This is a very challenging hike. There is a lot of hidden elevation both up and down through The landscape and views were incredible. Several sections of trail coming down from the lake towards Carbon River Campground were in poor condition from rock slides. We were supposed to stay a second night coming up out of carbon river at Granite Creek but decided to push on past it. Ended up being about 17 miles out with over 6000 feet of elevation gain and loss.
★
★
★
★
★
Stunning vistas, forested trails, vibrant meadows, glaciers, lakes, ponds, streams big and small - just a great spectrum of alpine nature. You pay the price in ascents, for sure. I suggest CW route for more manageable ascents w stays at Mystic (bathe in the lake!), Yellowstone and Fire Creek (messy from blowdown) for a 4 day. Add a night in Carbon River to break day 2 up. Mid-late July for best meadows. Grand Park to Sunrise route is beyond beautiful. I wouldn’t attempt this hike if you’re not in decent shape and an experienced hiker. 4000+ calorie days.
★
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Fantastic views and excellent footing. We went past Third Burrough to have a rest and lunch.
★
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★
Mountaineers backpack: McKenzie Campbell Davies and Janette Powell leaders
Kendall Davies
Kevin Troutt
Leigh Noble
Miriam Ghidali
Pam McRae
Donna Rooke
Beautiful flowers at Berkeley Park. Lots of marmots at Frozen Lake junction. Pika after Frozen Lake
Log bridges over West Fork White River. Water too silty to filter. Hoped to find water at Van Horn waterfall but saw no obvious path. Ended up getting water near James Lake. Crowded 7 tents into grou camp but not easy. 1 triple, 1 double, 5 singles.
★
★
★
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★
Mountaineers backpack: McKenzie Campbell Davies and Janette Powell leaders
Kendall Davies
Kevin Troutt
Leigh Noble
Miriam Ghidali
Pam McRae
Donna Rooke
Beautiful flowers at Berkeley Park. Lots of marmots at Frozen Lake junction. Pika after Frozen Lake
Log bridges over West Fork White River. Water too silty to filter. Hoped to find water at Van Horn waterfall but saw no obvious path. Ended up getting water near James Lake. Crowded 7 tents into grou camp but not easy. 1 triple, 1 double, 5 singles.
★
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Warm weather. Starting earlier would be beneficial. More water needed as well. Had 3.5 liters. One more liter needed.
★
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★
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★
A gorgeous hike up to Mt Ruth in Mt Rainier NP. The views to
Little Tahoma, Mt Rainier, Steamboat prow & overlooking the emmons glacier were absolutely incredible!
It’s a nicely maintained trail up to Glacier Basin CG, but then - it’s more
Of a trail until you reach the ridgeline.
Once you reach the ridgeline, the trail gets faint. Stay towards the right (north side of Mtn), to follow the best route & avoid the loose talus & scree, at the cliff band below the summits east side.
Ultimately reach the summit.
★
★
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★
Summerland/Panhandle gap is a top 10 hike in Washington state. Hike through old growth forest, wildflower meadows and high alpine terrain with stunning views of Mt Rainier summit and glaciers.
★
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Lots of wild flowers. Saw about 40
Mountain goats only 50 yards away. Very few hikers. Remote.
★
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beautiful hike the whole way, coming out the last quarter mile sucks ass
★
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★
Hiked with Abby, Kate, and her husband Roman. We had a a great time all together. Abby cruised up a solid 40 min faster than us.
Overall another great day at Muir. Had just enough water, plenty of food.
Up: 3:54
Muir: 47 min
Down: the rest
★
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Hiked with Abby, Kate, and her husband Roman. We had a a great time all together. Abby cruised up a solid 40 min faster than us.
Overall another great day at Muir. Had just enough water, plenty of food.
Up: 3:54
Muir: 47 min
Down: the rest
★
★
★
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★
Hiked with Abby, Kate, and her husband Roman. We had a a great time all together. Abby cruised up a solid 40 min faster than us.
Overall another great day at Muir. Had just enough water, plenty of food.
