Lakeshore Trail and Wonderland Trail to Ipsut Pass

No need to for an entire day hike to enjoy wonderful reflections, crystal clear water, and beautiful scenery a few hundred feet from the parking lot!  Park at the Mowich Lake Campground parking lot and follow signs for the Wonderland trail. You will begin your hike on the south side of the lake and follow it clockwise prior to starting to ascend onto the Tolmie Peak Trail (if you've gotten to ...

Starting out from the beautiful Mowich Lake (4,929 ft), this hike takes you through some of Mt. Rainier Nation Park's best scenery. Thanks to the 13 miles of dirt roads it takes to even get to the trailhead, this hike is also rarely crowded. At 6.5 miles roundtrip to Eunice Lake, this is a great hike for beginners looking for a true alpine experience. The lake itself is so clear and blue tha...

The trailhead to Spray Park begins at the Mowich Lake Campground (4,929 ft). You'll begin descending quickly for the first 0.1 miles until you reach the Wonderland Trail junction. Head left and make your way up a steady climb for the next 1.7 miles. The first stop you'll come across is Eagle Cliff - a fenced viewpoint high above Spray Creek with your first view of Rainier. Soon after you'll pas...

Mount Rainier is spectacular to look at, but sometimes the best views aren't from on its slopes, but just a little ways away. Tucked in the seldom-visited northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, the Tolmie Peak fire lookout frames the mountain's rugged slopes with a pristine alpine lake and rocky peaks. Start from the west side of deep-blue Mowich Lake, the largest in the park, and hi...

When heading to the adventure, stopped at the ranger station in Carbon to get your day pass ($5.00) and then continue on to the trailhead. Park on the road next to the Carbon river around. Start the hike down an old paved road that eventually leads through some trails and then to a gravel road. This was about 2.5 miles or so to get to the trailhead for the Ranger Falls.From the trailhead, it's ...

Summit Lake, nestled in a small basin just north of Mt. Rainier National Park in the Clearwater Wilderness, has everything a hiker could want in a day-hike or easy overnight backpack. The views, the well-maintained trail, and a perfect distance make this hike a must-do for anybody in the Pacific Northwest. Begin at the Summit Lake Trailhead (#1177) at the end of NF-7810. The road is rough, so...