We feel so lucky to be located just 1 mile outside the northeast entrance to this incredible National Park.  We’re the closest accommodations to the Sunrise area, but it’s easy to explore the whole park from here.

It’s great that your entry fee is good for a week since there’s so much to do.  We’ve pulled together some of our favorite recommendations for hiking and sightseeing in the park.  We also have Mt. Rainier interpretive programs on 2 nights every week at Alta Crystal Resort, and park rangers also offer daily interpretive walks at the various visitors centers.  All of us who work at Alta Crystal Resort are also huge mountain fans, so we’re happy to give you maps and suggestions as well.

We feel so lucky to be on this side of the Park!  We’re closest to the Sunrise area, which is the highest point to which you can drive in all the Cascades (6400 feet) and has the most panoramic views and hikes of any areas of the Park.  Tour buses also don’t like to take the winding road up to Sunrise, meaning fewer crowds and more of an authentic Pacific Northwest experience.  In fact, many of the rangers at Mt. Rainier take their families to Sunrise when they visit from out of town:

There are a visitors center, a cafeteria and gift shop at Sunrise, and you could easily spend days or weeks exploring this area.  .You can also use us a base to explore all through the Park.The Ohanapecosh area is just about 20-30 minutes south of here, and Paradise is just a little over an hour’s drive away (depending on how many stops you make)! 

TRAILS ON THE WAY TO SUNRISE

Crystal Lakes Trail:  The very first trailhead you see on the left side of Highway 410 (about 4 miles from Alta Crystal Resort) is for a trail called Crystal Lakes.  This is a great – but steep – trail to 2 gorgeous mountain lakes surrounded by jagged peaks, with some great views of Mt. Rainier on the way.  (Sounds pretty good, huh?)  The total trail is 6 miles roundtrip with a 2500’ elevation gain.

TRAILS ON THE WAY TO THE WHITE RIVER CAMPGROUND

After you turn right on to the Sunrise Road (about 6 miles from here), you’ll pass several trailheads on your way to the White River Campground.

Owyhigh Lakes:  This trail doesn’t have views of Mt. Rainier, but it’s a wonderful trail on a crowded day.  The trailhead is just 2 miles past the turnoff.  The total trail is 7 miles roundtrip with 1350’ elevation gain and offers gorgeous lakes with beautiful wildflowers.  The jagged cliffs of Governors Ridge rise high above the lakes to the east while Tamanos Mountain lies directly west.

Summerland Trail:  Gorgeous wildflowers, panoramic views of Mt. Rainier and Little Tahoma and frequent sitings of goat and elk make this a very popular trail.  The whole trail is 8.5 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 1500’ so it’s not good with younger kids.  This is a very popular trail, so it’s best to go early in the day. 

FROM THE WHITE RIVER CAMPGROUND:

Glacier Basin Trail:  This 7-mile roundtrip hike follows the old Starbo Mine trail and is the route climbers follow when they climb to the summit from this side.  Watch for remnants from the old mining days, great views of Little Tahoma and lots of marmots!  Elevation Gain: 1700 feet.  This is also a great trail to take for views of the Emmons Glacier, the largest glacier in the lower 48 states.

About 3 miles into the trail, you’ll see a cutoff that takes you up towards Burroughs Mountain up at Sunrise.  We love this trail – but it’s very, very steep!  You’ll actually intersect the Burroughs Mountain trail between Second and Third Burroughs.  We definitely recommend the hike out to Third Burroughs – you’re so close to Mt. Rainier that you’ll feel like you can reach out and touch the seracs on the glaciers.

FROM SUNRISE POINT

After you leave the White River Campground on your way up to Sunrise, you’ll climb up the winding road with great views along the way.  Towards the top, you’ll come to a switchback in the road with a parking area.  This is Sunrise Point, a great starting point for several hikes. 

Dege Peak Trail:  This 2-mile round trip hike takes you to one of the best views of Mt. Rainier anywhere!  This is a relatively steep hike (about 900’ elevation gain in 1 mile) but it’s well worth it!  You’ll actually get 360-degree views of all the Cascade peaks.  Incredible!

