Paradise Found: The Skyline Trail

"Oh, what a paradise!"

That was Martha Longmire’s reaction upon seeing the lush meadows and spectacular wildflowers of Mount Rainier’s southern valley for the very first time in 1885. The name would stick. Today the most popular area in Mount Rainier National Park is known as “Paradise”, and once you set your own eyes upon it you’ll understand why.

Based on the photos and the information I gathered beforehand, I had the feeling that the Skyline Trail in the Paradise Valley was going to be a great hike. However, I probably underestimated just how amazing it really would be. The Paradise area is absolutely stunning. In fact, I would probably have to rank the Skyline Trail among my top 5 hikes of all time.

First time visitors may find the network of trails at Paradise a little confusing. You’ll have several options, but the most popular route is the Skyline Trail loop. You can hike the loop “as is”, or you can tack on side trails to explore additional territory, or use connectors to cut-off portions of the hike and decrease your overall mileage. Fortunately the trail junctions are all well marked.

For our hike we basically stayed on the main loop and hiked in a clockwise direction. Our only deviation was the side trip to visit Alta Vista, which is a little more than a half-mile from the trailhead.

The hike begins near the Paradise visitor center. Here you’ll find one the most interesting and unique trailheads you’ll ever come across. Etched into the stone steps is a quote from John Muir about his reaction to seeing this incredibly beautiful valley in 1889:

"... the most luxuriant and the most extravagantly beautiful of all the alpine gardens I ever beheld in all my mountain-top wanderings."

Much of the lower portions of the trail are paved, but include some relatively steep sections.

Although it was a little late in the season there were quite a few wildflowers that were still in bloom during our early-September hike. As the wildflower season progresses you’ll have the opportunity to see avalanche lilies, pink heather, Western pasque, Rosy spirea, purple lupine, cinquefoil, magenta paintbrush, bistort, Jacobs ladder, lousewort, valerian and many others at various times throughout the spring and summer.

Despite the top of Mount Rainier being shrouded in fog that morning, we still had outstanding views of the rugged Tatoosh Range towards the south, as well as views of the Nisqually Glacier towards the north and west. Nisqually is the 7th largest glacier on the mountain, and covers an area of roughly 1.8 square miles.

The glaciers on Mount Rainier are a result of the heavy amounts of snow that fall each winter. In a typical year, roughly 53.6 feet (643 inches) of snow will fall in the Paradise area. For many years Paradise held the world record for most snowfall in one year. During the winter of 1971-1972, 93.5 feet (1122 inches) of snow fell in the valley!

When traveling or hiking in Mount Rainier National Park it’s always a good idea to bring rain gear along. Because of its immense size, the mountain is able to create its own weather.

With so much of the mountain covered in ice and snow, it’s hard to believe that Mt. Rainier is part of the “Ring of Fire,” a string of volcanoes that almost circles around the entire Pacific Ocean. Indeed, Rainier is still an active volcano. It occasionally spews ash and steam, and there are periodic earth tremors. The last small eruption took place in the late 1800s, while the last large eruption occurred about 1000 years ago.

The premier destination on the Skyline Trail loop is Panorama Point. Although the views are outstanding along the entire route, they are at their absolute best from Panorama Point. On a clear day this vantage point provides amazing views of the Tatoosh Range, as well as Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood in the far-off distance. From this perch Mount Rainier and the Nisqually Glacier are practically right on top of you. Although the uppermost portions of the mountain were socked in for the majority of our hike, we were still surrounded by incredibly beautiful scenery.

Just beyond Panorama Point hikers will have the option of taking the lower Skyline Trail, or continuing up the main trail. The lower Skyline Trail cuts off about a half-mile from the hike, however, it crosses over a fairly large snowfield. The first fifty yards of the cut-off is relatively safe, however, the trail makes a fairly steep descent down the snowfield before returning to terra firma. It became quite obvious that this section of the trail was entirely out of our league. None of us felt comfortable trying to negotiate the slick ice at such a steep angle. So, we backtracked and took the main route that travels above the snow. Over the next three-tenths of a mile the trail climbs more than two hundred feet to the highest point on the loop. It was all worth it though, as this vantage point provides the best views of the Nisqually Glacier on the entire route.