Up: 3:54
Muir: 47 min
Down: the rest
★
★
★
★
★
9 mile rocky dirt road to get to trailhead. Lots of bugs. Glad I had my bug net. Lake Eleanor was smooth as glass with pretty reflections. As we approached Grand Park, wild flowers were in bloom. The park is extensive, bugs more sparse, Mountain was front and center. We hiked about 1 mile down the Northern loop trail and had lunch at the viewpoint. Could see Freemont Lookout, the mountain and glaciers, and Skyscraper. Lots of peopled started appearing on the trail by late morning. Passed over 30 on our way out
★
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Every trail is the park is a gem in my opinion. Had the trail to ourselves and took a very quick but brisk dip in beautiful Nickel Creek. Was however unable to locate any campsite for future backpacking trips….
★
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★
Great day hike on skis on a clear day. Took us 4.5 hrs to skin from Paradise lot to Camp Muir. About 30 min down.
★
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★
Very cold in late October, entirely in the shade however we had a great time. Rode our bikes all the way to ipsut creek campground then walked to ipsut falls.
★
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Nice hike ending with stunning mountain view’s. This out and back trail starts with 4 miles of forest road followed by a moderate but relatively constant incline to the fire watch tower at the top.
★
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★
Challenging run due to technical trail conditions which reduce runnable trails to 40-59% of surface. But beautiful scenery and much wildlife along the way. River crossings are in great shape, buut use caution after log crossing of the Carbon as brief climb up to the trail above the river is not clearly marked; look for a all cairn ABOVE the river bed. This route took some time, but felt great to meet the challenge and accomplish the fear!
★
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Great trail. Shade from fir trees most all the way. It’s wide and pine needled covered a lot of the way. Crossing streams give a welcome cooling effect on a hot day like today, 80+ F. You will gain 1700+’ of elevation to arrive at the Glacier Basin Camp. Many great Mount Rainier views along the way.
★
★
★
★
★
White River Campground in Mount Rainier NP hike up the Wonderland Trail to the Sunrise Campground Visitor center and to Emmons Vista. 2000’ elevation gained. Trail is in excellent condition and vey dry.
★
★
★
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★
Mountaineers trip. Lovely loop with some nice class 3 scrambling between East Faye and Mount Pleasant.
★
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★
Fun hike if you really enjoy hiking. Not the MOST scenic but great views of a few waterfalls at the beginning, soft forest trail that gradually increased elevation without BIG switchbacks. If you want a view of Mt.Rainier, you really have to work for it! At the end of 5.5 miles of hiking to get to the trail leading to Tamanos mountain, you then have to climb 1000 feet of dusty, gravelly “trail” to get to the ridge. Even more difficult going back down but the view was well worth it!
Not the breeziest day so had a few noisy/loud bugs throughout the trail but that was to be expected with all the wildlife.
I went on a Saturday and only encountered 3 hikers. Great for enjoying the trail but if you’re uneasy hiking completely alone, something to consider.
Tough incline at the very end to reach the trailhead but satisfying end to an enjoyable 12 mile hike
★
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Not a very difficult hike, great views of rainier the winter way. I’d recommend going early as the parking lot was very full, it’s a very popular location so it was quite busy.
★
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Very well maintained trail, Easy-to-Medium difficulty. We had quite the variety of weather, from rain to hail to sunshine. We also passed a herd of 20 or so goats when coming back from the First Borough back to Sunrise Lake.
★
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★
Amazing views of Mt. Rainier. Like this more than going to the Lookout
★
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★
Miles of well maintained trails with great views everywhere. I did the 3 Burroughs trail and did the lake loop on the way down. Mid October & beautiful weather & visibility to the south.
Smoke haze was visible in the distant north.
Worth the drive and park admission if you don’t have a pass .
★
★
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★
★
Easy hike to nice view of Mt. Rainier and surrounding hills with a lookout tower at the top. Went for sunrise but sunset might be better.
★
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★
The last 2 miles to Green Lake has some significant blowdowns. They were a huge pain to navigate. Hopefully those get cleared out soon. No snow really at all. There were spots of ice, especially on the log bridge, but I didn’t feel it was necessary to break out the spikes.