Palisades Lakes:  This hike is great for lake lovers, and another good choice to get away from crowds on a busy day.  No views of Mt. Rainier but hikers can easily spend all day exploring the lakes, wildflowers and huckleberries.  The total trail is 7 miles roundtrip with a 1200’ elevation gain/loss (most of which happens in the first half mile), but you can easily hike fewer miles by just going to one of the closer lakes.  After a steep .5 mile descent along a slope which holds snow into late July, hikers have the choice of taking a short spur trail to Sunrise Lake or continuing on the main trail toward the Palisades Lakes. The main trail goes up and down for the rest of its length, passing Clover Lake 1.5 miles from the trailhead. It continues past Tom, Dick and Harry Lakes and at 2.7 miles, a spur trail leads to Hidden Lake, one of the prettiest lakes in the park. The main trail ends at Upper Palisades Lake, one mile beyond this junction.

FROM SUNRISE VISITORS CENTER

There are literally dozens of hikes from the Sunrise Visitors Center.  We have books and maps you’re welcome to consult in the office.  Rather than trying to describe every hike in detail, here are a few of our favorites.

Silver Forest Trail:  This short 1-mile each way trail is great for the whole family.  It usually has beautiful wildflowers as well as some very nice interpretive exhibits. 

Emmons Vista Trail:  Another nice short trail (.5 miles each way) with great views of Mt. Rainier and the Emmons Glacier – the largest glacier in the lower 48 states.  5 miles of ice!  Pretty incredible!

Shadow Lake:  This is a great hike with kids!  It’s sometimes easier for children to enjoy hiking when they know they’re going somewhere, so the lake is a good destination.  You’ll usually see lots of marmots along the way, and the kids love the frogs that come out of hibernation in the summertime.  Oh, and there are great views of Mt. Rainier along the way!  The whole trail is about 3 miles roundtrip.  Many people like to do it as a loop, returning to Sunrise via the steeper Frozen Lake Trail.  Once at Shadow Lake, it’s fun to take the 0.5 mile side trip up to the Glacier Overlook.  Great views of the Emmons Glacier, the largest glacier in the lower 48 states!

Fremont Lookout:  This is a relatively easy 5 ½ -mile roundtrip hike to one of the last remaining lookouts in the State.  And this is a great place for a lookout.  On a clear day, with binoculars, you can actually see the Space Needle in Seattle.  Elevation Gain: 800 feet.  The entire trail from Sunrise to the lookout is through meadowland and over rocky crags with superb views of Mount Rainier, the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains. North of the lookout lie the spectacular meadows of Grand Park.

Burroughs Mountain:  Any part of this hike is beautiful.  The crowds tend to dwindle as you get further along and the views of Mt. Rainier are spectacular.  There are actually three Burroughs Mountains – called, amazingly enough, First Burroughs, Second Burroughs and Third Burroughs.  (Who says those who name trails aren’t creative?!) First Burroughs is about 6 miles roundtrip and its summit is 7300 feet.  Second Burroughs is another ½ mile each way and reaches 7400 feet.  Third Burroughs is another mile each way and is not on any maps, but if you’re feeling strong, it’s well worth the effort.  From Third Burroughs, you literally feel like you can reach out and touch the seracs on the glaciers!  (The views from Third Burroughs are best in the morning since the sun tends to put Mt. Rainier in silhouette later in the day.)  One of the most interesting parts of this hike (other than the views, of course) is the tundra.  These plants have a hard life - the volcanic soil is not rich, the growing season is short and strong winds dry out the air. So, please stay on the trail and don’t add crushing feet to their list of travails!  In fact, fear for the tundra is the reason the Park doesn’t have Third Burroughs on the map, so please be respectful of the plants if you go there.

Grand Park:  This area is an anomaly in the Park.  Many millennia ago, a lava flow filled a canyon, streams were diverted and the lava was left as a high tableland covered with pumice.  The wildflowers are beautiful here and there is generally a small herd of elk present.  This is a 13-mile roundtrip hike, with an elevation gain of only 700’ in and 1500’ out.  You’ll take the Wonderland Trail west, to the Northern Loop Trail to Berkeley Park.  Berkeley Park is beautiful with springs, marmots and waterfalls.  The trail then descends to forest and back up to Grand Park.

FROM CHINOOK PASS:

Wildflowers, wonderful views and beautiful lakes.  You owe it to yourself to take at least one hike from Chinook Pass.

Tipsoo Lake:  This gorgeous lake is located next to the first parking lot.  It’s beautiful any time of year (gorgeous reflections of Mt. Rainier), but many photographers who have stayed with us have told us that Tipsoo Lake has the best wildflowers of anywhere in the Park (much better than Paradise).  There’s an easy 1-mile hike around the lake that’s suitable for everyone, and picnic tables if you’d like to have a picnic lunch, or just relax and look at the lake for awhile. 