As we progressed down the mountain we passed two large groups of climbers as they made their way up to Camp Muir. Their ultimate destination, at least they hoped, was to the summit of Mount Rainier. Further down the trail we could see climbers assembled on the lower portions of the Nisqually Glacier – presumably getting ready to practice self-arrests on the snow and ice.

Mt. Rainier has a rich climbing history. The 14,410-foot mountain was the training ground for the first successful American expedition to Mt. Everest in 1963, and has served as a training ground for climbers ever since.

When we arrived at Paradise that morning the top 4000 or 5000 feet of Mount Rainier was socked-in by clouds. As the day progressed, however, we were incredibly lucky to have the sky completely open up for us. Almost two-thirds of the way through the loop we noticed that the clouds had dispersed from the peak, and for at least a half-hour or so we had completely unobstructed views of the mountain. The peak is absolutely massive - much bigger than I imagined, and far larger than any other mountain I've ever seen.

As we continued further down the mountain we happened to pass an older woman climbing up the trail. As we stopped and chatted for a few minutes, my curiosity finally got the best of me. I just had to ask how old she was, and she told me she was 88 years old! She also said that she summited Mt. Rainier 11 years ago - at the tender age of 77! She said she did the climb in 19 hours straight, and bypassed the normal overnight bivouac at Camp Muir. We asked what her name was, and she also told us that the local press had covered her climb, as she became the oldest woman to ever summit Mt. Rainier.

So, when we returned home a couple of weeks later, we did a little research on Bronka Sundstrom. We found out that she's a bit of a local legend. She and her late husband have hiked, snowshoed and skied in the park on hundreds of occasions. We also found out that Mrs. Sundstrom was a Holocaust survivor, having been a prisoner of the Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps during WWII. Looking back now, we really wished we could have spent more time talking with her. If there's a takeaway from our chance meeting, it's to live life to the fullest: do the things you like more often, and if possible, do the things you dislike less.

Towards the end of the loop you’ll pass by Myrtle Falls:

The Skyline Trail loop should be on every hiker’s bucket list. The hike was so incredibly beautiful that it was the first time that I ever kept my camera in my hand for the entire trip. The amazing scenery just never ended!


Trail: Skyline Trail
RT Distance: 5.7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1650 feet
Max Elevation: 7015 feet
TH Location: Paradise
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.

Bench and Snow Lakes

We really lucked out on this one. We inquired about the Snow Lake Trail upon our arrival to Mt. Rainier National Park, but the ranger told us that it was still impassable due to snow. However, the next day, the park updated their website and stated that the trail was now “open”. So we jumped on our chance to hike this very scenic trail.

The hike begins from a roadside parking area known as “The Bench”, located east of Paradise on Stevens Canyon Road. From the trailhead you’ll enjoy some awesome views of Mt. Rainier and Little Tahoma Peak.

I would estimate that at least three-quarters of this hike passes through open terrain, which means you’ll enjoy some great views along much of the route. Not far from the trailhead we had a great view of 6917-foot Unicorn Peak, which rises out of the Tatoosh Range.

In mid-summer this area explodes with a wide variety of wildflowers, including beargrass. During our mid-June hike hundreds of avalanche lilies lined the trail near the trailhead.

Further up the trail we saw trillium and several other varieties, including these marsh marigolds sprouting from a tiny island in the stream.

After about a half mile you’ll reach a small rock outcropping just off the side of the trail on your left. This vantage point offers good views of Bench Lake to the east, as well as Mt. Rainier and Little Tahoma Peak towards the north.

From the outcropping the trail begins descending. At roughly two-thirds of a mile you’ll reach a split in the trail. The short spur trail leading towards the left will take you down to Bench Lake. Due to very high and dense brush surrounding the lake at the time of our visit, we really couldn’t see anything here. I’m not sure if this is typical or not, but it really wasn’t worth the effort. Perhaps the water level in the lake was higher than normal, which may have prevented us from reaching the shore.

Once back on the main trail we continued descending down towards a beautiful meadow along the valley floor. After crossing over a small creek the trail began ascending towards Snow Lake. Roughly one mile from the trailhead we reached our first snow field. From this point forward we hiked across hard-packed snow all the way to the lake. Because so many hikers had already reached the lake over the prior days and weeks, the route was very easy to follow. This lingering snow, which often rings the lake until late summer, is very likely the inspiration for its name.

