r/mountrainierhiking

No time today for a full description, but here are some photos and a map. Full update next week.

As frustrating as the wait has been, the road to Sunrise finally has an opening date: Saturday, July 4th. Expect crowded conditions, snow-free trails, and plentiful wildflowers. For those unfamiliar with the area, the White River Entrance is the gateway to Sunrise. Please have your pass and ID (or your payment card for purchase of a pass) ready at the gate. Get questions answered before arriving to keep the process running smoothly or save them for the ranger station just beyond the gate. Also, there is a restroom with running water and an information board just beyond the entry.

All photos are from June 12th, 2026 EXCEPT the first photo, which was taken from Sunrise Point on July 22nd, 2025.

Some snow remains in patches throughout the meadows, but the paved trail was snow-free.

Wildflowers are beginning to emerge!! I saw lots of pasqueflower, avalanche lilies, and phlox, though peak season is still a few weeks away.

Naches Peak Loop is the premier hike on the east side of the park along the Highways 410 and 123 corridor. It’s a relatively easy hike with a few moderate portions, it’s wide enough to pass other hikers with little delay, it offers fabulous views of Mount Rainier on the southern half, and, in season, wildflowers line the entire loop. 

There are a few access points for the trail. Most people will choose to park in the Tipsoo Lakes Picnic Area parking lot. If this spot is full, or if you’d rather have the steep uphill trek at the end of the hike, parking at the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) trailhead or Chinook Pass viewpoint are two other options just east of the Chinook Pass summit. The PCT trailhead requires a NW Forest Pass or equivalent. A final parking option is along Highway 410 itself between the Tipsoo Lakes Picnic Area and the Chinook Pass summit. 

Now that “getting there” is out of the way, it’s time to hit the trail, starting from Tipsoo Picnic. Find the display board and take the trail immediately to the right of it, which drops and passes along the north side of Little Tipsoo Lake. After passing Little Tipsoo, reach TWO signs indicating the Naches Peak Loop Trail. The best way to go is clockwise, or left, at these signs. Tread uphill steeply through meadow. The trail transitions to forest briefly, before topping out and opening up into meadow again. A trail junction is ahead, overlooking Highway 410. This trail is the PCT, with the left trail going to the PCT trailhead, and the right trail the route you want, now identified as both the PCT trail southbound and the Naches Peak Loop Trail. Cross over Highway 410 on the iconic wooden bridge and the adventure really begins.

The north side of the loop is an up-and-down journey with views across the American River Valley with a sightline to Highway 410 on the far side. On the right (uphill side of the trail) is Naches Peak, which is visible for nearly the entire hike. Early in the season there are a few snow melt streams that cross the trail and may get your boots wet. Be prepared for wildflowers! Not far into the journey, the trail reaches the edge of the William O. Douglas Wilderness within the Wenatchee National Forest (the trail has been outside of the park since crossing the wooden highway bridge). Continuing on, the trail makes an uphill turn, but remains easy going. A tarn will come into view and is worth exploring. This is a great resting place and (based on my experience) tends to have fewer mosquitoes than the tarn on the south side of the loop. 

It’s now time to meander uphill in order to flip from the north side of Naches Peak to the south side. While not especially steep, this portion might feel different because it’s the steepest portion since the climb out of Tipsoo. Weave through meadows and rocks to reach a summit that offers views both north and south. Looking south, there is a good viewpoint for the Dewey Lakes and far off peaks. At the viewpoint the trail has finally made the turn west, and comes to a junction. 

If you’re taking a side trip to the Dewey Lakes, this is your junction. The PCT goes steeply downhill and leads to the lakes. Continuing west, the trail will now be exclusively the “Naches Peak Loop” and instantly re-enters Mount Rainier National Park (take no pets beyond the PCT junction!). The trail continues its up/down trend with a little more “up” at this point. Views open up of Mount Rainier and they are stunning! The wildflowers, which, in season, have lined the trail for most of the journey now become even more prevalent. Along this side of the Naches Peak there is another tarn. This one is not as awe-inspiring as the north tarn, but it does have the benefit of having Mount Rainier in this distance. 

After the tarn, the trail bobs up and down with ample views of mountains and wildflowers. Watch for Mount Adams in the distance (left/south) eventually. When the trail starts heading steeply downhill, it also starts turning more to the north, which is necessary to close the loop. There is a “photographer’s delight” area along this downhill portion. Mount Rainier begs for your attention and it’s worth a break in this area to take advantage of the lack of trees blocking the view. 

Soon after this view area, the trail continues its drop, but this time it’s in the forest. From here to the junction with Highway 410, trees block views, but flowers still line the trail. Be sure to stay on the main trail ...there are plenty of footpaths that could cause confusion, but the primary route is so wide there is no reason to doubt where to go. 