Naches Peak Loop:  Another wonderful trail for all ages!  The whole trail is just 3.5 miles roundtrip, and for the best views of Mt. Rainier, it’s best hiked in a clockwise direction.  Along the way, you’ll see some beautiful meadows (with gorgeous wildflowers!).  In the Fall, this is a great spot to look for huckleberries.  To find the trail, park at Tipsoo Lake and follow the trail from the picnic area to Chinook Pass and the Pacific Crest Trail.

Dewey Lakes:  This is a one-mile detour on the Naches Peak Loop that’s well worth the effort. 

FROM HIGHWAY 123:
Highway 123 is your easy access to the south side of Mt. Rainier National Park.  Instead of continuing to follow 410 towards Chinook Pass, go south on 123.  The Ohanapecosh area of the Park is your next destination, but there are many trails to explore along the way.

East Side Trail:  This is a great trail that is often overlooked.  Its trailhead is easy to miss (5 miles south of the intersection of 410 and 123 on the downhill side of the road near Deer Creek) plus it doesn’t offer views of the mountain.  So why should you consider it?  In a few words – solitude, gorgeous waterfalls and a beautiful river.  You can hike its full 11-mile one-way length if you have two cars (park one car at the Deer Creek Trailhead and the other at the Ohanapecosh Visitors Center) or just do a shorter section of the trail and return to your car.

Shriner Peak Trail:  Looking for a workout?  Well, this trail is a great choice.  You’ll find the trailhead about another 2 ½ miles further south on Highway 123 on the uphill side of the road.  (The parking area is actually about ¼ mile before the trailhead on the downhill side of the road.)  This aggressive hike has a whopping 3450 feet of elevation gain and is 8 ½ miles roundtrip, but it’s well worth the effort.  At the end of the trail, you’ll find the oldest remaining fire lookout in Mt. Rainier National Park, great views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams and, possibly, see elk grazing in some of their prime summer pasture. 

TRAILS FROM THE OHANAPECOSH AREA:
Many guests race right by this area in their quest for the views of Sunrise and Paradise.  Big mistake (in our humble opinion)!  The Ohanapecosh area may not offer views but there’s a reason Native Americans called it by this name, which means “looking down on something beautiful” or “clear water”. 

The Ohanapecosh has the most amazing stand of 1000 year old trees, a beautiful river hike and the largest volume waterfall in the Park.  As you walk the cushioned trails, you may find it hard to believe that a hot springs hotel operated in this area all the way into the 1950s.  Read on….. 

Trail of the Patriarchs:  This is an easy short hike (suitable for all ages) to a stand of 1000 year old trees on an island in the middle of the Ohanapecosh River.  The trailhead is easy to find.  Turn off of 123 where the direction sign points to Paradise, go through the Stevens Canyon entrance and park in the easy-to-find area on the right.  The trail itself starts to the left of the restrooms.

These magnificent western red cedar, western hemlock and Douglas firs have survived countless forest fires through the years.  As you enter the Grove of the Patriarchs, you’ll almost feel like you’re entering a cathedral – the feeling is that magical.  It’s hard to believe that these trees existed when the Magna Carta was being signed.

The entire trail is just 1.1 miles roundtrip.  There’s a boardwalk for most of the way, and you’ll cross a suspension bridge on your way to the island.  This is a great hike anytime, but it’s especially nice on rainy or drizzly days when the trees offer lots of protection from the rain.

Silver Falls:  From this same parking area, you can go the other direction and hike about 1 mile to gorgeous Silver Falls, the largest volume waterfall in the Park.  (This is a pretty good claim to fame since the Park boasts some 122 waterfalls.)  Alternatively, you can park at the Ohanapecosh Visitors Center (next to the Campground) and do a 3.5 mile loop trail that goes past Hot Springs and hugs the Ohanapecosh River.  A great hike on a hot day.

Ohanapecosh Visitors Center:  If you go a little further on 123 (instead of turning to go to Paradise), you’ll run into the Ohanapecosh Vistors Center and the Ohanapecosh Campground.  We’re been told by many summer guests that this is their favorite Visitors Center to get in-depth information, simply because the rangers often are not quite as busy as those at Sunrise or Paradise.  There’s also a wonderful short nature trail behind the Visitors Center that goes by the hot springs that were the benchmark of the hotel that operated here.  Today, you can just stick your fingers in the warm water, but it’s fun to think about the volcanic activity that produces the warmth!

