Wonderland Trail: Does It Live Up to Its Name?

Something about the Wonderland Trail stuck with me out of all the cool trails on my radar. It’s popular, and I know multiple folks who had recommended it. It’s in Mount Rainier National Park in the Pacific Northwest, a region I’d long wanted to visit. Hiking the loop would add Mount Rainier to my “mountains I’ve hiked around” collection, which started with Mont Blanc earlier this summer. And it was also a serious challenge, over 90 miles and 27,000 feet of total elevation gain, a step in my progress toward more ambitious trips over the past few years. Maybe it was just the name, wonderland; could it really be that wonderful? With all this in mind, I made the call to DC ULers early this year to assemble a crew.

As the trail doesn’t start or end anywhere in particular, it can be completed in many ways. Most people take 9–12 days, getting a permit for most campsites along the way. It can also be done in as little as 3 days if you trail run and stay in front country campsites. I wanted to do a trip somewhere in between, 5 to 6 days, with challenging hiking and enough time to enjoy backcountry camping.

The trickiest part for planning was the permits. There are about 20 campsites along the trail and the permits are used to reserve limited spots. There are many good resources out there that cover how to get these permits, so I won’t bother with details. What helped most was (1) applying early for the lottery and getting lucky enough to win, (2) calling the ranger station during our slot to get over online barriers, and (3) using walk-in permits to swap better campsites and even out distances.

In the end, it was Brian M., Lily, and me who flew to Seattle, rented a car, and headed towards Mount Rainier and down the rabbit hole. We were on a quest to find the wonder. Spoiler alert: we did. Not only did we find it, we determined (some may say discovered) there are 5 Wonder Types to this trail.

8/27 – Day 1

Longmire to Pyramid Creek
Distance: 2.98 mi | Range: 2,796–3,895 ft | Gain/Loss: +1,246/–352 ft

We were hiking the loop clockwise starting at Longmire. First we drove to White River Campground to pick-up permits and drop off a food cache. We were able to secure walk-in permits for Pyramid Creek that night and, more exciting, for Indian Bar on the last night. The rangers also gave us some good tips. We learned about some dry sections and that bugs (mosquitoes, biting flies) wouldn’t be an issue. They pointed us to where we could get extra fuel left behind by other hikers, as we didn’t have any luck finding smaller 4-oz ones on the drive up. We would encounter more rangers on the trail, as they had patrol cabins along the trail.

It was raining when we rolled into Longmire but that turned out to be the only rain. The weather throughout the trip was pleasant and sunny. Before heading out, we stopped by the National Park Inn for a quick bite (mini review: expensive but solid).

The trail started out in coniferous forest with giant trees and soft pine litter making for easy and pleasant trail conditions. We had our first water crossing at Kautz Creek, one of several streams and rivers along the trail formed by glacier melt. Some of these had permanent bridges, others required navigating stream beds. Frequent flooding reshapes the landscape, and new log bridges and stone markings are thrown down to show the way. Fording these crossings is one of the main hiking hazards, but we were pleased to find that this wasn’t necessary on this trip. Mostly we got turned around at these crossing, as the trail is easy to lose and our CalTopo didn’t reflect updated routes. We arrived at Pyramid Creek just before sunset. Our campsite, as expected, was just big enough for our tents and this trend would continue at the other sites.

This leads us to Type 1 Wonder, the wonderful humans and infrastructure, from the prehistoric to the modern, which have shaped this trail and land such that we could walk around the mountain. Whether that’s helpful rangers, bridges, or backcountry facilities. While things like small campsites and permitting can be somewhat frustrating, it’s good to remember these help reduce our overall impact on this amazing place.

8/28 – Day 2

Pyramid Creek to Golden Lakes
Distance: 20.95 mi | Range: 3,553–5,965 ft | Gain/Loss: +7,146/–5,935 ft

At 21 mi and 7150 feet of gain, our first full day would be our most difficult. We were off before sunrise and continued to hike up through the old-growth forest. The giant old trees, along with the moss and fern covered understory, left us feeling like it was an ancient and venerable place. Fallen trees had rootballs that were twice as tall as us and there were mushrooms as big as our heads. The woodland critters included squirrels and grouse. Lily was a big fan of the mushrooms and stopped frequently to admire them.

