Royal Lake Backpacking Trip

July 19–20, 6:30am, Royal Basin, Olympic Mountains, $30, 16 miles, 2,650 feet gain, Difficult

Join us for an overnight backpacking trip. Nestled in the heart of the Olympic Mountains, the Royal Lake trail offers an unforgettable backpacking experience with alpine meadows, glacier-fed streams, and sweeping views of rugged peaks. This route winds through old-growth forest along the Royal Creek, climbing steadily toward the stunning subalpine basin that holds Royal Lake (where we'll camp) and, further up, Royal Basin.

This trip will take us deep into one of the most beautiful and less-traveled parts of Olympic National Park. The journey is rich with wildflowers in midsummer, and it's not uncommon to spot marmots, deer, and mountain goats above tree line.

We'll meet at Bethany Green Lake at 6:30am to carpool and catch a ferry. On trail, we'll hike 7.2 miles and set up camp at Royal Lake. We'll cook dinner and breakfast together as a group, please plan on bringing your own lunches and snacks.

If you need to borrow any gear for the trip, BWM has a full gear closet and we'd be happy to help find what you need. Coming in with some backpacking experience will be ideal, but we're open to supporting beginner backpackers who are strong hikers.