The six of us started on a sunny Sunday at 9 am. Parking was not an issue in the morning but was scarce when we returned at 5 pm. The road is paved all the way to the trailhead and an Olympic NP pass is required at the tollbooth (Discover Pass/NW Forest Pass not accepted).
The 0.8-mile Sol Duc Falls Trail was fairly busy with tourists, especially in the afternoon. We chose to go CCW, so took the Deer Lake Trail from the Falls area. CCW is superior due to the elevation profile. In regard to recent trip reports, the bugs were indeed the worst at Deer Lake than anywhere else on the hike, but they weren't anything more than an occasional annoyance. I think the lack of recent rain, a light breeze, and the fact we didn't stop near the lake helped. Bug spray is still recommended but I didn't feel bombarded.
Some snowfields exist starting at 4,700 feet on the Deer Lake Trail and continue intermittently on the High Divide Trail, but are nothing of concern. All sections of the trail are mostly snow-free. There is one 30-foot-long snow section a quarter-mile before Bogachiel Peak that has decent exposure but I felt pretty surefooted and safe using the established boot prints. Just take your time and exercise caution. Some of us had poles but none of us had any snow equipment and we didn't regret not bringing any. By next weekend there will probably be very little snow to speak of on the trail. There was an older gentleman coming down the trail near Deer Lake who basically chastised us for not bringing snow equipment. Kinda strange given the conditions, but perhaps a good reminder that different people can draw different conclusions about the requirements of the same trail on the same day. Or maybe he did the trail several days prior and it was more treacherous then.
The Bogachiel Peak Trail is steeper and narrower than the High Divide Trail and might require using your hands. It is snow free. The views of Mount Olympus, Seven Lakes Basin, Hoh River, the Straight, the Pacific, and Canada in the distance were incredible and make Bogachiel Peak a must-add detour from the High Divide Trail (a detour that actually subtracts mileage and elevation gain).
The Sol Duc River Trail is rockier and rootier in the top 2/3, but was so smooth in the bottom portion that it was very pleasant to jog it in.
The views were amazing, the wildflowers were pretty, and the trail is in great shape. Not a single blowdown to step over on the whole loop. More waterfalls than I expected too. We ended with 18 miles and 4,500 feet of gain in about 7 hours. It's a few weeks later than usual, but this loop is fully open for business! Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/7523785860
Comments
vikr on High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop, Sol Duc Falls, Deer Lake, High Divide, Bogachiel Peak, Sol Duc River
Did you face any postholing in some
Sections ?
Posted by:
vikr on Jul 25, 2022 08:21 AM
Postholing
None of us postholed since the snow is always very hard-packed, but there is a section near the intersection of Deer Lake Trail and High Divide Trail where it seemed possible to punch through to the rock below, which would be unpleasant. We did hear/see a man posthole off-trail near this section.
Posted by:
Nick S. on Jul 25, 2022 11:49 AM
vikr on High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop, Sol Duc Falls, Deer Lake, High Divide, Bogachiel Peak, Sol Duc River
were there any streams to refill water between deer lake and heart lake? or you need to drop down to basin to get any water?
Posted by:
vikr on Jul 25, 2022 03:34 PM
Nick S. on High Divide - Seven Lakes Basin Loop, Sol Duc Falls, Deer Lake, High Divide, Bogachiel Peak, Sol Duc River
Correct, no water on the High Divide. The Lunch Lake Trail would work well for dropping down into the basin
Posted by:
Nick S. on Jul 25, 2022 04:12 PM