★
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★
Looking for a rope team for going up by the end of January. I do have experience but don’t have a team to complete safely. Feel free to reach out at 515-720-3646. Cheers - Jake
★
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★
Beautiful winter day. Snow started as we got to the camp site. Then snowed hard the rest of the day. The river destroyed much of the ready hike for the last 1.5 miles to the camp. Two river crossings and broken bridge.
★
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★
Miles of well maintained trails with great views everywhere. I did the 3 Burroughs trail and did the lake loop on the way down. Mid October & beautiful weather & visibility to the south.
Smoke haze was visible in the distant north.
Worth the drive and park admission if you don’t have a pass .
★
★
★
★
★
This is one of my happiest of happy places. Well worth the effort to get all the way up to the Seattle park part of the trail.
Just as you reach the height of land, before it starts going down and looks like you’re walking onto the surface of the moon, almost exactly 4 miles, there is a little boot path off to the right that takes you up onto an outlook, not more than about five minute walk.
From that vantage point, weather permitting, you can look all the way over and see the Fremont lookout at Sunrise.
Looking across all of those different ranges is really spectacular.
★
★
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★
Well worth the drive to hike through woodlands out into vast meadows with Rainier at the center of it all.
★
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Loved this trail! Highly recommend doing it in a clockwise loop. This helps avoid the majority of the crowds. Amazing wildlife! Deer, marmots, foxes and all kinds of chipmunks. The views are stunning!
Bring your sun hat and sunblock because it is exposed 90% of the way.
★
★
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★
Absolutely stunning views all
the way on this ridge hike. It is all the way up for 1.1 miles, 600 ft elevation gain then downhill the rest of the way to Sunrise lodge.
Great views of Mt Rainier up close.
★
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★
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★
Beautiful trail and well worth the effort. Meadows, waterfalls, rock formations, and Rainier are some of the many things you'll (hopefully) see.
★
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Great hike but as of 7/14 still snow on slopes leading to the campsite. Would have been tough without spikes
★
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The beginning of the trail was mostly downhill all the way to the river where we finally came across the beautiful waterfall and crossing bridge. Once you arrive to the bridge there is a great lookout just 0.2 miles north. We then opted for the 0.6 mile trek up to meet the road which was steep but worth it for a quicker trip back. The trails are very well maintained and all tree covered. Do not expect a great view from here as there aren’t any breaks in the trees. The trail was quiet with very little foot traffic this time of year (October). Our family of 8 loved the hike!
★
★
★
★
★
Carbon River Trail and Green Lake Trail
Out and back 10.9 miles 1929’ of elevation gain. Good trails and well maintained. Ranger Falls active and snow in the higher hills. Green Lake was like a mill pond, still and glassy.
★
★
★
★
★
Once again, the Gaia app is under reporting my mileage when Rich’s Gaia app and my Apple Watch show the correct mileage of approximately 10 miles!!! Very odd and frustrating!
Beautiful hike! Some striking photos of Mount Ranier. Moonscape like in top if the Burroughs, lava rocks, ash paths…
We started early enough, per usual, to beat the crowds and were rewarded with an excellent day!
★
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Definitely clocked 18 miles but only 5k total elevation. Camped at carbon river. Incredible.
★
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Fulfillment of a lifelong dream! Should’ve done this year‘s ago when I was younger so I could have also continued and summit the mountain itself
★
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★
We began our hike shortly after 8:30 am from Sunrise Visitors Center on the Sourdough Ridge Trail past Frozen Lake Viewpoint, crossing the Wonderland Trail to the Burroughs Mountain Trail. This trail is quite popular and crowded on sunny weekends in August, but plenty of room to pass. It is mostly dirt/rocks and quite dusty for most of the trail with little vegetation at the higher elevations going over each of the three Burroughs summits before reaching our destination of Third Burroughs Mountain. I was happy I wore my "Dirty Girl Gaiters" to keep dust/rocks out of my boots. After reaching the Second Burroughs summit, the trail descends before climbing back up the Third Burroughs Mountain. This was my first time hiking this trail, and I was amazed at the grand view of Rainier to our southwest as we headed toward Third Burroughs. The smoke and haze didn't obscure the mountain but was noticeable on the distant horizon. It did mildly irritate my nose and throat but only slightly. Occasional cool breezes were a relief from the heat of the day but our return back to the trailhead via the Burroughs Mountain Trail/Sunrise Camp and Shadow Lake and Sunrise Rim trail was noticeably warmer.
