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July 27th, 2025: Paradise River Group Site to S. Puyallup River Group Site (15.6 miles, 4,482 ft elevation gain)
The morning was chilly. I bundled up in layers as we began the day’s journey. It was a far cry from the humid mornings I’ve grown used to on the East Coast. The Wonderland Trail continued on a gentle decline through the ancient forest. We followed the Paradise River first, passing Madcap Falls and Carter Falls. Doing as much research on this hike as I did, I still had no idea how many waterfalls we would pass, especially in the first few days.
Remnants of a penstock followed alongside for a short distance. Built in the 1920s, it transported water from the Paradise River to a power plant. It provided electricity to both Paradise and Longmire, but it was abandoned and eventually demolished in the 1980s. The penstock, however, remains.
Making good time, we emerged from the forest onto the Nisqually River valley. The furious, silty, glacier-fed river thundered away as we carefully crossed another foot-log. While I made my way across, I couldn’t help but wonder how some complete a full Wonderland Trail loop in June when the rivers are even more swollen and the bridges may not be in place yet? Once on solid ground, we took a brief break to enjoy the views upstream to Mount Rainier. The clouds were still obscuring some of the summit, but it was still fantastic.
Shortly after crossing the river, the trail rose to a bank above the valley. We followed it downstream. A few spur trails led to the Cougar Rock Car Campground. This large campground is often a choice for WT thru-hikers who cannot get a permit for one of the backcountry campgrounds.
The Wonderland Trail continued west, following along a carriage road. In the distance, we could see signs of the Longmire Wilderness Information Center, where we would pick up our resupply. We continued along until we arrived at the road. The helpful rangers gave us our resupply buckets, and we set up at the picnic bench right outside.
Using the bathroom, disposing of trash, and adjusting our packs for the added days of food weight took the next 45 minutes. Since Mowich Lake is no longer a resupply option, we were packing enough food to last us the next 60 miles. After it was all said and done, we gave the empty buckets back to the rangers to recycle, took the obligatory group photo at the Wonderland Trail sign, and headed up Rampart Ridge.
The climb traverses old, towering groves of firs and cedars. I have only seen trees like this while driving through Northern California. Occasionally, the forest canopy gave way to views of Eagle Peak across the same Nisqually River we had already passed. The further we climbed, the more the day hikers thinned out. We were about to enter a remote section of trail where we wouldn’t see too many people until Sunrise, a few days away.
At the top of the ridge, the trail almost immediately descended, eventually reaching Kautz Creek, notorious for its debris and mudflows. In the basin, walking over the unstable rocks, I took a wrong step and immediately fell face-first onto the ground. Luckily, my body suffered less than my pride. I picked myself and kept it moving. Another foot-log helped us past the creek and its rocky embankment.
Pyramid Creek Camp was located shortly after the crossing, and immediately beyond it, there was another foot-log crossing of torrential Pyramid Creek. Switchbacks dominated this next climb through another old-growth forest. We crossed Fishers Hornpipe Creek and took a water break near Devil’s Dream Creek. It was here that we entered the mosquito zone.
In my planning post, I wrote about why late July and early August were the best times to hike the trail because of the weather, lower wildfire risk, less snow, and wildflower blooms. The tradeoff for hiking during this season is the bugs.
Devil’s Dream Camp was named appropriately because the bugs attacked us in swarms when we reached it. With all the flowers and fresh snowmelt, they were relentless. It was so bad, I put on a bug net. Nick was the smartest of us all. He always hikes in pants and long sleeves, which I normally tease him about, but he got the last laugh on this one. Devi’s Dream was a unique campsite in that the spots were right alongside the trail. I’m talking about a few feet. It was also pretty spread out, spanning a few switchbacks up the trail.
Beyond, we left the forest and arrived in what I can only describe as…well, a wonderland. Mountain meadows dotted with sprawling wildflowers. Purple lupine, white Sitka valerian and bistort, yellow broadleaf arnica and daisies, the furry seed heads of the pasqueflower, and red Castilleja surrounded us as we made it to the famous Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground. It was like a rainbow road with the addition of breathtaking views of Mount Rainier. I could travel the rest of my life and maybe never come across something as vibrant and beautiful as this section of trail. It almost made me forget that every time I stopped, tiny winged vampires were trying to suck my blood, almost.
At the hunting ground, lies a 1915-built patrol cabin. It is the oldest remaining in the park, and even with insects, Kyle, Nick, and I all agreed to stop and enjoy this. The sun was high in the sky, and it was getting quite warm. I think this kept the bugs off us while we had a small snack break.