STEVENS CANYON ENTRANCE:
NOTE:  The Stevens Canyon Road was damaged during the winter of 2009, and repairs are being made as we speak.  The Park hopes to have the road open again sometime in July.  In the interim, you can access Paradise via the Skate Creek Road from Packwood.  Actually, Skate Creek is every bit as gorgeous as Stevens Canyon, but it’s narrow so there aren’t as many places to stop along the way.  It will add about an hour to your trip to Paradise.

Once the Stevens Canyon road reopens, it’s well worth driving.  This is an instance when the journey is probably much more important than the destination so make sure to enjoy the drive towards Paradise. In many cases, guests have told us, the drive (with its many stops) is their favorite part of the trip to Paradise.
There are lots of exciting hairpin turns and rock overhangs.  From the entrance, you’ll climb up Backbone Ridge to Box Canyon.  You’ll then continue for several miles through Stevens Canyon, and end up at Reflection Lakes and ultimately the Paradise Highway.  You’ll see lots and lots of places to pull over – so just do it!  The views down into the canyons are fantastic, with the sounds and excitement of pulsating water.

There are also quite a few hikes in this area.  We thought we would highlight just a few of our favorites.

Stevens Canyon Trail:  If you’d like to take some time to see Stevens Canyon on foot, you can do so by taking this trail!  If you start at the Box Canyon picnic area, it’s about 6 miles roundtrip (with a fairly steep ascent, about 1900 feet elevation gain) or you can access it from Reflection Lakes which is a nice descent.  You’ll actually be hiking on a section of the Wonderland Trail so you can get a feel for what it would be like to hike the 90 miles around the mountain – pretty cool!

Snow Lake & Bench Lake:  This trail starts about ¼ mile east of the Louise Lake turnout.  When you start off, you’ll think the whole trail is really steep but the good news is that it levels off pretty quickly!  You’ll reach beautiful Bench Lake after about a ¼ mile and then Snow Lake just about 1 mile further.  The total elevation gain is just about 200 feet, and the whole trail is just about 2 ½ miles roundtrip.  Close to perfect for most folks!

Pinnacle Saddle:  This is a very popular hike (meaning get there early on busy summer weekends!) and it starts from the parking area at Reflection Lakes.  The whole trail is just about 2 ¾ miles roundtrip with around 1100 feet in elevation gain. So why take this trail, you ask?  Well, the saddle between Pinnacle and Plummer Peaks offers really wonderful views of the south side of Mt. Rainier.  Plus, this is a great spot to look for mountain goats.  Make sure to bring your camera!

Reflection Lakes:  There are all sorts of trails that surround Reflection Lakes and you’ll be happy with just about any of them.  The best thing, we think, is that you can actually hike (about 5 miles roundtrip) from Reflection Lakes to Paradise, avoiding all the Paradise area’s parking headaches.  The bad part is that others have discovered the same thing, meaning crowded parking lots on busy weekends.  Regardless, it’s a pretty area, although you can often get the same gorgeous Mt. Rainier reflections in Tipsoo Lake, quite a bit closer to Alta Crystal Resort!

PARADISE AREA:

Although most of the people who live around here much prefer our side of the Park, it seems almost everyone wants to go to Paradise.  In fact, Paradise has a great name (after all, isn’t everyone looking for a little paradise?!) and it’s beautiful.  It just gets really crowded so, if you’re going, go early!  There are a lot of hikes in the Paradise area and we have maps in the office you’re welcome to have.  Some of the most popular hikes in this area include:

• The Paradise Glacier Trail.  5 ¼ miles roundtrip.  1000 feet elevation gain. This hike passes Myrtle Falls on the way to the Paradise Glacier.  Unfortunately, the famous ice caves are no more, but this is a great hike nonetheless.
• Nisqually Vista Trail:  This short 1-mile loop trail is good for those looking for an easy hike.  It meanders through the meadows to a nice viewpoint looking down at the Nisqually Glacier.
• Narada Falls:  Most people look at the falls from above, but you can get a much better view just down the trail from the parking area.  The Narada Falls trail continues about a mile up the Paradise River to Paradise.
• The Skyline Trail:  There are many variations to this trail and most likely, you’ll be happy with any of them.  This is the longest hike through the Paradise Meadows.