★
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★
This was truly strenuous and challenging. No where anyone really describes how difficult it is to hike through the snow field. You MUST wear spikes and have with you at least one pole, and be ready to walk very slowly due to steep terrain and soft snow (during summer). At around one mile from the camp you’ll encounter many cravesses, so be carful! I’m not an experienced snow hiker and I took my time, and it took me around 4 hours to hike the snowfield out and back.
The positive side about being that slow is that we enjoyed the beautiful lights of the evening before sunset on our way down, and met very few people. Otherwise, be ready to encounter hundreds of people on your way up, most of them clogging the trail.
PARKING: we were lucky to get a spot at the first parking lot you encounter driving towards Paradise visitor center. Try to be there before 9:30 am to get one. We saw people parking along the road too, and rangers were fine with it.
MOVING TIME (thus without counting breaks): 6 hours. Total time: 9 hours.
Finally, I think that hiking the snowfield it’s worth it only if you care about a sense of accomplishment, you want to have this challenge crossed out from your list, or as a workout. It does not add views and enjoyment to your hike.
★
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★
Awesome trail! Dense forest, waterfalls, raging river, some significant elevation changes. Skip the Fremont lookout and take this trail instead.
★
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Sunrise side of mountain. Gorgeous day and only the second day cars were allowed to drive to Sunrise. Parking lot was full, trails were full. Hiked to Fremont lookout at an estimated 7200' - trail in excellent condition. Many volunteer rangers on the trail and proved to be helpful to many of the first time hikers. Emmons Glacier was spectacular and from the lookout you are able to see down to the Carbon River.
★
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★
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Really good but icy tour up to Muir. Left a little late and the skiing was harder than anticipated because of wind blown crusty snow so almost didn’t make it back before sunset. Great full day excursion.
★
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The payoff is the high meadow and Rainier view near the old lodge.
★
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Massive old growth. Would be a four if much of trail wasn’t an old road. Try biking it.
★
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Parking in limited to about 10 cars.
We started at 08:30 , clear cool weather about 50 degrees. Trail is very well maintained, lightly traveled. My Gaia read 4 miles to the lake. Beautiful flowers, green meadows , high mountain peaks, butterflies, and bear signs.
★
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Rough trail lots of loose rock many exposed tree roots. Continuously uphill, worth effort for wonderful sight of Comet Falls. Continuing up to meadows past maintained trail to Van Trump park yields good mountain vistas, St Helens, Adams, Rainier.
★
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★
I’d say this hike is Moderate to Difficult. I saw many young and older people on the trail so it is very doable. The view of Mt. Rainier from the top is simply amazing and surreal. Bring plenty of water and a snack with you for the summit. I didn’t and had to leave earlier then I would have liked had I brought those things.
★
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Excellent hike, not too hard or easy. Great views and some off trails you can jump on for more fun.
★
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Difficult but so very very rewarding, but you can do it! It’s all about mental strength! Just something to note there are about 9 slopes in total to climb. So when you think it’s over there’s more.
★
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★
This is one of my all-time favorite day hikes and I have been on this trail 5 times over the last 3 years. Last month I hiked it from the trailhead off highway 123. This time I hiked from the trailhead inside the National Park which has a little shorter distance but about the same elevation gain (8.2 miles out-and-back and about 1700 feet of gain). The trail is in great shape although it can be a little dusty in spots due to the recent hot weather. The wildflowers were still blooming and the meadows were full of vegetation. Unfortunately, the huckleberries weren’t ripe yet. We didn’t see any wildlife but there was bear scat as well as some scratched up trees where the black bears were looking for insects. Both lakes had quite a bit of water still and although I didn’t get in them, my kids waded around a bit checking out the frogs. We hiked on a Sunday so all the campsites were open but it can be a popular spot so make sure to get a permit and plan ahead if you want to camp. We arrived around 9:00 AM and the upper lot across from the trailhead was full although it only holds 6 cars. We parked in the lower/overflow lot and we were one of only 3 cars. There is probably only a capacity for 15 vehicles between the 2 lots. This was the hottest day we have had this year at 98 degrees so there were very few people on the trail and the parking lots were empty at 2:45 PM when we left.
