Bigleaf and vine maples thrive amid the ancient Douglas-fir, red cedar, and western hemlock in the Staircase area. The swift-moving waters of the Skokomish River thunder over a series of cascades as they descend to the valley floor. It is thought that the area got its name from the “staircase” cascades on the south side of the North Fork of the Skokomish River, near the campground. The rock formation that formed the staircase was traversed and bridged by members of the 1890 Lt. Joseph O’Neil Expedition to allow their mules to continue up the valley. Later a cable crossing existed here and was often used by people to assist them and their horses in traversing this difficult section of the river. Remnants of the cables are still visible today.