazing views from all sides. We ended up spending quite a bit of time here to sit and enjoy the view. I'm not sure if dogs are able to take in views like this, but it certainly felt as though Markus was thoroughly enjoying it.
Once you've had the chance to soak it all in, you can keep going on the path (it ends up being a small circle) and you'll end up around the totem area where you first started. In total, the hike itself is pretty short and should only take minutes. Though there are some steep parts right in the beginning, the elevation gain of the entire trail is minimal. If you have difficulty with inclines, this might not be the trail for you.
Markus taking a break from the easy hike on Rosario Head Trail in Washington
What we liked
The view at the top of the trail is amazing.
It's an easy and short trail with minimal elevation gain.
What we didn’t like
It's a bit steep in some areas, but our dog was able to get up.
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
For reactive dogs, this trail should be fine. It’s an easy walk (can’t even call it a hike) and it was quiet when we were there. We didn't come across another dog, but we were here in the middle of a weekday so it's possible that we came here during the quieter times. There was one steep part on the way up to the viewpoint, but Markus made it up with no problems.