★
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★
I did this hike to honor my dad who died three years ago. I also did it for my 45th birthday. It was amazing. It kicked my butt, but was worth every step. I am not in the best of shape and I was able to push through. I’m proof that you can do anything that you set your mind to do. If you do this hike, I would recommend taking the side routes through Spray Park, up Lee Peak and to the glacier. All extra miles are worth it. I think this is the only way to experience Mt Rainer.
We went counter clockwise which means that we had the excruciating climb up Ipsut Pass at the end of our journey. We stayed at Eagles Roost, Carbon River and Ipsut Creek. Ipsut Creek is the nicest backcountry campground that I’ve ever been to. All of the camp sites came with drop toilets which is really helpful.
Be aware of bears, bugs, overgrown trail foliage and mud. Also be prepared to hike through several snow fields and loose rocks.
★
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★
7 1/2 hr travel time. Detour to walk Grove of the Patriarchs (some 1000 yr old trees). forest walk, great waterfalls, few bugs. Our trip was Ohanapecosh to Deer Creek and back and mileage was 19.2. Elevation was 1900 ascent as we did both sides of the Silver Falls Loop trail. Nicely maintained.
★
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I would rate this hike as moderate. There are some short steep sections on the trail. Other than that, the hike was straightforward and takes you straight to Upper Palisades. The trail on the right of the sign that points to the camp takes you to a lookout of Baker and some mountain ranges. The maintained trail ends here. On the way, there is a trail that you could take to head to Hidden Lake. And another not so obvious trail that takes you up to Brown Peak. Overall, this was a pleasant hike with a pretty lake at the end to hang out at.
★
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★
Amazing. Awesome views of ranier and the broader range. We did clockwise and liked being against the grain, getting all of the climb out of the way.
★
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★
This loop has Fremont peak lookout, shadow lake, and a small waterfall.
7.1 mile, 1100 ft elevation gain in total. the second half of the trail remains less trafficked.
★
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★
Awesome hike! Steep climb after mile one, but well worth it! Spectacular views!
★
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★
This is an incredible hike. It hits the trifecta: Lakes, meadows, and Mt. Rainier. Coming in at under 9 miles with about 1700 feet of elevation gain, this hike is accessible to many levels of hiker. The road to the trailhead is very potholed so go slowly and most any vehicle can make it. This trail is fairly heavily traveled so be prepared for a generally well-spaced but abundant hiker count. The trail itself is in fair condition with some obstacles and muddy areas. Keep in mind that pets are not allowed here because the trail enters the National Park after only about .25 miles. Another mile gets you to Lake Eleanor which has 3 National Park campsites that require permits to use and where fires are not allowed. There is an outdoor latrine here if you need it. Have fun at the lake and then proceed up the trail for another 3.5 miles to get the most amazing view of Mt. Rainier. On the way you will pass through 3 awe-inspiring meadows that are currently in full wildflower bloom. Overall, this is an incredible hike.
★
★
★
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★
This trail was in fair condition. There were 6 downed trees that needed to be traversed and areas of the trail were fairly overgrown. Overall, however, it is a great walk through the woods with some spectacular meadows along the way. The lake, although small, sits majestically beneath the beautiful mountains that surround it. If you like wildflowers, they are in full bloom this time of year and really are a highlight of the journey. My round trip hike was about 10.2 miles with around 2900 feet of elevation gain.
★
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★
This is always a fun hike for me and this time was no exception. The weather was great and the trail was in fair condition. There were about 6 downed trees that had to be circumvented and some overgrown areas but nothing too terrible. The huckleberries weren’t producing yet but there will be tons this year. The wildflowers were in full bloom and the lake had more water than when I was last here in September. I ran out of steam and decided not to go to Tamanos Peak this time so my trip ended up being about 10.5 miles round trip with about 2900 feet of elevation gain. I’ll be back!
