We had heard rumors that the wildflowers were incredible on the eastern side of this loop trail, so we grabbed the dogs and headed up to Chinook Pass.  Wow!  We’ve hiked this trail many times before and we’ve never seen it more beautiful.

Since we didn’t have a lot of time, we decided that we’d just hike the first mile to a gorgeous tarn (temporary mountain lake) where the dogs could take a quick dip.  Surprisingly, although there were a lot of cars in the parking lots, the trail felt uncrowded and peaceful.  And the flowers!  Fields of beargrass, lupine… Read Full Story

Another gorgeous hike with flowers, flowers everywhere.  Enjoy great photos courtesy of our friends at Visit Rainier.

This trail starts from Sunrise Point (the large switchback on the Sunrise road, about 3 miles before the Visitor Center).  The views from Sunrise Point are exceptional, and worth a stop on their own, and there are always people in the parking lot taking pictures.  However, not many of them actually take the time to hike down to the lakes even though they’re visible from the viewpoint.

There are actually a string of 6 alpine lakes, and you can hike to all of… Read Full Story

Our friends, Abbie and Ian, did this hike with Ziggy and Gonzo on August 29 and took these great photos!  Check out all their photos on Alta Crystal Resort’s Facebook page by clicking here.

To get to this dog-friendly hike, take the Naches Peak Loop trail from the Chinook Pass pedestrian overpass about 1.5 miles to the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail.  You’ll see a sign for Dewey Lakes to the left.  Follow the trail for about 1.3 miles to the first lake, descending about 600 feet.  You can continue about a mile along the PCT to a more… Read Full Story