Located in the northern reaches of Olympic National Park, Deer Lake is a very pretty mountain lake set below high, forested hills. While it’s not located in the highest or most remote reaches of the park, Deer Lake does make for a solid day hike.
Reached via an 8 mile round trip hike with only about 1,600 feet of climbing, this is a fairly moderate day hike that will take you to a nice final destination. Considering you’re probably going to visit this area of Olympic to see Sol Duc Falls anyway, you might as well continue on and reach a quieter, more remote, end point!
Miles/Elevation:
8 miles
1,650 feet vertical gain
About Olympic National Park:
Situated along Washington’s Pacific Coast, Olympic National Park contains some of the nation’s most diverse environments all in one epic national park! From rock strewn beaches, to glaciated peaks, to temperate rainforest, Olympic has something for everyone!
Olympic National Park largely owes its diversity to the Pacific Ocean. Despite being located quite far north, the oceans’ moderating influence means temperatures never really get that cold here (at low elevations at least). On the beach it could be 50 degrees and foggy. In the forest and the hills it might be 40 degrees and raining. And in the alpine it may be 20 degrees and snowing!
A land of many diverse landscapes, Olympic has numerous awesome destinations. The Hoh Rainforest is the most famous of the park’s forests and contains the revered Hall of Mosses. Mt Olympus deep in the park’s backcountry is a sought after alpine summit. Hurricane Ridge is a must see spot in the park reached via a winding mountain road. And Rialto Beach is the most famous of all the parks’ beaches!
All these awesome spots are quite spread out though. Despite being located in the same park, it takes hours to drive from one side of the park to the other. This is largely due to the fact that there are no roads that pass straight through the park. Olympic largely consists of wilderness, and Highway 101 wraps its way all the way around the outside. It’s not a quick route, but it’s the only way to get from one side of the park to another.
Getting To The Trailhead:
The trailhead for this hike is the Sol Duc Trailhead, and is located in the northern reaches of Olympic National Park. The area is reached via Highway 101. From Port Angeles in the east, follow 101 for about 26 until reaching Sol Duc Hot Springs Road. From Forks to the west, follow 101 for about 27 miles until reaching Sol Duc Hot Springs Road.
Once on Sol Duc Hot Springs Road, follow it for roughly 14 miles until you reach the parking lot all the way at the end. You can’t miss the trailhead, the road literally ends at it, and once you’re there park anywhere in the large parking area.
Tips:
- Continue on and do the High Divide Loop for an epic 19 mile excursion.
- If you’re looking for a nice lake hike in Olympic, I would recommend Lake Angeles instead.
The Deer Lake Trail:
To Sol Duc Falls:
From the trailhead, the trail quickly enters the dense Olympic forest. There isn’t much for sunlight down here, especially in the morning, but that just adds to the ambiance!
After leaving the trailhead, you will quickly descend about 60 feet downhill towards the Sol Duc River at the bottom of the valley. After this short 60 foot descent, you will then climb about 130 vertical feet as you make your way up the valley.
A bit under half a mile from the trailhead, you will cross a small stream coming downhill on your left making its way towards the river. There aren’t a lot of landmarks early on this hike, so this stream crossing is about it. At the crossing, you are a bit over halfway to the waterfall.
The second half of the hike to the waterfall will see you following a slight downhill incline. Finally, just before reaching the falls, and probably close enough to hear them, stick to the right at a trail junction. Follow the right hand trail just around the bend, and you will emerge at Sol Duc Falls!
You may be able to see the falls from the near side of the river, but for the best views continue onto the bridge crossing the river. This head on view from the bridge is pretty cool! The river clearly drops off to the side into the ravine below, something I’ve never really seen in a waterfall!
Continuing onto the far bank, there is another nice viewpoint looking right into the teeth of the falls. The falls are split into three separate streams, and you can get a really nice close up view of this!
To Deer Lake:
After leaving Sol Duc Falls, the trail continues on through the dense Olympic rainforest. As you hike, there aren’t a ton of obvious landmarks. Mostly it’s just trees! The forest is very nice, and all over the place you will pass small streams and springs seeping out of the ground, but there isn’t a lot to judge your progress by.
