High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop — Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026

It's a great time to visit High Divide and Seven Lakes Basin for lots of reasons, including lovely late spring weather, lack of crowds, bugs aren't too horrible yet, clear blue smoke-free skies, and lots of wildflowers!

We did the loop as an overnight at Lunch Lake, going counter-clockwise (you need to reserve a permit at the WIC in PA first). The trail itself is in decent shape with a few blow downs (especially on the stretch coming down after Sol Duc Park) and only a few small patches of snow left up top. I will say that it's rough going for much of the trail with lots of roots and jagged rocks and only a short section of nice, soft dirt, but the elevation gain and loss is fairly constant the whole time which made it more pleasant. The whole loop has something unique to offer and I was never ever bored! 

The lake was beautiful and though there were bugs, I've seen much, much worse. I think they are only just getting started for the season. Pack yer bug spray and headnet nevertheless.

The highlight for me was probably the avalanche lily explosion on the ridge! There were soooo many that after a while you almost stop noticing them. They stretched all the way from as soon as you emerge from the woods after Deer Lake, all along the ridge and down to Sol Duc Park. There were many other flowers as well including pink mountain paintbrush, Sitka valerian, subalpine fleabane, shooting-star, broadleaf lupine (though only just starting), pink mountain heather, and lots more. The wooded sections down low are also full of blooming bunchberry. I saw orchids including northwest twayblade, Pacific coralroot, and rattlesnake plantain (not yet blooming).

The only mammals we saw were deer (including a mama and two twin babies bounding through the lilies!!) and a couple of Douglas squirrels. There were plenty of the usual birds including hermit thrush, varied thrush, ruby-crowned kinglet, and olive-sided flycatchers all singing in the alpine zone.

There is water throughout the whole trail so it's easy to walk without carrying a ton and not worry too much about it as long as you're carrying filtration.

Overall with the basin I believe it was over 20 miles. We saw two other parties camping plus a NPS ranger at Lunch Lake, and several intrepid day hikers. Really glad I finally got to do this one!