Itinerary check, advice
I’m planning a trip for late July/early August, and wondering if we’ll regret skipping over the Kalaloch and Lake Quinalt areas. So far we have:
Fly to SEA, overnight in Forks.
3 nights backpacking the Seven Lakes Basin/High Divide loop
One night in Port Angeles, then visit Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent areas
3 nights in Forks, with visits to Hoh Rain Forest and La Push beaches
Visit Ruby Beach, and then stay overnight in Olympia before heading back to Seattle.
I feel like we’ll see plenty of beaches and lakes without adding in Kalaloch and Lake Quinalt, but maybe they’re worth visiting anyway? Any other must-sees I’ve missed? I’m also open to recommendations for places to eat or buy food along the way.
And lastly, I’ve read lots of reviews of the Seven Lakes Basin loop, and the bug situation seems to vary a lot from year to year. Is there a point in time where we’ll have a better idea of what to expect in late July, or is it just a toss up until we get there, or is it always bad at the end of July? We’re a family of four, unsure of whether to bring 2 2-person tents, or 1 4-person tent. In my mind, the only reason to bring a 4-person tent would be in case it’s so buggy or rainy that we want to hang out in the tent. We’re camping at Deer Lake, Heart Lake, and Rocky Creek, in case that affects anything.
Thank you for any advice!