After a few forest twists and turns, the trail comes to a junction just above Highway 410. The right trail goes to Upper Tipsoo Lake, which offers more opportunities for exploration. The left turn drops to Highway 410 in a few steps. Go left and cross 410 to a roadside viewpoint of Big Tipsoo Lake. The trail continues on the left side of the viewpoint, which isn’t easily visible. 

Now you are in special meadow territory. Be sure to stay on the trail as you make your way back toward the Tipsoo Picnic Area parking. The quickest way back is to keep left at all junctions, but to really enjoy the lake the best bet is to go right and follow along the east side of the lake (with Mount Rainier views). Also, there is a center option that hugs the west side of the lake. No matter which direction you take, the starting point and parking area will be easy to find by focusing on going west at all junctions.

(Almost no snow along the route on 6/24/26. The wildflowers are just starting, but they will be bursting into full bloom soon.)

Almost no snow on the trail (none at all on the south side except the drop back to Tipsoo). Doesn't even need trekking polls. More information to come.

There are many ways to access Noble Knob, which is not too far outside the boundary of Mount Rainier National Park. The easiest way, yet arguably the most confusing, is via Forest Road 72, from east Highway 410 near the Skookum Falls viewpoint (if you get to the viewpoint, you have gone too far). Be sure to review a map in advance, because, once you leave the intersection with 410, there are no signs leading the way to the "Dalles Ridge Trailhead." 

Other trailheads include one from a branch forest road closer Greenwater Lakes, from the Greenwater Lakes Trail itself, and finally the Corral Pass Trailhead. Whatever way you go, the views are awesome and worth traveling along questionable roads. 

From the Dalles Ridge Trailhead, which has basically no signage other than to indicate the trail is only open to hiker, stock, and bicycle use, the trail bobs up and down through areas of thin, green forest and silver forest to a junction with trail #1197, the Ranger Creek Trail. This is a good spot to enjoy the shade of the thicker forest since the next stretch of trail is very exposed due to wildfire activity a few years ago. The good news is the silver forest offers excellent views of Mount Rainier across the White River Valley. 

The trail continues its up and down trend, with occasional short steep portions that are easy to handle. The silver forest ends when the trail flips to the east side of the ridge offering a distant view of the endpoint, Noble Knob, across the Twentyeight Mile Creek drainage. While there are still some burned areas, most of the coverage from here to the “summit” at the junction with trail #1184 is under thin forest cover. The trail will take a sudden uphill slant after bottoming out at a collection of large rocks. Rest at the rocks to prepare for the steep (very steep!) switchbacks that end at the #1184 junction. 

At the junction, be prepared to be confused by a new-ish sign that is completely inaccurate. It says:
Noble Knob 1.5 (left)
FS RD No 7250 3 (left)
Lost Lake 4 (left)
Corral Pass 2 (right)

Here is a more accurate version:
Noble Knob: 0.6 mile (left)
Forest Road 7250 (the trailhead where you started from, NOT left): 1.7 miles
Lost Lake: 3.1 miles (left)
Corral Pass: 3.8 miles (right)

Even with rounding, these numbers don’t make sense. Anyway, from this point, turn left (north) and go 0.2 mile to the next junction. Four trails meet at this point. Go left (north) along a view-laden trail with a steep drop off to visit George Lake (0.8 mile). Take the center trail and start heading uphill through meadows to access Noble Knob (0.4 miles). The final option is to take the right branch through a short section of meadow before a steep downhill trek to Lost Lake (2.5 miles).

Most people will take the center route to Noble Knob. The trail seems to be going the wrong way at first, but that’s because there is a switchback to start the long curve to get to the top of the hill. So, go north, then at the switchback turn back to the south, then the trail turns east, then turns north again. The trail is not especially steep, but since the whole way is exposed and moderately uphill, it might be wise to take a few breaks along the way. The last few hundred feet to access the final Noble Knob junction is steep and rocky. 

At the “top” there are two choices: go left to continue up a little more and reach the actual top of the hill (perhaps there was a lookout here?). Go right, and in only a few paces, access the rock feature that is Noble Knob. Enjoy time at both viewpoints. There is plenty to see. To the northeast, look down to George Lake.

George Lake can be accessed by returning to the four way junction and turning right. It’s a beautiful trip with ample views. In 2025 there was a sign at the George Lake junction. From that point, go downhill via a steep and narrow trail, but the lake itself is worth a visit and perhaps a swim. Apparently people camp here, too. 

No matter which locations are visited along the trails in this area, there is plenty to see: distant Cascade Mountain peaks, Lost Lake, Twenty Mile Lake, Mount Rainier (of course), Raven Roost (with various microwave towers), and Mount Stuart are just a few of the sights. 

Pardon the misspelling of "Dallas" on the map. If it says "Dallas" it really should say "Dalles."