Quinault · Olympic National Park wilderness
Three Lakes
Recreation.gov listing: Three Lakes (No Campfires)
Location: 47.6016° N, 123.7243° W Not for navigation.
Area sketch
About this campsite
Reviewed 2026-09-30 by Bearpath Editor. Written from the sources listed below; the review that follows is from a visit.
Three Lakes is a major campsite for the Quinault Valley area of Olympic National Park. Set amidst a subalpine meadow, visitors will find the eponymous three lakes around their campsites along with several areas of potentially wet, marshy grasses.
Three Lakes is a common stop for folks doing both the shorter Quinault loop and the longer Skyline loop. When traveling the loops clockwise, Three Lakes is frequently the first night’s stop; or for parties going counterclockwise, it’s often the final night in the backcountry.
The campsites shown on our area sketch are smaller, and may only fit one tent. The largest campsite is the one across the main trail from the lakes. Because there may be many groups on a busy weekend, we recommend arriving as early as possible to get your preferred spot, or you may get stuck camping somewhere without a well cleared landing (not pictured on our area sketch). Finding one of these spots, or the smaller campsites, can be a challenge in the dark.
A bear wire still hangs at Three Lakes, but don’t assume you can use it; the food storage note below gives the current park requirement. Additionally, the campsite has a pit toilet without any privacy housing; note there are several small paths carved into the meadow leading to the toilet. While not visible from the main trails, be warned that it is easy to accidentally sneak up on someone using it!
Bearpath review
From a visit on 2026-09-05.
My fiancée and I trekked the Quinault loop over Labor Day weekend, starting from the Irely Lake trailhead and making the climb up to Three Lakes on night one. The weather was temperamental, with some intermittent rain on the way up and more once we got to camp. The campsite wasn’t inundated, but a lot of the vegetation was wet, and it rained more overnight. Since it is the rainforest, I would recommend carefully setting up the rainfly, even if the weather looks clear.
The campsite itself is very pretty, with only a few, mostly short trees interspersed in the meadow. There were about six or seven other groups staying there at the same time as us, so it didn’t feel claustrophobic, although some parties weren’t able to camp in the more well-cleared campsites.
You can grab water from one of the lakes, or if you prefer, the stream that bisects the far end of the main trail. The area around there was marshy when we visited, and it was somewhat challenging to get a full pot of water without some small bits of vegetation floating in.
Dates and availability
Published Recreation.gov availability for 2026-11-01 to 2027-05-31 is in the planner.
Getting a permit for this camp
A wilderness camping permit is required year-round.
On Recreation.gov, choose Starting Area Quinault.
Group size
Recreation.gov group size option: 1–6 people.
Advance reservation season
NPS lists the advance reservation season for this campsite as June 15 - October 15.
After that season closes, NPS says higher-elevation sites may be booked beginning three days before the trip starts.
A season governs when advance reservations are taken, not whether camping is allowed.
Practical notes
- Campfires: Prohibited. Source: NPS Three Lakes Trail.
- Food storage: A bear canister is required. Source: NPS Three Lakes Trail.
- Water: Treat all water. Source: NPS backpacking FAQ.
- Toilet: Pit toilet. Source: NPS Three Lakes Trail.
Listing notes and park-wide rules
The Recreation.gov listing name carries the note “No Campfires”. It is quoted from the listing and not checked by Bearpath; confirm current rules with NPS before your trip.
Park-wide distance rule: NPS states that Recreation.gov will not book a campsite more than 15 miles from a trailhead or from the previous campsite, or more than 10 miles on the coast. For a longer distance, the Wilderness Information Center (WIC) sets up the permit by phone. Source: NPS backpacking FAQ (opens in a new tab).
Food storage: NPS wilderness food storage (opens in a new tab).
Official links
- Olympic National Park wilderness reservations and permits (NPS) (opens in a new tab)
- Wilderness Information Center (NPS) (opens in a new tab)
- Olympic National Park wilderness trail conditions (NPS) (opens in a new tab)
- Backpacking frequently asked questions (NPS) (opens in a new tab)
- Olympic National Park Wilderness Permit on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Interactive Wilderness Map (NPS) (opens in a new tab)
Sources
Permit facts from Recreation.gov and NPS data. Listing names come from the Recreation.gov permit listing, booking methods from Recreation.gov and the Wilderness Information Center, advance reservation seasons from the NPS wilderness map, Starting Areas and group size options from Bearpath’s research into the Recreation.gov booking grid, and map locations from NPS map data or a location Bearpath reviewed.
Sources for this write-up
- NPS Three Lakes Trail (opens in a new tab), accessed 2026-09-30
- NPS backpacking FAQ (opens in a new tab), accessed 2026-09-30
Written by Bearpath Editor. Reviewed 2026-09-30 by Bearpath Editor.