Royal Lake '04,  Olympic National Park,  Aug 26, 2004 - Aug 27, 2004     page 49 / 49

We made it back to the car by 5:30PM, in light rain. It seemed that we had made the right decision regarding the weather. We drove 17 miles down the foggy gravel road back to the highway, reaching Fat Smitty's at 6:30PM only to find that it had just closed for the evening. While certainly a disappointment, it simply meant we'd have to return to the area for another hike.

The Royal Basin area is certainly worth visiting again...either as a primary destination, or as a possible stop on a more extended cross-country, bushwhacking trek. The views were outstanding during this short end-of-summer trip. I'm sure the terrain would also be beautiful in the early summer under several feet of snow! Perhaps next year...