Mount Olympus Exploring

Dogs Unknown

Features Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · River/Creek · Swimming · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers

An amazing loop introduction to the forest at the base of Mount Olympus, featuring absolutely stunning water, vibrant and diverse forests, smooth singletrack trails, and wildflowers.

There is not much to say here other than this was my favorite of all the excursions on Olympus.

I started heading up the north side of the gorge heading out on a wider loop. This follows the wider, gentler trail rather than the one that heads straight up (it's a mess). About 3.5 miles in is a restaurant. I got there early but was still about to get some sweets and water before continuing.

This whole loop was simply stunning. It wasn't the views, though there were plenty, it was the solitude, the amazing forest, the flawless singletrack, the variety. There was plenty of water along the way.

After steeply descending into the canyon (very steeply), you'll reach a hut (Prionia), with food and drink options. This is about the half-way point. It will likely be chaos there, which was not welcome to me after all of the solitude. However, I was able to fill up my water and use the bathrooms before taking off again. It only took about a half-a-mile (past the "waterfall") to lose the crowds and get the trail, largely, back to myself again.

After the crowds, the trail follows the river for a while. There are options from this point, including working your way back to the smaller loop outlined previously. I took a right on a trail and headed back up the canyon wall. Again, this was not a steep or big climb as the river simply drops away from the trail as it heads toward the sea.

Par for the course, the trails are beautiful and isolated. There is a real feeling of solitude, without feeling disturbingly remote. The trails are shockingly well maintained and easy to follow, even if not always marked amazingly well.

Eventually I reached a high point where I could, once again, overlook the city, the gorge, and look out to the sea. Then, the trail dropped steeply, though playfully, back down to Litochoro.

All the history. This is Mount Olympus!!!