At 1.2 miles we finally reached the end of the trail at Snow Lake. The views from the lake, which is tucked in a cirque below 6917-foot Unicorn Peak, are simply outstanding.

Here’s a view of Snow Lake looking towards the northeast:

On our way back to the trailhead we enjoyed sporadic views of Mt. Rainier:

All in all this was a very nice hike – in fact, we really enjoyed it. For the best photographic opportunities I would highly recommend doing this hike in the morning, as the mountains lie towards the west and the north, and will present themselves at their best in the morning light. I should also mention that the park website notes that “there is always a chance of seeing black bears” on this trail.


Trail: Snow Lake Trail
RT Distance: 2.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Max Elevation: 4679 feet
TH Location: The Bench – east of Paradise
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.

Rampart Ridge Loop

Kathy and I intended to hike the Rampart Ridge Loop during our first visit three years ago, but didn’t due to heavy rain on the last day of our trip. Given that the hike offers great views of Mt. Rainier, and the fact that it was already snow free, it was near the top of our list of hikes for our mid-June visit this year.

The loop hike begins across the street from the National Park Inn at Longmire. Once on the other side of the road you’ll gain access to the Trail of the Shadows, a short loop trail that visits an old homestead cabin. Even though the arrow points to the right, you’ll want to turn left to proceed directly towards the Rampart Ridge Trail. You’ll reach the Rampart Ridge Trail junction in less than two-tenths of a mile.

Just past the junction we passed the 25-foot stump of a large dead tree that had several saplings growing out of the top. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anything like this before:

From the junction the trail climbs moderately through a beautiful old-growth forest. For me, this was one of the most pleasant hikes one could take just about anywhere. Although this might be a bit of hyperbole, it seems that the trail is so well manicured that you could practically ride a road bike on it.

Rampart Ridge, also known as "The Ramparts," is the remnant of an ancient lava flow that originated from the summit of Mt. Rainier.

At just under 2 miles hikers will reach a side trail that leads to an overlook of the Nisqually River Valley. Look for a sign that reads “Viewpoint 200 feet”.

Just beyond the viewpoint the trail reaches its highest point, and at roughly 2.25 miles, will make a sharp bend towards the left. Peer through the trees at this bend and you’ll notice a rock outcropping not far off the trail. Although there are a few trees around, this vantage point still offers some outstanding views of Mt. Rainier. This is probably the best place for an extended break on this hike.

Roughly 50 yards beyond the rock outcropping, as the trail begins to make a sharp descent, you’ll enjoy some unobstructed views of Mt. Rainier. This will be your most scenic view on the hike. A short distance from here the trail heads back into the forest.

At 3.1 miles hikers will reach the Wonderland Trail, an epic 93-mile trail that circumnavigates Mt. Rainier. To complete this loop you’ll have to take a right here. From the junction the Wonderland Trail begins to descend fairly rapidly towards the Nisqually River.

As you descend you’ll travel along a stretch of trail that passes through some ancient trees, many of which appear to be several hundred years old.

At roughly 4.9 miles you’ll cross over to the south side of the main park road, and shortly thereafter, will return to the parking area at Longmire.


Trail: Rampart Ridge Loop
RT Distance: 5.0 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1340 feet
Max Elevation: 4050 feet
TH Location: Longmire
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.

Carter Falls

After completing our hike to Comet Falls, perhaps the most impressive waterfall we’ve ever seen, we decided to do another waterfall hike later that afternoon. Our choice was Carter Falls and Madcap Falls, a hike that received a fairly high user rating on the Washington Trails Association website.

This short hike begins just below the Cougar Rock Campground. Hikers will follow the Wonderland Trail to reach both waterfalls. The 93-mile Wonderland Trail is an epic backpacking route that circumnavigates Mt. Rainier.

From the trailhead hikers will pass through glacial debris littered along the Nisqually River. Although it appears to be a short distance, it does take a little bit of time to walk through the maze of rocks and boulders. You’ll have to do a little bit of route finding at times, but it’s pretty straight forward. On clear days you’ll enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Rainier from the river basin.

After crossing the Nisqually you’ll notice that the Paradise River feeds into the Nisqually just downstream from the footbridge. Once on the other side the trail begins to follow along the north bank of the Paradise River to reach both waterfalls.

During the first six-tenths of a mile the trail travels over mostly flat terrain, but then begins to climb a moderate grade towards the falls. As the trail proceeds higher you’ll pass through an old-growth forest where some of the trees appear to be several hundred years old.