★
★
★
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★
I loved this loop. I did it a couple years ago and although difficult and if you go counterclockwise you end on a serious elevation climb, it was rewarding and loads of views.
★
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★
Amazing hike. Tahoma creek trail was difficult to pass and find the trail. Hiking up the creek wasn’t bad, though. Great views everywhere you turn and the awesome suspension bridge and Andesite columns along it!
★
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★
★
★
Unfortunately, we intended to go to Owyhigh Lake from the trailhead in Rainier National Park near the White River entrance but the line of cars to get into the park was ridiculous. The park wasn’t letting cars through the entrance until vehicles left the Sunrise parking lot. After a 30 minute wait, we opted instead to go to the other Owyhigh Lake trailhead that is shared with the Ohanapecosh Trail outside the park. Our intention was to get to the lake from this trailhead but it was very late in the day so we only ended up going half way due to how tired and frustrated our young children were. We were, however, able to get 6.3 miles and 1909 feet of elevation gain which made for a nice day and salvaged a bit of our disappointment. We did see some amazing waterfalls and some majestic views so we still had an incredible day. The takeaway from this trail report is to arrive at the park early if you want to access the Owyhigh Lake trailhead from within Rainier National Park. It is worthwhile since the lakes are beautiful this time of year. It is normally one of our favorite hikes.
★
★
★
★
★
This trail ticks a lot of boxes on my list when it comes to an enjoyable hike. It is a great walk through the woods that parallels the Huckleberry Creek and is lightly travelled. The creek is currently in full run-off mode so some areas of the trail are flooded and need to be circumvented in order to proceed. At the one mile mark, you enter the Mt. Rainier National Park so remember that pets are not allowed past this point. About .25 miles further gets you to a preserved ranger cabin. You can’t go inside but it is fun to see. At the four mile mark, you cross Josephine Creek on a log bridge. This is where we turned around due to time constraints which made our overall distance around 7.6 miles out and back. You can follow this trail about another 4 miles to connect with the Sourdough Ridge trail if you want a longer journey. Keep in mind that this trail can connect to the Sourdough Ridge Trail so you can make this hike as long as you would like.
★
★
★
★
First time up rainier. Incredible experience. Great route but I’d recommend removing your crampons on the descent of the Cleaver.
★
★
★
★
★
A great day to be outside; wildlife fauna, waterfalls, and lots of sunshine. Oh yeah, and THE mountain! Spray Park did not disappoint!
★
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★
Still a bit early in the season. Snow covered last 0.1 mile. Trail finding is difficult.
★
★
★
★
Ski descent following the ski ascent line for easiest way up and down.
★
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stars
Sun poked through and allowed us to get up to the lookout one last time before winter weather hit (that night snow fell). Well maintained trail, long gradual elevation gain. Great 360 degree views when the weather is clear. Really windy on this hike and nearly blew us over. Fall colors are really not prominent in the Sunrise area, but still beautiful scenery. Visitors center is closed for the season, road will close by 10/15/18.
★
★
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stars
Partly cloudy day didn’t show much of the big attraction (Mt. Rainier), but still a beautiful easy family friendly trail. Passed a dozen other hikers, found out we went the wrong direction on the loop. So FYI go clockwise (left) at the start of the trail to get the constant views towards the mountain. Beautiful views of the lakes. Fall colors are definitely in season and gorgeous.
★
★
★
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★
We found this to be a moderate hike with a gradual increase in elevation up to the last mile where switchbacks will take you to the the Summerland camping area. The views of the river, glacier, and mountain are well worth the climb. We went at the end of the season (August 29th) so most of the wild flowers on the decline, but still plenty of color overall. Water crossings were well constructed and easy to navigate. We took three hours to get up to the camp and then two and a quarter hours to return. Nice trail. Old growth forest. Perfect hiking weather (60s). Not a lot of parking spaces so get there early! Our gps said we covered 9 miles total trip.
★
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stars
stars