When we left the cabin, the Wonderland Trail continued north, passing more wetlands, tarns you guessed it, flowers. Less than a quarter mile away we came to a junction with Mirror Lakes Trail. This 0.7-mile spur trail leads to a few small ponds that reflect Mount Rainier. The trail there was pretty muddy and somewhat overgrown near the water. Overall, it was worth the side quest just to see more of the blooming meadows if nothing else.
After getting back on the main trail, we once again reentered the forest and dropped 1,000 ft in 1.5 miles. At the bottom was the Tahoma Creek suspension bridge. One of the iconic areas of Mount Rainier National Park, the 150-foot-long, dramatic bridge sways 200 feet above the roaring riverbed. As instructed by the signage, we crossed one at a time. I went last. I must admit, dear reader, that I am not the biggest fan of heights, so I safe to say I was quite nervous crossing this thing. The bridge held strong, though I swayed back and forth as I crossed it. We all made it safely across with no hiccups.
On the far side of the bridge, we began the last climb of the day, and boy, it was a doozy. It was later in the day, and having gone 13+ miles already, I could safely say we all were tired. Nick is the fastest of us, so on the uphills, we let him go ahead. That way, he would not have to wait for Kyle and me. Another hiker coming the other way told us he observed a black bear nearby and on the trail not too long before. This put us on high alert. He also wanted to take our photo, which made him the second person to do so in as many days.
After some switchbacks, the trees thinned out. We marched up the glacial debris from the receding Tahoma Glacier. Open vistas of Pyramid Peak, Tokaloo Spire, Glacier Island, and even a far-off waterfall dominated the landscape. I could see the small, barren path continuing up the ridge surrounded by an otherworldly landscape. For the second time today, I was speechless.
The trail peaked at Emerald Ridge. When Kyle and I finally arrived, Nick had his pack off and was enjoying a pleasant break. I didn’t blame him. The view was worth savoring. We were just above the Tahoma Glacier. Views of Rainier, ice, deep crevasses, and all the colors of the mountains were just east of us. Out west, the horizon stretched for miles, interrupted by layers of hazy mountain peaks. In our immediate vicinity, the flowers had come back, though not as vibrant as earlier, and the trail was right near a deep glacier-carved canyon. It was around 18:00 when we arrived, and we still had a few miles to go, but I’d kick myself if we didn’t sit down and enjoy this.
Unlike the meadows, the rocky terrain we rested upon did not have a mosquito issue, so we took a much longer break. I’m talking about a shoes-off type of break, which is about as good as it gets. Luckily for us, the summer sun lingers late into the evening, so there was no actual concern of getting to camp in the dark. I’m not sure how long we were up there, but it wasn’t long enough.
All good things must come to an end, though, so we put back on our shoes and packs, and we trekked across the green hills back into the darkening forest. Going downhill was quite treacherous. The gravel and rocks are very loose on the north side of the ridge, and the trail is close to the edge. I don’t think we were in any real danger, but there were a few slips along the way.
About a quarter mile from camp, we collected water from a small offshoot stream of the South Puyallup River. We then marched into camp on exhausted legs. It was around 20:00 when we got to the S. Puyallup River Camp, and getting dark. Before we got settled, we took a minute to decompress. With the extra hike to Mirror Lakes, we had walked close to 17 miles and were feeling every bit of it. Conversation around camp was a little more subdued that night, as we sat around and ate dinner. We were all ready to get into our sleeping bags and catch some sleep.
After dinner, I took my camera and captured some nice shots of the river valley below. The sky was a mix of blues and pinks, and a crescent moon hung just above the pine trees. It was a striking image to end a difficult, yet rewarding day on trail.
Camp Review
- MLG’s Camp Rating: 8.5/10
- Kyle’s Camp Rating: 9/10
“River flowing background noise offered a sound night of sleep. Tons of space for the group and a separate eating circle with great seating options for dinner. I woke up once with my tent’s rain fly inches from my face. This was because my trekking pole fell during sleep. I didn’t even get up to fix it; I slept right through it.”
- Nick’s Camp Rating: 8/10
“Dangerously long distance to the open-air privy, but the view/sound of the river made for the best bathroom experience on the trail. Devil’s Pipe Organ was badass.”
Day 1 Top Highlight
Notable Quote(s)
Kyle’s Response:
Next: Wonderland Trail: Day 3 (South Puyallup River to Golden Lakes)