Mystic Lake via Carbon River and Wonderland Trails

When heading to the adventure, stopped at the ranger station in Carbon to get your day pass ($5.00) and then continue on to the trailhead. Park on the road next to the Carbon river around. Start the hike down an old paved road that eventually leads through some trails and then to a gravel road. This was about 2.5 miles or so to get to the trailhead for the Ranger Falls.From the trailhead, it's ...

The upper Foothills Trail from the Fairfax Bridge to Manley Moore can be hiked starting from either end as an "out and back" hike or a "point to point" by shuttling with two vehicles.  Starting from the upper end of the trail you begin by walking under the Kolisch Rd. Bridge, which has the Manley Moore Mural painted on its buttress depicting Bigfoot, Mt. Rainier, salmon, wildlife and the forest...

Mount Rainier is spectacular to look at, but sometimes the best views aren't from on its slopes, but just a little ways away. Tucked in the seldom-visited northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, the Tolmie Peak fire lookout frames the mountain's rugged slopes with a pristine alpine lake and rocky peaks. Start from the west side of deep-blue Mowich Lake, the largest in the park, and hi...

Summit Lake, nestled in a small basin just north of Mt. Rainier National Park in the Clearwater Wilderness, has everything a hiker could want in a day-hike or easy overnight backpack. The views, the well-maintained trail, and a perfect distance make this hike a must-do for anybody in the Pacific Northwest. Begin at the Summit Lake Trailhead (#1177) at the end of NF-7810. The road is rough, so...

Formerly the site of an old fire lookout, Bearhead Mountain located in the Clearwater Wilderness, provides great unobstructed views of the north side of Mount Rainier, Little Tahoma, and many other surrounding Cascade mountain peaks. In the summer months you are likely to encounter great wildflowers such as Lupine, Paintbrush, Columbia Lily, Avalanche lily, Glacier lily, and Beargrass. Later in...

No need to for an entire day hike to enjoy wonderful reflections, crystal clear water, and beautiful scenery a few hundred feet from the parking lot!  Park at the Mowich Lake Campground parking lot and follow signs for the Wonderland trail. You will begin your hike on the south side of the lake and follow it clockwise prior to starting to ascend onto the Tolmie Peak Trail (if you've gotten to ...