We spent six days backpacking the Northeast Olympics - Grand Valley Loop through Olympic National Park, starting from the Deer Park Trailhead and moving clockwise along the Gray Wolf River, over Gray Wolf Pass, down the Dosewallips River, up Lost and Cameron Passes, Grand Pass, and then back to Deer Park via Obstruction Point.
Camps were mostly scenic and uncrowded. We camped at Gray Wolf (new privy, spacious, beautiful forested site), Falls Camp (found a nice camp a short way up the Cedar Lake trail), Dose Meadows, Upper Cameron (peaceful and wildly scenic creekside camp in Upper Cameron basin), and Grand Lake. Mosquitoes were never horrible, but worst at Upper Cameron (recent snow melt). Flies were pesky, especially a few horseflies on the passes.
We explored several historic sites—remains of old shelters, bridge timbers, nails, and even found insulators from past ranger infrastructure. Wildlife was active: deer wandered through camp almost nightly, one trying to steal my hat at Upper Cameron, a marten startled us, saw one marmot but heard many more, and fish were jumping in alpine lakes. No bears were sighted.
Trails ranged from mellow forest walks to steep climbs and rocky passes, including narrow paths at Gray Wolf and Cameron passes and a sketchy traverse of a gully coming down from Cameron pass. No snow on the trails!
The final day offered spectacular ridge views before we descended to Deer Park and ended the trip with an unexpected treat—ranger Donovan invited us into his historic cabin, filled with relics and stories from the park’s past.
A great mix of scenery, solitude, and Olympic history.
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