Royal Basin

Trail was in great shape. The first half is a nice gradual slope through beautiful mossy forests. It seemed a bit long on the way out with a heavier pack, but still lovely. Eventually the trail starts to climb up more seriously, and keeps on going for what seemed like longer than it really was. Great views along the way, and you can watch your progress as you work your way into the Basin past craggy ridges on both sides.

Campsites at the lake were all filled up, but spaced in such a way as to give privacy. Plenty of deer made themselves at home there too (even a momma and two babies). With a clear night, the stars were out in all their glory. The ranger station emailed the permit to me ahead of time, so we didn't need to go to Port Angeles and back, which was very convenient.

In the morning we raced the fog up to the upper basin for stunning views and some quality time with marmots. The fog cleared out by the time we packed up and were ready to head back down the trail.

Fall colors were just beginning, and are sure to be much more plentiful in a few weeks.