We’ll assemble early morning of Day 1 for the Mt. Rainier National Park Hiking Tour and head directly to our hike to Narada Falls (6 miles). The waterfall drops 188 feet in two tiers of 168 feet and 20 feet. The upper tier is a horsetail that falls in several strands down a nearly sheer cliff, into a canyon that is perpendicular to it. The lower tier is a much smaller plunge. After our first hike we’ll shuttle to the Paradise Inn on the flanks of the volcano for our first two nights. The Inn has been recently renovated and is right on our trails.
On Day 2, we’ll hike along the Skyline Trail, likely the park’s most popular hike, and for good reason. A solid climb early into the hike and we’re beyond timberline where the spectacular vistas reside, and Rainier is in our face at all times. A short spur trail offers an irresistible opportunity to view Nisqually Glacier, before we begin our descent back to the trailhead (6 miles).
Early morning of Day 3, we’ll leave Paradise and shuttle over Chinook Pass, just beyond the park’s eastern boundary. We’ll join the Pacific Crest Trail just east of the pass as part of a grand loop that encircles Naches Peak (6,452 feet). Stunning views of Rainier and many of the other dominant peaks of the eastern slope highlight our return to our trailhead (5 miles). We’ll then continue along the park’s eastern perimeter to Crystal Mountain Resort, where we’ll spend our final three overnights.
The Sunrise area is our destination for Day 4. With the awe-inspiring Rainier in front and a backdrop of meadows offering the most riotous display of wildflowers that we have ever experienced, our hike at Berkeley Park is a favorite part of the itinerary (8 miles).
On Day 5, we’ll re-enter the park through the White River Station toward Sunrise. Our focus for this day is a section of the famed Wonderland Trail, the 90-mile epic track that encircles Rainier. We’ll hike the Fryingpan Creek section to the subalpine meadows of Summerland and beyond into the rocky alpine above to the edge of the snowfields (8 miles).
Following a final night at Crystal Mountain, Day 6 will bring us to road’s end at Sunrise and a hike beyond timberline to Frozen Lake and on to the First and Second Burroughs. The views of Rainier throughout this hike are incredible along a trail that overlooks the entire expanse of the park’s northern section including snow-clad Mt. Baker, well to the north of Rainier—all in all, a dramatic conclusion to our week-long engagement with this grand mountain (6 miles).
