We did the loop clockwise, camping at West Oval and Silver Lake. The 2018 burn sections are becoming overgrown and there were a lot of downed trees. We counted 67 to West Oval and 38 between Silver Lake and the main trail. (We ran into a ranger putting up a new sign at the junction and shared our report.) The trail between West Oval and Silver Lake was in much better shape, with just a handful of downed trees. Last year's fires barely touched the trail and we met a forest service crew that were planning to log that section. Lots of wildflowers at almost every elevation, and plenty of huckleberries in the first two miles. Great fishing at Tuckaway Lake. It was pretty quiet for a long weekend, we only saw five other groups and two solo hikers across three days.
Type of Hike
Multi-night backpackTrail Conditions
Obstacles on trail:.
Road
Road suitable for all vehiclesBugs
Bugs were an annoyanceSnow
Snow free
Comments
Kmino on Oval Lakes
Hey there,
What was the bug situation like on your trip? Sure are a bunch of fish in Tuckaway. Thanks for the report.
Posted by:
Kmino on Jul 10, 2025 05:05 PM
Lady McDeath on Oval Lakes
Few to none at the trailhead, along the old burn section, and at the highest elevations. Annoying but manageable at the creek camps and the lower lakes with Silver Lake being the worst.
Posted by:
Lady McDeath on Jul 10, 2025 05:21 PM