The best indicator of time for me when I hiked here was the rising of the sun. I began hiking this trail before sunrise, and as the sun came up, it began illuminating more and more of the trees. First, just the tips, then portions of the trunks, followed by most of the trunks, and then everything was bright! It made a relatively uneventful trail a bit more interesting!
Be sure to check out the incredible Hall of Mosses if you’re visiting Olympic!
As I was hiking, I was continually slowed by the rough trail. This trail isn’t awful, and it’s not like it’s super overgrown or covered in ankle busting rocks, but it really doesn’t encourage quick progress. There are tons of stone steps, lots of roots, and it just feels like you constantly have to watch your footing. I’m used to rough trails, but I was hoping for better here.
On your way to the lake, you may also notice tents strewn about in the woods just off the path. There are a few backpacking camping sites on this trail, so don’t be shocked! I don’t recommend backpacking to just Deer Lake, but if you want a longer trip, there are some incredible routes that begin here!
After about an hour of hiking and 1,600 feet of ascending, I emerged from the woods at Deer Lake! Where the trail first emerges, you will already have a really nice view of the water and the green, forested, hills beyond. The water was like glass for me early in the morning too. Getting up is never fun, but nature is often at its best in the early hours of morning!
Help keep this place beautiful. Follow Leave No Trace!
There are trails that wrap all the way around Deer Lake, so if you are looking for a more open spot to relax and enjoy the lake, you are likely to find something if you go searching. There is also another backpacking campground here which could provide some open space to relax in.
Whether you stop right at the water’s edge, continue all the way around the lake, or hike beyond a ways, the return trip to the trailhead is a straightforward hike back down the same trail you took up.
On paper it might seem like the hike down would go quickly, 1,600 feet of descending over 4 miles isn’t very steep, but the rough trail will likely put a stop to that. You’ll have to be careful with your footing, and unfortunately descending doesn’t go as quickly as you might hope around here!
After a fairly short but tedious descent, you will be back at Sol Duc Falls a short walk from the parking lot. Continue back through the throngs of people making their way to the waterfall, and you’ll be done before you know it!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 8/10
This is a nice hike, but in my opinion it’s not really anything special. Sol Duc Falls is really cool, but if that’s why you’re here, why continue all the way to Deer Lake?
Deer Lake itself is nice, but compared to many other mountain lakes accessible via an 8 mile hike, it’s just not special. I’m giving this hike an 8/10 because there is a nice (though not amazing) lake at the end, and because there is a really cool waterfall on the way there. If it weren’t for Sol Duc Falls, this would be a 7/10. Do this hike if you’re looking for something to do or don’t want to stop at Sol Duc Falls, but there are better options in the area.
Pros:
- Waterfall
- Mountain lake
- Beautiful forest
Cons:
- No big views
- Rough trail
Alternative Hikes:
5 Mile Island via the Hoh River Trail
When To Hike To Deer Lake:
Olympic National Park gets 4 strong seasons, and while the park can be visited all year, summer definitely has the best weather for being outdoors. The high elevation regions of the park receive huge snowfall totals during winter which makes for great skiing, but not so great hiking! Winter at low elevations means lots and lots of rain.
While you certainly can hike in the rain, the warmest, sunniest, weather of the year occurs during July and August. June and September can also have excellent conditions, but the risk of adverse weather and lingering snow at elevation are much higher.
I would personally recommend late July or August for a trip to Olympic, but if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds and aren’t interested in exploring the higher elevation backcountry, the shoulder months of June and September could be pretty nice. I personally would not visit here October through May because of the weather, but if you’re ok with tons of moisture and just don’t want to run into other people, by all means go for it. Be aware though the backcountry and high elevation reaches of the park will likely be snowed in.
Links For Further Reading:
Deer Lake | Olympic Hiking Co.
Deer Lake Trail: 511 Reviews, Map – Washington | AllTrails
Deer Lake Trail, Moderate Hiking Trail in the Olympics | 10Adventures
Kathleen Donnelly
February 2, 2024Your blog is a true masterpiece.