Backpacker – August 2019

JULY/AUGUST 2019

BACKPACKER.COM 101

Geologic time and celestial

time collide at The Wall.

T HE WA L L

BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK,

SOUTH DAKOTA

The Badlands North Unit’s austere terrain

has edge-to-edge skies, wandering bison,

and nary a trail. When the sun goes down,

its dispersed camping and lack of visi-

tors makes for a private star show (or join

the group at the park’s annual Astronomy

Festival, July 5-7). Pack all your water and

head toward The Wall, where a rampart of

spires and pinnacles add silhouettes to your

stargazing. Start by driving west along the

Sage Creek Rim Road from the Pinnacles

entrance, and when you see a portion of The

Wall you like (it’s visible from the road),

park and head in. Camping rules are simple:

Trek at least half a mile and make sure no

one can see you from the road, preserving

that sense of awesome isolation.

Tra i l h e a d Sage Creek Rim Road Season

Spring and fall Permit None required, but

you can self-register at Sage Creek Basin

Overlook. Contact nps.gov/badl

CELESTIAL

SOLITUDE

STARRY SOAK

Olympic Hot Springs

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, WASHINGTON

Deep in the pa rk a nd wa lled off from Por t A ngeles by ra in-soa ked
forest a nd 5,000-foot-ta ll Happy La ke R idge, the smattering of
hot springs in this backcountr y hideaway offers one of the da rk-
est soaks in the country. Earn it on a 28.7-mile out-and-back that
crests Appleton Pa ss, where the snow y domes of the Oly mpic
R a nge dent the southea stern horizon, a nd home to your f irst
night ’s ca mp. Nex t day, think of the hot springs. Your legs will be

pining for them by the time you descend 2,600 feet over 4 miles to

the Nor th Fork Boulder Creek. From here, it ’s 1.7 miles to Boulder

Creek Ca mpg round. Throw down a nd hike .1 mile to cross

Boulder Creek, then a scend through the conifers for. 2 mile to the

natural, rock-rimmed springs. The lower pools are more luke-

wa rm (80°F), while the higher ones get a s hot a s 118°F. Da rkness

comes quick in a forest this deep; enjoy the show.

Tra i l h e a d Sol Duc Season Summer Permit Required ($6 + $8/

person per night); obtain at the Wilderness Information Center in

Port Angeles or recreation.gov. Contact nps.gov/olym