At just 1.25 miles you’ll reach Carter Falls. Unfortunately, due to the trees, you won’t have a clear view of the 53-foot high waterfall. The waterfall was named for Henry Carter, a guide who built the first trail to Paradise.

Roughly 100 yards upstream from Carter Falls is the 34-foot high Madcap Falls:

If you’ve already done most of the hikes in the park, and are looking for something new, this is certainly a decent hike to consider. However, if you’re relatively new to the park, there are many other hikes that offer far more scenic destinations than this one.


Trail: Wonderland Trail
RT Distance: 2.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 500 feet
Max Elevation: 3700 feet
TH Location: Cougar Rock
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.

Comet Falls

Comet Falls just might be the most impressive waterfall I’ve ever seen. As one of the highest waterfalls in Mt. Rainier National Park, it plunges 462 feet over the course of four drops, with the tallest drop being measured at 301 feet.

This outstanding hike begins from the Comet Falls Trailhead, located near Christine Falls between Longmire and Paradise. The trail follows Van Trump Creek for the majority of the route. Along the way you’ll pass numerous cascades, cataracts and waterfalls as the creek rushes down the gorge. As a result of the rugged terrain the trail climbs fairly steeply in many spots.

The trail itself is also very rugged, and is littered with numerous rocks and roots. Given that wet conditions normally pervade in the Pacific Northwest, descending back to the trailhead can be fairly treacherous as a result of slick rocks, roots and mud. As you descend, your best bet is to try and avoid anything that’s wet in order to prevent slips. I would definitely recommend using trekking poles - especially during wet conditions.

Roughly a quarter-of-a-mile above the trailhead hikers will cross over Van Trump Creek on a footbridge that spans roughly 50 feet above a stream that crashes through a narrow, rocky gorge. Upstream is an awesome cascading waterfall (photo above), while Christine Falls plunges through the canyon just downstream from the footbridge. Although you can’t see it from this vantage point, I highly recommend visiting the roadside viewing area just up the road from the trailhead (photo below).

As we climbed higher we enjoyed a wide variety of wildflowers.

At just over 1.5 miles you’ll cross over Van Trump Creek where Bloucher Falls crashes into the rocky terrain just upstream from the footbridge. Don’t confuse this with Comet Falls, which is still another quarter-of-a-mile up the trail.

A distant Comet Falls finally comes into view not far above Bloucher Falls:

I highly recommend continuing a little further up the trail to get an up-front view of the falls as they thunder and crash into the rocks below. It’s quite amazing! This was by far the best waterfall hike we’ve ever done.

The waterfall received its name because it resembles the tail of a comet.

Beyond the falls the trail continues up to the sub-alpine meadows of Van Trump Park. Although snow made this area impassable during our mid-June hike, we really wished we could’ve continued on as this area is known for its awesome wildflower displays, as well as its dramatic views of Mt. Rainier. To reach Van Trump Park you’ll have to travel another mile and climb an additional 1100 feet.


Trail: Comet Falls Trail
RT Distance: 3.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1250 feet
Max Elevation: 4875 feet
TH Location: Near Christine Falls east of Longmire
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.

Burroughs Mountain at Sunrise

While hiking the Skyline Trail in Paradise earlier in the day we heard from a backcountry ranger that heavy rain was moving into the area later that night, and would continue into the next day. As a result we made some changes to our plans and decided to hike the Burroughs Mountain loop that afternoon, instead of the next morning. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Sunrise roughly two hours later, Mt. Rainier was already socked-in with heavy clouds from about 11,000 feet and above.

No worries, though. The Burroughs Mountain loop still offers big expansive views in all directions throughout almost the entire route.

The hike begins near the Sunrise Visitor Center. It starts off with a relatively steep climb, but you’ll have an awesome view of Mt. Rainier off to your left, if the weather permits.

After ascending two short connector trails you’ll arrive at the Sourdough Ridge Trail junction. Turn left here and travel west for about a mile to Frozen Lake. Once the trail ascends Sourdough Ridge it flattens out for a fairly long stretch before reaching the lake. Burroughs Mountain will be the dominating feature just off to your left.

You may expect Frozen Lake to be a pretty scenic place to stop, but really it’s not. In fact it was kind of a disappointment. The lake is used as the water supply for the Sunrise Visitor Center, and is completely fenced-in.

