Grand Park via Lake Eleanor — Friday, Jul. 16, 2010

Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River

The TH is 10 miles from HWY 410 on FR #73. The road has many potholes, but can be driven in any car if driven slowly. The trail gains 1100 ft in 4.5 miles ending at the junction with the Northern Loop trail. This a beautiful approach to Grand Park and its mile long meadows! Mt Rainier draws you across the meadows and one could wonder for hours among its beautiful flowers! Avalanche Lilies were many on the forest floor from Lake Eleanor and into Grand Park. Magenta paintbrush, Glacier lilies, buttercup, spring beauty, and lupine were seen. The lupine were mostly buds, but will be blooming soon. There were a few short areas of snow as you near the meadows, but they may be melted by now. Mosquitoes were hungry, but tolerable due to the pleasant breeze we had most of the day!