We’re having an incredible Fall this year, with incredible wildflowers!  In fact, the flowers at Sunrise are still at their peak, and wildflowers around Tipsoo Lake have just popped out. 
And Mt. Rainier National Park is keeping the Sunrise Visitors Center open on weekends through September 25, and the Ohanapecosh Visitors Center will be open daily until October 10! 

Here are some of our favorite Fall trails for 2011.  (Click here to see pictures and more detailed desciptions.)

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.  This trail is usually hikable until Highway 410 closes sometime in November.

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’.  This is a very popular trail, so it’s best to go early in the day.  You’ll see the trailhead about 3 miles from the turnoff, near Fryingpan Creek. 

Glacier Basin Trail: The road to the White River Campground usually stays open until mid-October.  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!  This is also a great trail to take for views of the Emmons Glacier, the largest glacier in the lower 48 states.

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.

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.

FROM CHINOOK PASS

Highway 410 across Chinook Pass usually stays open until sometime around Thanksgiving, or when the first big snowstorms come. 

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.

 

TRAILS FROM THE OHANAPECOSH AREA:

The Ohanapecosh area is at a similar elevation to Alta Crystal Resort, so is generally snow-free into November.  You’ll be able to visit this area as long as Highway 410 and 123 are open, usually until right around Thanksgiving.

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.  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.

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.

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! 

Note:  The Park is doing construction on the Stevens Canyon Road so you’ll need to take an alternate route via FS-52 from Packwood.  Just ask in the office for a map and directions.

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.