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“There is a trail that encircles the mountain. It is a trail that leads through primeval forests, close to the mighty glaciers, past waterfalls and dashing torrents, up over ridges, and down into canyons; it leads through a veritable wonderland of beauty and grandeur.”
— Roger Toll, 1920
Hello fellow hikers, the end of July is quickly approaching, and so too is my next long-distance hike: The Wonderland Trail (WT). I actually acquired the permit at the end of March after winning a time slot from the early access lottery (well, not me technically, but more on that in the next post), but I haven’t wanted to jinx anything. With two weeks to go until my hike, I’m taking a risk and announcing it. This will be my first long-distance hike since I completed the Long Trail in 2022.
Who?
Originally, the plan was to hike with a group of 6 total people, most of whom are familiar faces from previous trips on this blog. Sadly, life got in the way for some of them, so three people have had to drop out. I am now going with my good friends, Nick and Kyle. Nick should be a familiar face if you have read some of my other trip reports, but this will be Kyle’s first long-distance trek. What a hike to start with!!!
What?
The 93-mile Wonderland Trail is a designated National Scenic Trail that circles Mount Rainier. First blazed in 1915, the Wonderland Trail has a rich history and is a bucket list adventure for many hikers. It passes through lowland forests, over river crossings, and on sub-alpine Meadows. There are over 22,000 ft of elevation gain, and it is considered extremely strenuous as it is consistently climbing or descending ridges around Rainier. The highest point is 6,750 ft at Panhandle Gap.
Between Mowich Lake and the Carbon River, a traditional WT hike takes one through Ipsut Pass and Ipsut Creek; however, my group and I will be taking the Spray Park alternate, a higher elevation route that is considered to be more beautiful and challenging.
When?
Our permit is for 8 days and 7 nights at the end of July/early August. This timeframe is prime WT hiking season. The weather should be prime, snow should be mostly gone, and wildflowers should be blooming. Going in July also reduces the risk of being impacted by wildfires. Insects will be more of an issue than later in the summer or fall, but the pros of a July hike outweigh the cons.
Where?
The entirety of the WT is set within the Mount Rainier National Park boundary in the state of Washington. Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in the state and the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States. Rainier is the largest mountain in the famous Cascade Range.
Why?
Through my research, I’ve come to learn that while challenging, the Wonderland Trail is mile-for-mile one of the most scenic and rewarding hikes in the United States. The diversity of Rainier’s ecosystems alone is enough to make any adventurer salivate.
Aside from that, it is a relatively shorter “long-distance” hike. I will only need to take one week off work, and the logistics are not all that difficult despite being on the other side of the country. As soon as I saw the email saying we’d won the permit lottery, it was an easy choice to make.
In 14 days, I will be hiking one of the coolest trails in the US with some great friends. What more could I want? As always, you can follow my journey right here on MLGHikes or Instagram.
Happy trails!!!