After passing Frozen Lake you’ll reach a five-way trail junction. The Wonderland Trail crosses over on an east-west trajectory, while the Mt. Freemont Lookout Trail spurs off towards the north. The Burroughs Mountain Trail heads southwest, and almost immediately begins a fairly steep climb up the northeastern slopes of Burroughs Mountain.

At the top of the climb you’ll reach what is known as First Burroughs Mountain. The name is the result of there being three “summits” on the mountain. On this alpine tundra plateau, at roughly 7160 feet in elevation, you’ll have outstanding views of Emmons Glacier and Little Tahoma Peak. Also at the top is the Sunrise Rim Trail junction, a trail you’ll use to continue your loop hike on your return trip.

From First Burroughs Mountain the trail descends roughly 70 feet before it begins climbing back up to Second Burroughs. As we crossed the gap between the two summits a light fog drifted over us.

At roughly 2.9 miles hikers will reach the summit of Second Burroughs Mountain. The peak is marked by the Meany Memorial Seat, an interesting stone bench that was erected as a memorial to Edmond S. Meany, a long-time president of the Mountaineers. From this perch at 7402 feet you’ll have commanding views of 14,410-foot Mt. Rainier and the Emmons Glacier towards the south. To the west is Third Burroughs Mountain. You can continue hiking on an unmarked trail for another 1.5 miles to reach the highest point on the mountain, but you’ll have to descend roughly 400 feet first before climbing to the top of the 7828-foot summit. Based on what I’ve heard, however, it sounds like the effort is well worth it. The views of the Winthrop Glacier just beyond mountain are supposed to be spectacular.

Although we didn’t see any this day, mountain goats are frequently seen in this area of the park.

Mount Rainier has the distinction of being the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. With more than 35 square miles of glaciers radiating from its summit, almost 10% of the park is covered in ice. The mountain has 25 named glaciers and several dozen smaller unnamed glaciers and snowfields. Covering a total of 4.3 square miles, Emmons Glacier is the largest glacier on the mountain, while Winthrop Glacier ranks as the second largest. Rainier’s glaciers also spawn six major rivers, including the Carbon, Puyallup, Mowich, Nisqually, Cowlitz and White rivers.

From the summit of Second Burroughs Mountain the loop hike continues by turning around and returning to First Burroughs Mountain. While on the saddle between the two summits you may be able to spot the Mt. Freemont Lookout fire tower if you look towards the north. Once back at the Sunrise Rim Trail junction hikers should head east towards Shadow Lake to resume the loop hike and return back to the visitor center. As you head down the trail the views of Mt. Rainier are quite impressive. You’ll have a grand view of the west face of the peak, as well as Emmons Glacier.

As the trail descends you'll notice a beautiful emerald-colored lake in the valley below. This vantage point also provides a birds-eye view of the Inter Fork spilling off Inter Glacier and into the valley below, before eventually flowing into the White River.

As you continue downhill the trail hugs the southern slopes of Burroughs Mountain. Take note of the rock walls alongside the path throughout this section. The crews who built this did an excellent job of carving out the trail and building rock walls that retain the hillside from sliding over the pathway. We saw a couple examples of this workmanship throughout our hike.

At just over 4.5 miles you’ll reach the Emmons Glacier Overlook. Here you'll have an impressive view of Goat Island Mountain, and the White River valley more than two thousand feet below.

At 4.8 miles hikers will reach the Wonderland Trail. You’re also likely to notice the Sunrise Camp shelter, which was built for backpackers section-hiking or thru-hiking the entire 93-mile Wonderland Trail. Hikers should turn right here to continue on towards Sunrise. Just past the Wonderland Trail junction is another fork in the trail. The short side trail on the left leads to Shadow Lake, while the right fork continues on towards Sunrise.

Roughly a half-mile outside of Sunrise the clouds that were hanging over Rainier finally lifted and we were able to get one last full view of the mountain before leaving the park.

After completing the 6.2-mile loop the hike ends at the Sunrise parking area. Although the weather wasn't optimal that afternoon, I would still rate this as an outstanding hike.


Trail: Burroughs Mountain
RT Distance: 6.2 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1425 feet
Max Elevation: 7402 feet
TH Location: Sunrise
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map

Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.