Rainier View
This is a great hike for kids with lots to see including wild flowers, big views of Mt. Rainier and maybe even some wildlife including marmots and goats. Take a picnic and enjoy the wonderful sights along this trail.
The Rainier View trail starts up gently from the Corral Pass parking area. The trail ascends through the little used Corral Pass Campground at a gentle grade. The easy path ascends very gently through thin stands of tall, pointed alpine trees, and soon comes to the one and only switchback on the whole route. Passing through forest and meadows after a mile or so it breaks out on top of the northwest ridge of Castle Mountain. There are myriad wildflowers along the trail, including glacier lillies in early July. The trail passes a little creek flowing through a wet meadow. About here (and further along), snow patches can stay well into early July. It crosses a bridge, and sidehills a spur ridge, with great views of Castle Mountain's rocky, pointy summit. Now, the the way bursts out of trees into a smallish alpine meadow, and climbs a bit up to a junction. The trail to your left continues along the ridge you've been hiking along, and the trail you'll take is to the right. It aims for the summit of Castle Mountain, and although it's a semi-easy (but dangerous) scramble, never reaches it. Instead, it ends up on a rocky, phlox-covered knob with huge, stunning views of the trail's namesake, Mount Rainier. The view is so close that one can see ashes on the summit crater's rim. The promised view also includes many, many more peaks and valleys of the Cascades.
Driving Directions:
From the town of Enumclaw, drive about 31 miles eastward on State Highway 410 (the Chinook Pass Hwy.). Drive for 0.5 mile after passing the Alta Crystal Resort turnoff. (If you reach the Mt. Rainier National Park boundary, you've driven 1 mile too far.) Look for Forest Service road #7174 (Corral Pass Road). Turn left onto it, and pass several cabins. Drive for about 6 miles up the road (it's very steep and rough), pass the Noble Knob trailhead, and come to Corral Pass and the Rainier View trailhead. Recent Trip Reports
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Day hike
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Wildflowers blooming
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It was my b'day wish to camp & hike @ Corral Pass with my boys. My wish was granted, we...
It was my b'day wish to camp & hike @ Corral Pass with my boys. My wish was granted, we arrived early grabbed a great camp spot and headed up Rainier View trail. Weather was perfect! This trail is short and sweet only downside is the ROUGH road getting here 6 miles of going slow.
We later did part of Noble Knob trail for cocktails and sun going down show.
Rainier View
— Jul 29, 2011
— Chris
Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail
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Tried to hike this Trail but had issues about half way because of the snow. I am sure you if...
Tried to hike this Trail but had issues about half way because of the snow. I am sure you if you wanted to trek it with poles and made good markers for your return it would be okay, however I was unprepared for all the snow. Could not make out the trail at all.
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming | Fall foliage
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It was a perfect day - sunny and in the 70's. My dad (age 79, my 11 yr-old son and...
It was a perfect day - sunny and in the 70's. My dad (age 79, my 11 yr-old son and I went on the hike. The description on this site if very accurate. Beautiful, easy packed dirt slope for most of the hike. At the very end it increases in slope but certaily doable for everyone. My dad didn't go the very last 100 feet to the knoll (BREATHTAKING VIEWS) because it was loose rock and he was concerned about coming back down because of bad knees. Just watch kids carefully on this part. It's worth it! Many, many views to soak in with several opportunities to stop to eat. The path was covered with animal tracks. We think they must have been either an elk or moose from their size. There were 4-5 cars in the parking lot and we passed several people with children (all ages) and dogs on the trail. There were also several mountain bikers going up the steep, rough road to the trail head. Phew! Don't know how they did that.
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns
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I had all intentions of hiking the top of Castle Mountain. The drive up to Corral pass is slow going...
I had all intentions of hiking the top of Castle Mountain. The drive up to Corral pass is slow going and rocky. There was only one other car at the trailhead that had spent the night when i arrived at 7am. The fog was still in, so i decided to start on the Green Water trail then take Rainier View on the way back expecting the fog to have lifted. This trail decends nicely through thick cover and crosses a stream a couple times. There were several blowdowns, the kind that would prevent horse travel. Oops, crossed the stream one too many times, somehow i missed the turnoff to Castle Mountain. So i went and visited Hidden Lake, which is off a short spur about 2.5 miles in. There is a sign for that trail, and only one small campsite there on this shallow lake. Fortunately no bugs as the sun wasnt up over the mountain yet. Then went back and found the Castle Mountain trail, right where the map said it would be, it is just faint and not marked. I climbed this through a dark forest, so dark that there aren't even ferns. There was one very large blowdown that fell the length of the trail and took me awhile to pick my way around. The trail is faint in places, in fact some game trails that crossed were much more distinct. The trail eventually popped out in a meadow, where it all but disappears. Here's where i made my next mistake. I didn't realize that the Castle Mountain trail was on the East side of the meadow (i should have read the trail reports!) I looked around and felt lucky to eventually discover the trail going west, straight up a hill, which I assumed would go to Rainier View then on to the summit. That is one heck of a climb up, not one i would want to do again. I would definitely opt for the Green Water gradual climb out next time. I reached the ridge where a sign pole marks the trail, but devoid of a sign. I headed south and a short while later climbed up to Rainier View. This was everything as promised. I saw a faint trail on the adjacent ridge, and thought maybe that went on to Castle Mountain. Followed it for awhile along the ridge which gets almost knife edged and decided it was too sketchy to go any further, and the trail was pretty much gone anyhow. Went back to the car along the Rainier View Trail still wondering how to get to Castle Mountain. Definitely don't expect signs to lead you there, as the only other trail sign just mentions Rainier View.
Day hike
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Snow on trail
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Rainier View trailhead is at south end of Corral Pass. Trailheads to Noble Knob (north end) and Greenwater Lakes...
Rainier View trailhead is at south end of Corral Pass. Trailheads to Noble Knob (north end) and Greenwater Lakes are also at the pass. I set out in windy and cold but dry conditions. Trail climbs moderately in forest and a few streams and ponds are passed. The trail soon enters Norse Peak Wilderness. Trail eventually gains a ridge with a large view of Mt Rainier to the west. Snow on the ground about an inch or two on the ridge. Hard and crusted and was not a problem Top of Rainier was partially covered by clouds. Could also pick out Crystal Mountain area and Mt Adams in distance. To the northeast, Stuart Range quite clear. As I continued on the trail it steepened. I also could see Glacier Peak and Mt Baker as I got higher. I'm not sure where Castle Mountain begins and ends but I went up the ridge a ways. The guide book(s) that I referenced were not clear on that. I did not go all the way up the peak to the south, it appeared to be a bit more rugged to that point. Will come back when weather is warmer next year and explore more. This hike has great views all around on a fairly short hike (1.5 - 2 miles in or so). The only downer is the long, narrow, winding road up there.
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View from Rainier View trail. Photo by rnnrgrl.
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