Wonderland Trail
46°52′08″N 121°39′33″W / 46.8689°N 121.6592°W
Wonderland Trail | |
---|---|
Sunrise parking area White River Camp Ground Fryingpan Creek Trailhead Box Canyon Reflection Lakes Cougar Rock | |
Use | Hiking |
Elevation gain/loss | 22,000 feet (6,700 m) gain approximately[1] |
Highest point | Panhandle Gap 6,750 feet (2,060 m)[3] |
Lowest point | Ipsut Creek Campground 2,320 feet (710 m)[1] |
Season | Summer to early fall |
Months | Mid-July through late September |
Website | nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/the-wonderland-trail.htm |
The Wonderland Trail is an approximately 93-mile (150 km)
Route
The trail is entirely within the national park and passes through major
The trail is considered strenuous as it is almost always climbing or descending the ridges around the mountain. The highest point is 6,750 feet (2,060 m) at Panhandle Gap.[3]
There are many river crossings on the trail including two suspension bridges. Many of the rivers are crossed on primitive log bridges which can wash away during heavy rain or when there is a lot of snow melt in the rivers. Most of the bridges washed away during a major storm in November 2006, so the trail was impassable (and closed) to hikers through most of 2007.
The main hiking season is late summer, which is often dry and sunny. However, Mount Rainier's high elevation and proximity to the Pacific Ocean can also bring moisture as rain or snow to the trail. In many years, the Wonderland Trail is still mostly snow-covered during June and early July.
The traditional route between Mowich Lake and the Carbon River is via Ipsut Pass and Ipsut Creek. Many people take an alternative route across Spray Park and Seattle Park, a higher elevation route that often lies under snow until late August.[5]
Complete trail descriptions may be found in a variety of trailbooks.[1][3][6]
Camping
Trail shelters
There are three backcountry shelters along the Wonderland Trail in the National Park Service rustic. They are the Summerland Trail Shelter, the Indian Bar Trail Shelter, and North Mowich Trail Shelter. Staying at these shelters is considered backcountry camping and requires a permit. The shelters were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1934 and 1940. See Wonderland Trail Shelters.
Wilderness permits
A backcountry permit, including reservations for designated camping areas, is required to hike the Wonderland Trail. Prospective hikers can enter a lottery for permits early in the year. After the lottery, people may reserve designated camping areas using the federal government's Recreation.gov website. 30% of slots are held for 'walk-up' allocation at the park's wilderness centers.[7]
Due to the damage suffered as the result of a flood in November 2006 the park service did not accept reservations for the 2007 summer season for attempts to hike the entire Wonderland Trail. The trail was reopened on August 3, 2007, after extensive work by the park service, the Washington Conservation Corps, Student Conservation Association and 1,700 volunteers.[8]
See also
- Wonderland Trail Shelters
- Tour du Mont Blanc, a trail circling Mont Blanc in France, Switzerland, and Italy
References
- ^ ISBN 1-880405-09-1.
- ^ a b "Wonderland Trail Profile". National Park Service. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0-89886-572-7.
- ^ "Wonderland". American Trails. April 22, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
- ISBN 0-89886-586-7.
- ISBN 0-934641-40-4.
- ^ "Mount Rainier Summer 2021 Wilderness and Climbing Reservations Available Online Through Recreation.gov" (Press release). National Park Service. February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ Wood, Terry (October 4, 2007). "Volunteer labor worth $1 million-plus helps rebuild Mount Rainier trails". Special to The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 12, 2007.