*August 9–10, 2026*
*Distance:* ~20 miles *Elevation Gain:* ~4,000 ft *Time:* ~6.5 hours *Start:* ~4:20 AM *Finish:* ~11:00 AM
Patrick and I left Seattle around 12:30 PM on August 9 and made our way around to the Olympic Peninsula, with a few stops along the way. We stopped at Taco Loco in Port Angeles, where I had some excellent but extremely greasy tacos dorados. A decision I would pay for later.
We reached the Sol Duc trailhead around 7pm and were set up for some simple cowboy camping near the car by about 8pm. I went to bed early in anticipation of the 4am wake-up, although sleep was limited by what sounded like rodents running around beneath and around the car for much of the night.
We woke at 4am and were moving from the trailhead by approximately 4:20. It was about 57°F at the start. One of the highlights of the early climb was a beautiful crescent moon hanging over the mountains as the first light began to come in.
The Seven Lakes Basin Loop is roughly 20 miles with about 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Most of the climbing felt front-loaded, which made the second half of the day considerably easier. Once we had gained the high country, the remaining ~15 miles were largely rolling or downhill and went by quickly, especially with good conversation and company.
Wildlife was probably the most memorable part of the trip. We saw an extraordinary number of black bears, perhaps eight over the course of the morning, including several at relatively close range. None showed much interest in us. The berry crop was abundant, and the bears appeared much more concerned with eating than with the hikers passing through. The blueberries and huckleberries were excellent for us as well.
Patrick also passed along the memorable bear rule of thumb: “If it’s black, fight back; if it’s brown, lie down; if it’s white, good night.” Fortunately, our encounters were all with black bears, and all were peaceful.
Despite the mileage, the loop never felt particularly punishing. The early start gave us cool temperatures for the main climb, and after getting the elevation out of the way, we were able to run a substantial portion of the remaining trail.
We arrived back at the trailhead around 11 AM, roughly 6.5 hours after starting. It was a very satisfying morning: ~20 miles, ~4,000 feet of gain, a great sunrise and crescent moon, more black bears than I have ever seen on a single outing, plenty of berries, and good company.
On the drive home, we stopped at Lake Crescent and jumped in the water. After 20 miles of running and hiking, the cold swim was very welcome,
*Highlights:* Crescent moon on the early climb, Seven Lakes Basin scenery, abundant blueberries and huckleberries, ~8 black bear sightings, fast and runnable second half, and a post-run swim in Lake Crescent.
*Distance:* ~20 miles *Elevation Gain:* ~4,000 ft *Time:* ~6.5 hours *Start:* ~4:20 AM *Finish:* ~11:00 AM
Patrick and I left Seattle around 12:30 PM on August 9 and made our way around to the Olympic Peninsula, with a few stops along the way. We stopped at Taco Loco in Port Angeles, where I had some excellent but extremely greasy tacos dorados. A decision I would pay for later.
We reached the Sol Duc trailhead around 7pm and were set up for some simple cowboy camping near the car by about 8pm. I went to bed early in anticipation of the 4am wake-up, although sleep was limited by what sounded like rodents running around beneath and around the car for much of the night.
We woke at 4am and were moving from the trailhead by approximately 4:20. It was about 57°F at the start. One of the highlights of the early climb was a beautiful crescent moon hanging over the mountains as the first light began to come in.
The Seven Lakes Basin Loop is roughly 20 miles with about 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Most of the climbing felt front-loaded, which made the second half of the day considerably easier. Once we had gained the high country, the remaining ~15 miles were largely rolling or downhill and went by quickly, especially with good conversation and company.
Wildlife was probably the most memorable part of the trip. We saw an extraordinary number of black bears, perhaps eight over the course of the morning, including several at relatively close range. None showed much interest in us. The berry crop was abundant, and the bears appeared much more concerned with eating than with the hikers passing through. The blueberries and huckleberries were excellent for us as well.
Patrick also passed along the memorable bear rule of thumb: “If it’s black, fight back; if it’s brown, lie down; if it’s white, good night.” Fortunately, our encounters were all with black bears, and all were peaceful.
Despite the mileage, the loop never felt particularly punishing. The early start gave us cool temperatures for the main climb, and after getting the elevation out of the way, we were able to run a substantial portion of the remaining trail.
We arrived back at the trailhead around 11 AM, roughly 6.5 hours after starting. It was a very satisfying morning: ~20 miles, ~4,000 feet of gain, a great sunrise and crescent moon, more black bears than I have ever seen on a single outing, plenty of berries, and good company.
On the drive home, we stopped at Lake Crescent and jumped in the water. After 20 miles of running and hiking, the cold swim was very welcome,
*Highlights:* Crescent moon on the early climb, Seven Lakes Basin scenery, abundant blueberries and huckleberries, ~8 black bear sightings, fast and runnable second half, and a post-run swim in Lake Crescent.
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