Reservation8/10
Olympic Wilderness permit
The single overnight permit for backpacking anywhere in Olympic National Park's ...
Seven Lakes Basin Permit
Olympic National Park · Washington
Booked one camp per night, in order
High Divide area camping.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Seven Lakes were gone within 10 minutes.
Plan the full trip, not just the permit
Build your full itinerary start to finish
Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.
Start a plan — it's free
No permit needed to start
Seven Lakes Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelHigh7/10
SeasonMay 15, though snow usually delays this loop to mid-July - October 15
Cost$6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit, plus $8 per person per night for adults 16 and over. Under 16 camp free.
Max Group Size12 people
Seven Lakes Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Seven Lakes in Olympic National Park, Washington requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Seven Lakes is a high-demand permit, rating 7/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Seven Lakes route covers 18.2 miles with 3,050 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate.
- Cancelled Seven Lakes permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensNot a lottery - summer reservations are released April 15 at 7:00 am Pacific
SeasonMay 15, though snow usually delays this loop to mid-July - October 15
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level7/10
LocationOlympic Peninsula, WA
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.
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
18.2 miles
Elevation Gain
3,050 ft
Route Type
Loop
Duration
2-3 days
Difficulty
ModerateHighlights
- •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
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.
Hazards & Considerations
- !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
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
⚠️
Backcountry Tips
- Today: 62% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
Today
🌧️
54°
42°
62%
Sun
🌧️
55°
42°
50%
Mon
☁️
55°
34°
Tue
☁️
58°
37°
Wed
☁️
66°
42°
Thu
☀️
73°
46°
Fri
☀️
73°
50°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a National Park Service account
Sign up at National Park Service if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: Mid-July through SeptemberShoulder: Early July and early October
Conditions
Snow-covered. The reservation season opens May 15 but the loop is generally not walkable then.
Crowd Level
LowAdvantages
- +Sol Duc Falls is at full volume
- +Almost nobody on the trail
Challenges
- !High Divide is under snow with steep, icy slopes
- !The park may not release early dates online at all
- !Camps are buried and water sources hidden
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand3/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill2/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment3/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Backpackers who want a real alpine ridge without technical climbing. Fit day-hikers can do the loop in two nights comfortably.
Recommended Experience
Multi-day backpacking with a 3,000-foot climb, plus snow travel and self-arrest if you go early. After the snow melts out the trail itself is straightforward.
Not Recommended For
Parties without an ice axe before mid-July, and anyone uncomfortable on steep snow. The exposure here is a snow-covered traverse above a long runout, not a cliff edge.
About This Permit
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.
The Experience
Why It Matters
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 Route
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.
The Feeling
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.
Trailhead Information
Sol Duc Trail
1,900 ft elevationThe standard start for the High Divide loop and everything in the Sol Duc / Seven Lakes Basin quota area. NPS puts the area 15 miles south of Lake Crescent.
Restrooms
No water
Mink Lake/Lover's Lane Trail
1,643 ft elevationThe Mink Lake side of the same quota area. NPS gives 4.3 miles from the Sol Duc Resort trailhead to the Bogachiel River and Little Divide junctions, 1,643 to 4,130 feet.
Restrooms
No water
Notes
NPS says the Hidden Lake Creek ford on Lover's Lane can become hazardous at any time from heavy precipitation or seasonal snowmelt.
Sol Duc Campground
Frontcountry base at the end of the road. Useful for an early start: NPS measures 8.4 miles and 1,900 to 4,800 feet from the Sol Duc trailhead to the High Divide junction.
Restrooms
No water
Rules & Regulations
- •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 Checklist
Required
- 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
- 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
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Seven Lakes
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
Browse all shuttles🧭
Guide Services
Experienced wilderness guides
Browse all guidesSome links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.
Key Landmarks
↑
3,050ft
Gain↓
3,050ft
Loss⛰️
5,395ft
High📏
10.8mi
Distance📐
5.3%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•7 landmarks
Landmarks (7)
Seven Lakes FAQ
Do I need a permit to hike the Seven Lakes Basin loop?
For any overnight, yes - an Olympic National Park wilderness permit reserved on Recreation.gov, at $6 per permit plus $8 per person per night for anyone 16 or over. Day hiking the loop needs no permit.
How long is the Seven Lakes Basin and High Divide loop?
18.2 miles with 3,050 feet gained, per the park's own trail page, which rates it moderate. That is a loop figure - the park publishes no one-way distance for it.
When is the snow gone on High Divide?
The park says snow persists on this trail until early to mid-July, and 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. On 2026-06-15 the park reported patchy snow still lingering on north and east aspects from Heart Lake over Bogachiel Peak to the Lunch Lake junction.
How many permits are issued per night for Seven Lakes Basin?
The park does not publish a number. It manages Sol Duc, Seven Lakes Basin and the Mink Lake area - including Cat Basin, High Divide and Little Divide - as one quota area, but the only numeric quota Olympic publishes anywhere is the separate East Fork Quinault and Enchanted Valley trial. In practice the limit is whatever Recreation.gov shows as bookable.
Do I need a bear canister for the Seven Lakes Basin permit?
Yes. The park names the Sol Duc/High Divide Loop/Mink Lake area as an area where all food, garbage, beverages other than water and scented items must be stored in bear canisters, and where hanging them in bags is prohibited. Canisters are free to borrow at Wilderness Information Centers.
Can a group of eight camp in Seven Lakes Basin?
Only at a designated group site. Deer Lake, Lunch Lake, Heart Lake and Sol Duc Park each cap at six people; parties of 7 to 12 must use the group sites, which exist at Deer Lake and Sol Duc Park. Mink Lake takes up to twelve.
👥Community
Trail Conditions(7)
Questions
No questions yet
Be the first to ask about Seven Lakes.
Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Sunrise from High Divide, with first light on Mount Olympus across the Hoh valley and the basin still in shadow.
Best Light
Late afternoon on the ridge, when the Bailey Range picks up warm light. The lakes photograph best in the flat calm of early morning.
Beat the Crowds
Sol Duc Falls carries the entire day-use crowd and it evaporates within a mile. On the divide, be up there at sunrise - the day-hikers doing the loop clockwise do not reach it until late morning.
Classic Shots
- 📍Mount Olympus and the Blue Glacier from High Divide
- 📍The lakes of Seven Lakes Basin from the ridge above
- 📍Sol Duc Falls in the slot, shot long for the water
- 📍Heart Lake reflecting the divide at dawn
- 📍Huckleberry colour across the divide slopes in late September
Can't Get a Seven Lakes Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Enchanted Valley
Same Area13 miles up the East Fork Quinault to a meadow ringed by waterfalls, with the 1930s chalet at the head of it.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Rainforest instead of alpine, gentler grade, and a much longer season. It is the one area in the park with a published numeric quota, and it currently has a washout a third of a mile before the chalet.
Hoh River Trail
Similar Experience17.4 miles up the Hoh to Glacier Meadows, ending below the same Blue Glacier you look at from High Divide.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
The other side of the same mountain, from underneath. Longer, flatter for most of its length, and only the upper camps are quota-limited.
Olympic Wilderness Permit
Same AreaThe park-wide overnight wilderness permit for every non-quota area in Olympic.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Much easier to get, but the named quota areas still have to be booked as quota areas.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Seven Lakes trip
A small favor
One tick helps us more than you’d think
Google lets you pick the sites it highlights for you. Add PermitSnag and our permit pages get marked as one of yours in AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Add PermitSnag in Google
Takes less than a minute.