Saturday of Labor Day Weekend we arrived at the White River ranger station after the 3pm cutoff for timed entry, hoping for a permit to camp that night. We learned Glacier Basin had walk-up sites available, so we snagged a permit for that and started up the trail at 4:40pm. Within 2 hours we were settling into site #5. Sites 2 (right next to the trail) and 4 remained unoccupied during our stay.
Water available at a stagnant tarn, or from the river, which was a bit silty and we had to clean up our pump after pumping river water.
The toilet at this camp has the longest approach I’ve ever experienced, possibly warranting its own trail guide. You can get there from the main trail (signed), but also from a narrow path that follows the shoreline of the tarn before contouring back towards the main trail. You can make a loop trip of your morning constitutional.
Bugs were not a problem at all. The campsites are tucked close to one another, not a lot of privacy. There are no views to speak of from camp. You have to step down the trail a little ways for views of Mt Ruth, the basin, and a peekaboo of Rainier upper mountain.
Not a lot of flowers, but there are still some asters blooming. And gentian where it’s moist, near the river.
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