Winter Hike The Trail of the Shadows in Longmire, WA

The Trail of the Shadows and Longmire is a favorite destination of mine when I need a quick and easy escape for some therapeutic mountain air. This is a perfect day hike for the family, a date, or just to get some fresh mountain air and recharge the soul. It provides a beatiful mountain scape that only Washington's Mt. Rainier National Park can provide. Start your hike in Longmire about 7 miles beyond the Nisqually Entrance of Mount Rainier National Park. Note, there is a fee to enter the park ($20 when I drove up in winter of 2015 / 2016 - good for 7 days). Longmire, the former park headquarters of Mount Rainier Natonal Park is now home to the Longimre Wilderness Information Center, offices for park staff, and is now designated a national historic district. If you are visiting in the winter, Longmire is the furthest distance you can drive via vehicle without requiring chains for your tires. Chains can be rented at locations on the way to the Nisqually entrance if you wish to drive further towards Paradise, conditions permitting. When you get to Longmire, visit the Longmire Museum where a park ranger can advise you of trail conditions and provide a map to get to the Trail of the Shadows.

Start your hike at the Trail of the Shadows trailhead across the road from the Longmire Hotel. The trail circles around a marsh created by natural mineral springs seen bubbling throughout the meadow. You'll pass through a canopy of giant old growth trees, meander over around and through many springs and creeks and come upon view areas opening up to the stunning visuals of the Cascade Mountains in the distance. The trail is clearly marked throughout the loop and has many informative signs teaching about the area and the original founders and inhabitants of Longmire. You may even come across a beaver dam being meticulously constructed. Don't miss the chance to explore an original 1888 log cabin built by the Longmire family. If you have time, wander around Longmire and hike across the suspension bridge that spans the Nisqually River.