Embarked on a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip up to Blue Glacier. 

Day 1: Hiked from the visitor center to Lewis Meadows. There are only 5 or so 'designated' camp sites, but plenty of tent/overfill spots closer to the river. Has a toilet and a bear wire, too! The crossing over to the gravel bar is sketchy, especially with a full pack. Consider fording the river for fastest access. 

Day 2: Dayhiked from Lewis Meadows up to Blue Glacier, for about a 15 mi day, all told. The trail from camp to the glacier starts flat, but quickly ascends. No snow up to Elk Lake. After Elk Lake, it starts getting interesting. You need to cross an avalanche chute (it's all scree now) — I advise going across one at a time. After the avvie chute, you have to go down a precarious ladder that is deteriorating by the second (it's held up by cables and has a nice rope you can lean back on, though). Also a one-at-a-time affair. The snowfields start after the ladder, and continue up to Glacier Meadows. Spikes would be useless: the snow is melting (rapidly, too). After Glacier Meadows, it's another 0.9mi or so until the viewpoint of the Blue Glacier. All uphill, all in snow. Watch out for the slushy snow bridges. 

We ran into a dude who said he made it up to the glacier in "just tennis shoes" - possible, considering how slushy the snow is. Good hiking boots, gaiters, and poles are recommended.

Day 3: Packed up camp, and slogged all the way back the Hoh River Trail to the visitor center.

Photos: http://instagram.com/wudanyan

Hiked memorial day weekend, but got a head start by starting on Friday. We camped for 2 nights at Lewis Meadows.

We hiked to Lewis Meadows Friday, did the hike to the glacier as a day hike Saturday and returned to the ranger station Sunday.

Get an early start on this hike and start at least a day before the busiest days of the week. Hiking in Friday and Saturday there were very few other hikers. We saw about 10 others go up to the glacier Saturday. By the time we returned to Lewis Meadows - saw many many others head up to Glacier Meadows and the Lewis Meadows campsite was full. When we returned to the ranger station 3pm on Sunday- there was a line 3 miles long of cars just to get into the parking lot.

There are a few other options for campsites along the way further than Lewis Meadows if you have it in you to go an extra mile or two. These camps are not on any maps I saw- but they are at the 12.4 and 13.2 mile marks.

The Hoh River Trail is very simple and flat. From 12.4, the climb starts. Up to Elk Lake, it is a fairly tame hike.

After Elk Lake, this trail goes crazy. There are a lot of downed logs on the trail, and in at least 1 place, we followed the cairns to find the trail. 

On the Map, there is something labeled 'Hazarous Rockslide'. It is not an viewpoint. It is a feature of the trail. It seems the trail was washed out at some point and they've installed a rope and a ladder so you can go down the rockslide. Then go across and up what might turn into waterfall given more snow melt. Follow the cairns if you are not sure.

At the Glacier Meadows camp site- the snow fields start. We used spikes but it is possible (if not slow) to go without. At the camp, we lost the trail for 20 minutes. Head East straight through the camp. There should be many footprints now.

You are almost there once you go through the camp. Go straight up the snow field. At the top of the ridge, you will be rewarded with views in front of the glacier you came for and views of the valley you came from behind you

Great long weekend backpack. Camped at the visitor center Thursday night, pushed through to Elk Lake on Friday, some time up by the glacier Saturday then back down to Lewis Meadows that night, then an easy 10 miles out Sunday. Trail navigation got a little tricky in the snow when there weren’t fresh tracks. Spikes were handy. A couple stream crossings were a bit of a balancing act. Only saw elk once, but did see a young bobcat hunting. Lots of bear and cat scat, but no sightings. Phenomenal location; on my short list to do again