Started at Mowich Lake campground and went clockwise up knapsack pass around around through Spray Park. This was a great hike that had a little of everything. We saw a marmot, a bear, a snake, and many birds. Another group told us they saw mountain goats as well. Bugs were extremely minor and we didn't get bit once. Going clockwise puts all the gain at once at the beginning which I think was a fun way to do it. Made it from the trailhead to the ridge at the pass in 1.5 hours. The slowest going part is getting over all the boulders after the ridge at Knapsack. There are many routes but the cairns are a decent guide. Once over the boulders, keep scrambling, staying to the right and once through it, you will find the trail again and see great views of the valley below. Eventually, if you follow the trail you will intersect with the spray park trail which you take a right on to follow back to the trailhead, nearly downhill the whole way. Very worth it to take the short spur out to the falls on the way back too and get cooled by its mist.

Total mileage was somewhere between 6 and 7, if you count all our meandering. Overall, this was an amazing hike and I will have to do it again.

We hiked Knapsack Pass to Spray Park on Saturday Sept 2nd.

Facilities onsite and open.

What a treat!  I hiked well over 100 hundred hikes in the last 2 years I can easily say this is my favorite. 

Note, we started the day at 8:30am. There were 80-100 lining the road to the trailhead.  Its a good idea to come early.   Also note, you should put the MRNP parking pass in the windshield.

To get to the unmaintained TH, go down to the campground stay to the left of the campground (you'll see a sign for the wonderland trail). Walk towards Mowich. You'll see a ranger cabin on your right and a sign for unmaintained trail.  Start there.

Its easy to find and stay on while hiking.  The trail starts off steep then levels off to a meadow area then gets a steep (but manageable). 

You can turn back once you get to the peak or keep going to Spray park. 

If Spray Park go down the talus and stay to your right.  You should see cairns through the talus and stay right.  You'll go through some pretty cool tarns too. 

You should be able to find and stay on the trail from there.  Once we got to the other side of the next peak we saw the first BIG bear in a meadow.  He/She seemed content eating and did not pay us much mind.  We followed the ridge till we saw the Spray Park jct.  Immediately thereafter we saw our 2nd bear.  He kinda startled me as I walked around a tree on the trail. 

Everything was beautiful but some of the seasonal creeks are drying up so bring plenty of water.  I created a YT Video if you would like to check it out. 

https://youtu.be/IGQEhY-rxk8

I've been to the lower edges of Spray Park with my younger kids a few times before, but this was the first time I've hiked all the way through to the top, and they're not kidding...it just gets better the farther you go!

Flowers are well-past their prime and there aren't many berries to speak of (although there are plenty of them scattered along the way), but this hike was all about the scenery and the wild critters....oh, and playing in the last patch of snow at the top!

Bear, deer, jays, marmots, frogs...

Not gonna lie, this hike is pretty strenuous. But take your time and enjoy. It is worth it! Plenty of creeks still flowing to cool yourself off along the way, but things are all dried up up in the meadows.

Be aware: the parking lot and campground was FULL!! Cars were parked along the road over a mile away from the trailhead. Be patient and drive slowly, please. Lots of dust.

This being a very smokey Monday, we saw only a few other cars on the road to Mowich. The dirt road is washboard almost the whole way and even without traffic it took about 45 minutes, but it's passable by just about any car. There were plenty of parking places open at Mowich both when we arrived at 9:00 and when we departed at 15:00. Though there weren't a lot of day hikers like us, the Mowich Lake campground was bustling with overnighters, and most of the people we met on the trail were equipped for camping too.

Facilities at Mowich are good. The latrines at the Paul Peak trailhead (on the way) are even better, remarkably non-stinky. They must have been emptied recently.

Smoke seriously reduced visibility, such that my out-of-town visitor had trouble seeing Rainier even when I pointed it out! That's a shame, but even without that it's a great trail with lots to look at. We went to the peak elevation on the Spray Park Trail, 6400 feet, where there are still snow fields off the trail. Trail condition is very good throughout. Round-trip distance was around 8.4 miles, plus a short excursion to Spray Falls. Getting a good view of Spray Falls involves a creek crossing which requires very careful footing, preferably with poles, and might not be to everyone's taste.

Arrived around 8 and was able to park near one of the trailheads to the lake (about 0.25 miles from bathroom). Left at 3:30 and cars were parked 0.8 miles down the road from Tolmie TH. Kudos to them. There were a lot of cars parked in the no parking areas, which makes it difficult to get around. No surprise it was so busy with all this area has to offer. Lots of activity on the lake and campground looked full. Most of the people in the morning were heading towards Tolmie Peak. We went to Spray Falls and Spray Park and encountered very few others. Thanks to the Volunteers who were doing trail work at the beginning of the trail.  Beautiful views today, smoke not an issue. As a side note, there appears to be a yellow jacket  nest under a branch at a creek crossing about 0.25 miles from the meadow. Weren't aggressive, but good to be aware of. Trail Didn't get busy until the last half mile on the way back.