Very High DemandReservation5 min read

Updated August 9, 2026

How to Get a Seven Lakes Permit

An 18.2-mile loop out of Sol Duc past a string of alpine lakes and along a ridge that stares straight across at Mount Olympus and the Hoh valley.

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$6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit, plus $8 per person per night for adults 16 and over. Under 16 camp free.

Permit Cost

2-3 days

Duration

18.2 miles

Distance

3,050'

Elevation Gain

moderate

Difficulty

About Seven Lakes

The High Divide loop through Seven Lakes Basin is 18.2 miles with 3,050 feet of climbing, starting and finishing at the Sol Duc Trailhead. The park rates it moderate and gives a best season of mid-July through September - that late start is snow, not preference. The park manages this as one quota area covering Sol Duc, Seven Lakes Basin and the Mink Lake area, including Cat Basin, High Divide and Little Divide. It does not publish a per-night number for it. The only numeric quota Olympic publishes anywhere is the East Fork Quinault and Enchanted Valley trial, so the practical limit here is simply what Recreation.gov shows as bookable. Camps are Deer Lake, Lunch Lake, Heart Lake and Sol Duc Park, each capped at six people, with designated group sites at Deer Lake and Sol Duc Park for parties of 7 to 12. Mink Lake takes up to twelve. The lake camps have no campfires. Bear canisters are required - the park names the Sol Duc/High Divide Loop/Mink Lake area explicitly, and prohibits hanging food in bags there. Summer-season reservations for May 15 through October 15 are released April 15 at 7:00 am Pacific, and no sites are held for same-day walk-ups. One caveat the park publishes for exactly this loop: some quota areas, such as the Sol Duc / Seven Lakes Basin, have a narrower season based on snow conditions, and if early-season dates are not showing online the park asks you to call the Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100.

This is the high-country counterpart to Olympic's rainforest trips, and the one loop in the park where you spend a full day above treeline with the Olympic massif in view the entire time. It is also the reason the park lists a single combined quota area - Sol Duc, Seven Lakes Basin and the Mink Lake area, including Cat Basin, High Divide and Little Divide - rather than metering each lake separately.

The Experience

You climb through old forest, pass Deer Lake, and then the trees give out and you are on an open ridge with the basin's lakes below you on one side and the Hoh River valley dropping away on the other, with Olympus and the Blue Glacier filling the skyline. Marmots, blueberries in late summer, and often a bear working the slope below the trail.

The loop is 18.2 miles with 3,050 feet of climbing, and the park rates it moderate with a best season of mid-July through September. Most parties go up the Sol Duc River Trail past Sol Duc Falls, camp at Deer Lake or Sol Duc Park, cross High Divide with Lunch Lake and Heart Lake as the other two camp options, and come down the far side.

The timing matters more here than the mileage. The park says snow persists on this trail until early to mid-July, and warns that the steep slopes of High Divide can remain snow or ice covered until mid-July and sometimes later, with an ice axe and self-arrest skills usually necessary. As of the park's 2026-06-15 report, patchy snow was still lingering on north and east aspects from Heart Lake over Bogachiel Peak to the Lunch Lake junction.

What to Expect

18.2 miles as a loop with 3,050 feet of gain - the park does not publish a one-way figure

Camps at Deer Lake, Lunch Lake, Heart Lake and Sol Duc Park, six people each

Group sites for parties of 7 to 12 at Deer Lake and Sol Duc Park; Mink Lake takes twelve

No campfires at the lake camps

Snow on High Divide into mid-July and sometimes later, with an ice axe usually necessary

Bear canisters required, free to borrow at a Wilderness Information Center

Sol Duc Road is paved, 14 miles off US 101, and was listed open as of 2026-03-24

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Permit Requirements

A wilderness permit is required for every overnight trip and must be reserved on Recreation.gov

Group size is limited to 12 people and 8 stock park-wide; the lake camps here cap at six

Parties of 7 to 12 must use the designated group sites at Deer Lake or Sol Duc Park

Bear canisters are required in the Sol Duc/High Divide Loop/Mink Lake area; hanging food, garbage or scented items in bags is prohibited there

No campfires at Deer Lake, Lunch Lake, Heart Lake or Sol Duc Park

Permits are issued around 3 days before your trip start date

No sites are held as same-day walk-ups

Gear & Preparation

Required Gear

•An approved bear canister - required, and free to borrow at a Wilderness Information Center
•An ice axe and the skills to self-arrest if you are crossing High Divide before mid-July
•A stove; campfires are prohibited at the lake camps
•Rain and wind layers for an exposed ridge
•Water treatment

Recommended Gear

•Traction devices for lingering snow on north and east aspects
•Trekking poles for the climb to the divide
•Sun protection - the ridge has no shade at all
•Insect repellent for the basin in July

Hazards & Safety

Steep snow on High Divide, which the park says can hold into mid-July and sometimes later and usually needs an ice axe and self-arrest skills

Patchy lingering snow on north and east aspects between Heart Lake, Bogachiel Peak and the Lunch Lake junction, per the park's 2026-06-15 report

Weather on an exposed ridge with no bail-out for several miles

Bears in the basin and on the divide slopes

Route-finding across snow-covered slopes where the tread is buried

Best Time to Visit

Mid-July through September, which is the park's own stated best season and is set by snow rather than crowds. Late August adds ripe blueberries on the divide. If you want early July, call the Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100 first - the park narrows this area's season by snow conditions and dates may simply not appear online.

Pro Tips

Book on April 15 at 7:00 am Pacific. The whole summer goes on sale at once and nothing is held back for walk-ups.

If you want a date before mid-July and nothing shows online, call the Wilderness Information Center at (360) 565-3100 - the park narrows this area's season by snow and holds those dates back.

Camp at Lunch Lake or Heart Lake rather than Deer Lake if you can get it. It puts you on the divide for sunrise instead of three hours of climbing away from it.

Carry an ice axe before mid-July and know how to use it. The park's own wording is that self-arrest skills are usually necessary on the High Divide slopes.

There are no campfires at the lake camps, so bring enough fuel for hot meals both nights.

Written by

PermitSnag Team

100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience

This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Seven Lakes permit?

Seven Lakes permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.

When is the best time to visit Seven Lakes?

How difficult is Seven Lakes?

Backpackers who want a real alpine ridge without technical climbing. Fit day-hikers can do the loop in two nights comfortably.

What gear do I need for Seven Lakes?

Essential gear includes: An approved bear canister - required, and free to borrow at a Wilderness Information Center, An ice axe and the skills to self-arrest if you are crossing High Divide before mid-July, A stove; campfires are prohibited at the lake camps, Rain and wind layers for an exposed ridge, Water treatment.