The trees grew shorter and more sparse as we climbed. Right after Devil’s Dream we entered a wetland meadow. I encountered one of my favorite wildflowers types, a gentian (Gentiana calycosa), which typically have a rare blue color. Much of our trip would be walking in and out of these open subalpine areas, many of which have park in their name. After crossing a long and high suspension bridge over the Tahoma Creek, we ended up in a particularly beautiful meadow area (around Emerald Ridge) with great views of glaciers, mountains, and marmot families.

We also started to find life-sustaining blueberries, huckleberries, and bilberries. I am going to resist going full plant nerd and describe the different species, mostly because I didn’t get good photos. I can at least say all these berries fall under the Vaccinium genus and, according to iNaturalist, there are about five common species within the park. We also encountered salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), a type of bramble that resembles its relatives—raspberries and blackberries. Throughout our days we enjoyed this tasty and fresh bounty, whether it was while walking along the trail, filtering water, or at camp. At some campsites berries were within arm’s reach and Brian could grab some from his hammock.

Our highest point of the day was at St Andrew’s Lake. This was a near alpine environment, where I saw frogs swim away as I filled up water. Lily and I enjoyed lunch here before continuing through the scenic Klapatche Park and beyond.

Right before arriving at Golden Lakes, I rounded a corner and saw a black bear chilling in a meadow. Unfortunately I only had a few seconds to stare at it before it saw me and bolted into the trees. Despite the brief look, this was the first time I had seen a bear on the trail so I was pretty stoked.

This leads us to Type 2 Wonder, the wonder of life. We were able to walk through a range of ecosystems and see various forms of life, from animals, to plants, and fungi.

8/29 – Day 3

Golden Lakes to Cataract Valley
Distance: 16.86 mi | Range: 2,613–6,371 ft | Gain/Loss: +4,425/–4,832 ft

As great as day 2 was, I admit my mind had still been halfway in un-wonderland. It wasn’t until this day that I really felt like I had fallen down the rabbit hole. The first section descending into the forest again, crossed the South Mowich River, and then climbed toward Mowich Lake. The lake was a short detour away, so we decided to stop by.

When we arrived, we were surprised to be the only ones there. It turned out the bridge to get there by car was closed, meaning the only way to access the lake was to hike in. We took the opportunity to have a nice long break and enjoy the serenity. I even went swimming, which was massively refreshing. The un-wonderful ruminations were washed away. I could have spent most of the day there, alternating between swimming and lying in the sun; a beer would have made it perfect.

We did eventually encounter someone there, a ranger from the nearby patrol station. On the way out we made use of the facilities, such as the trash cans.

Our next highlight for this day was the scenic Spray Park alternate. First we stopped by Spray Falls, a 350-ft cascading waterfall. After the falls, we climbed through Spray and Mist Park. This area was striking and definitely worth the effort. You really can’t beat walking through meadows with wind-tossed wildflowers and mountains looming. Soon after we reached more alpine-y environments and found some snow nearby.

The final stretch to camp was downhill and had a high berry density. This is where Brian spotted a second bear, a “cinnamon” variety black bear as one hiker claimed, enjoying the berry feast. We arrived at Cataract Valley early and it was empty, with only one other group eventually appearing. After an early dinner, we enjoyed some quality camp time. Brian lounged around in his hammock and Lily picked even more blueberries.

Here we found Type 3 Wonder, the sense of peacefulness that pervaded the landscape. We found lakes to swim in, rivers to lounge by, trees to be secluded in, and waterfalls to feel the mist blow by. Box canyons and strange rock formations, raging rivers and white glacier runoff water were beautiful and exciting, but the quiet forest and meadows made the outside world a faint memory.

8/30 – Day 4

Cataract Valley to Sunrise
Distance: 15.15 mi | Range: 3,195–6,758 ft | Gain/Loss: +5,736/–3,985 ft

The main event for day 4 was to get to the snack bar at Sunrise (perhaps the highest Type 1 Wonder). Thoughts of beer, hot dogs, and ice cream powered Brian and I toward this objective . Lily, being less motivated by such wonders, would take her time going straight to camp.

The morning featured multiple river crossings followed by glacier views. First was Carbon River, crossed by another suspension bridge. The Carbon Glacier was massive and clearly formed the raging river below. A jaunt through more idyllic blueberry-filled parks (Moraine Park) and mountain lakes (Mystic Lakes) lead to another river + glacier combo around Winthrop and Granite Creek.

A climb after Granite Creek was rewarded with a very nice view of Mount Rainier. At around 6700 feet, this was around the start of a proper alpine environment. I enjoyed some snacks before continuing.

