Royal Lake
Royal Lake
Tucked into the mountains of east Olympic National Park, the Royal Lake Basin is a protected wonderland of blue water, jagged peaks, and seasonal wildflowers. Spend two nights high in the hills on this three day adventure, with the second day open for whatever you want to explore. Experience the wildness of the Olympics and the unique beauty of its high places.
Gear Provided
- Tents
- Group kitchen gear, stove, and fuel
- All entrance fees, permits and passes
- First-aid kit and satellite phone
- Other backpacking gear available to rent or borrow if needed
Logistics
- Meet Location: Sahale Outdoors, 5007 Pacific Hwy E #19, Fife, WA 98424
- Meet Time: 7 AM
- Ending Location: Sahale Outdoors, 5007 Pacific Hwy E #19, Fife, WA 98424
- End Time: Approximately 4-6 PM
Paperwork
Highlights
Mountain Lakes – Wildflowers – Building Community
Difficulty Level
Intermediate: 8 miles one way, in and out hike for a total of 16 miles. 3,800 feet of elevation gain and loss.
2023 Schedule:
July 18-20
Price: $375
Prices include gear rental, transportation, and all entrance fees, permits, and passes.
Our mission is to make outdoor recreation accessible to all. If you cannot afford the total trip cost, send us a brief message at trips@sahaleoutdoors.org to request a payment plan or sliding scale pricing.
Photo Gallery
Indigenous Land
S’Klallam/Klallam
“Always respect your Elders, yourself, and your children/spiritual beliefs.”
“Help someone who needs it whether or not you like them.”
“Take care of and respect Mother Earth – take only what you need.”
“Live in honesty and truth.”
“Never fear death – you were born to die.”
“Every part of this earth is sacred.”
Lower Elwha Klallam Traditional Values
The people group now known as the Lower Elwha Klallam, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe spoke their language across a wide area of the northern Olympic Peninsula, from the Olympic Mountains to the south of Vancouver Island. By 1990, there were only eight speakers of the language left. Since then, the Tribes have used documentation, recordings, and transcriptions to revive the language. Today, S’Klallam/Klallam is taught at the Port Angeles High School and through adult classes, is used during community events, and has numerous educational resources available, including a dictionary, computer games, and even Wordle.
Before the European invasion, the S’Klallam/Klallam stewarded the northern Olympic Peninsula, using the rivers and a network of trails between villages to stay connected. Messengers would run the trails between villages with news and announcements, and families would travel up and over the Olympic Mountains to gather plants, hunt game and visit relatives. They had both seasonal and year-round villages along the shores of the Strait and the Lower Elwha River. The Olympic Mountains were sacred and revered.