16.62 miles of hiking • 3750' elevation gain •
This is a fabulous hike and I would definitely like to spend a night or two in Royal Basin someday! It is in the national park, so there is limited, permit only camping. The first 3 miles of the hike walk first near the Dungeness River and then Royal Creek, which are beautiful. Then, it goes into and out of brushy avalanche slopes and forest, finally reaching a meadow and then Royal Lake. The elevation gain is spread out over the distance of 7 miles, so the grade never really gets steep up to Royal Lake. We then pushed on up to Upper Royal Basin. The hike up to there is steeper and about another mile, but, this is the place to reach! So incredibly beautiful with Mt. Deception and the Needles and the most turquoise lake and small ponds. We wandered around there for a while (keeping on the rocks and off the plants) and soaked our feet in the lake, while butterflies landed on us. We didn't even give any care about the mosquitoes and flies biting us because the place was so lovely!