In the open area towards Sunrise, there were first mountain goats and then later day hikers. I power-hiked past the crowds on the Sourdough shortcut. Meanwhile, Brian was stopping by our campsite to claim a spot. Once I finally made it, I was impressed with the snack bar’s options. My haul included one hot dog, two beers, one ice cream sandwich, and one cold brew. I caught up with Brian and we enjoyed our goods while watching folks come and go to their cars. Not everything was a winner; Brian thought the beer was so bad he gave the rest away to some thankful hikers next to us.

A short hike later and we were at the Sunrise campsite. With how close it was to the parking lot, it did feel like a front-country campsite but it wasn’t too bad. There was a rumor of a bear in the area but alas we did not get a third sighting. I tried out Brian’s legendary hammock, a nice combo with the beer. I also listened to some music (the song White Rabbit was stuck in my head the entire trip). Lily caught up eventually and we learned she had her own adventure with a couple from Seattle we had met before.

8/31 – Day 5

Sunrise to Indian Bar
Distance: 15.08 mi | Range: 3,871–6,769 ft | Gain/Loss: +3,485/–4,665 ft

Our final full day started with a descent down to White River, where we grabbed our food cache and made use of the trash cans and bathrooms. Then we ascended right back up again, climbing up and up towards the highest point on the trail, Panhandle Gap. I became interested in the increasingly sparse environment as we continued to climb past Summerland.

Here was a harsh and beautiful landscape with red and green tinted rocks, lingering snow fields, waterfalls, and blue ponds. Among the rocks were snow-fed streams with cool plants, with many having flowers in bloom. Once we got up to Panhandle Gap, we could survey the scenes below and gawk. This, I’ve decided, was my favorite section of the trail. Excuse me while I show way too many photos.

In the Ohanapecosh Park, Lily and I got pretty close to some mountain goats. And we were able to see a massive forest fire form a billowing cloud in the distance. It rose throughout the day like an ominous mushroom cloud. As we later learned, the Wildcat Fire started from a lightning strike and burned through 10,000+ acres.

Type 4 Wonder comes from the evident power of nature and time. The effects of wildfires, glaciers, rivers, and other physical phenomenon over vast timescales were clearly seen in the landscapes.

Our last campsite was Indian Bar, one of the best on the trail. There are views of meadows and the Ohanapecosh River nestled among the mountains. We admired the scenery from the group shelter for awhile where we chatted with other hikers. I sat by river for a bit and plunged my sore feet into the ice cold water.

Later, the culmination of all the amazing landscape inspired one man, half of the Seattle couple from earlier, to get down on one knee and propose to his other half. It was a nice happenstance that we could help photograph this. May they find joy and wonder in their lives going forward as we found on this trail.

9/1 – Day 6

Indian Bar to Longmire
Distance: 20.54 mi | Range: 2,574–5,914 ft | Gain/Loss: +4,034/–6,370 ft

Our last day would be a long 20 miles. There was some angst about getting back to the car early enough to have time for dinner and catch our flights. So we left at sunrise and caught one last awesome view of Mount Rainier among a meadow of purple sunflowers. This is the Type 5 Wonder, the mountain. This is one big mountain. We see mountains all over the place, but some mountains just stand out and evoke awe.

Unfortunately I could not find a Mount Rainier fan cam like this, but here’s a slideshow.

Lily was worried about a forming injury, but she was able to get off trail early and hitch a ride with her newly engaged friends. For Brian and I, the rest of our day included box canyons, waterfalls, and dodging day hikers. I also got one more swim in at Louise Lake. The final sections were like the first, back within the thicker old-growth forests again. I made up for my time swimming by halfway running down the descents.

In the end we all made it back to the car at Longmire, with time to do chores such as giving our leftover fuel canisters to the WIC. We headed out of the park and celebrated with pizza and beer at Rainier BaseCamp Bar & Grill.

So… was it wonderful?

This trip was near perfect. We got good campsites in the end, had stable and sunny weather, ate lots of wild berries, saw bears, swam in secluded mountain lakes, and helped with a marriage proposal.

Beyond our good luck with various things, the trail itself is superb. I don’t think the name is marketing hype. There are many wonderful things about it, at least five of them, and probably many more to be found. I would recommend it to people who are looking for a challenging backcountry trail that has accessible and well-maintained amenities.

~ Austin (“Citrus”). And Brian, who helped start the report, including the five wonder types, and poked me to finalize it. Better late than never!