Lunch Lake in Olympic National Park is surrounded by rugged terrain with dense forests and alpine lakes. Temperatures range from 30°F in winter to 70°F in summer. Nearby attractions include the Hoh Rain Forest and Sol Duc Hot Springs.

Lunch Lake — Olympic National Park

In Northwest Washington, you’ll find one of the most popular parks in the US, Olympic National Park. Located near Port Angeles, WA, this expansive park embodies the best of the PNW. If you want to enjoy camping in some of the best greenery in the country, this is the place you want to hike.

There are a number of developed campgrounds in the park, with just a few (Kalaloch, Sol Duc, Hoh, and Mora) offering summer reservations. With a variety of campsites throughout the park, you can find a spot that best fits your schedule and interests. Nine of these campgrounds are RV-capable, though Olympic has some rough roads that RV’s may struggle on. The best camping near Olympic is in the park itself though there are some dispersed options surrounding the park and a few small cities to stay in.

Olympic National Park

Join the fun near Olympic National Park. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Olympic National Park is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Discover great camping spots near Olympic National Park, reviewed by campers like you.

The Best Camping Near Olympic National Park, Washington

Hiking up to Lunch lake on the Seven Lakes Basin loop is a challenge, and you should know what you are doing. But the reward is amazing. Lunch lake is a stunning alpine lakes (cold though!) With other lakes nestled nearby. Campsites are situated very close to the lake. There is a toilet, and a ranger station. Be cautious to avoid mountain goats (they are aggressive), bring a bear canisters, have the appropriate permit, and most important...enjoy!

Backpacker's Dream

This is not a campground, but one stop on the amazing Seven Lakes Loop or High Divide Loop backcountry trails. You can also do a one night out and back just to Lunch Lake. This hike has it all: old growth forests, alpine lakes, wildlife, year-round snow. There are about a dozen sites around the lake, an outhouse, plus a ranger cabin. You need to get a permit and bear canister (you can rent them if you don’t own). I don’t recommend this for first time backpackers but if you have a bit of experience you will love this hike. 


Backpacking (!!) on The Seven Lakes Loop 

We hike the High Divide Loop in 2 days and backcountry camped at Lunch Lake overnight. This was one of my all-time favorite campsites. There were several backcountry sites at Lunch Lake, but only one other site was occupied the night we stayed, so it was really nice. We reserved a backcountry permit, which was required, but then the individual sites were first come. There was a fairly steep downhill off the main trail to hike down to Lunch Lake, but totally worth it! Round lake sat fairly close to Lunch Lake. We did see 12 black bears total on our hike, 3 of which were at our campsite. They were busy eating berries and didn't bother us. Bear bins are required for backcounty camping. There was a pit toilet at the lake available. Water was filterable from Lunch Lake. The water was amazingly clear. I would highly recommend this hike and campsite.

The hike itself was beautiful with several waterfalls along the way. The park ranger told us this was a good half way point, but we actually hiked about 13 miles (all uphill) the first day to get there and had about 7 miles left the second day (all downhill). We probably should have hiked the other direction.

Photos of Lunch Lake — Olympic National Park

Real photos from real campers