Rampart Ridge Loop (from Longmire MRNP) trip report for Saturday, January 24, 2026.
Took advantage of a sun-filled, blue sky day to head up to the National Park. Parked at Longmire about 10:00am and plenty of parking still available - much different than the busy summer months!
The road all the way from the Nisqually Entrance to Longmire was clear and dry - we expected much more snow and ice for this time of year, but it was wide open and clear.
Listed details below, but in general - no snowshoes needed (barely enough snow on the trail right now), but microspikes were needed in several sections.
We walked across the street from the National Park Inn to catch the Rampart Ridge Loop (left) and did the hike in a clock-wise direction. Right from the beginning, the trail goes up, up, up with switchbacks. But it’s a lovely section of trail, soft pine, huge trees, and fairly wide the whole way up. And, no snow. We were carrying heavy packs so it slowed us down a bit, but it’s worth it when reaching the ridge. We took the side trail (sign says “viewpoint 200 feet”) to the overlook to see the Longmire complex far below - very pretty section.
Then we continued up to the summit where it starts to switchback down. It’s here the best views of Rainier/Tahoma await. A beautifully clear day also had views of the ridge to the left and the creeks way below. It’s also here that the snowfield begin so we opted to put on microspikes over the hiking boots. Glad we did as it was icy and slick on the snow field sections.
The ridge line continues with intermittent snow packs - pretty minor, and the trail is in nice shape. Then, we took the Wonderland Trail at the intersection to continue the remaining 2 miles and loop back to Longmire. It’s this section of trail that is the challenge IMO.
This section of Wonderland trail is full of roots, rocks, stairs, and bridges (much in need of repair). Many snowfield and icy spots on this section too. We had poles and it was helpful going down. By this time, it was afternoon and several people just starting up and they looked challenged with the terrain. Also a couple of downed trees to climb over/under/around.
The WT crosses the main road and then continues into the tree canopy until it reaches Longmire. Altogether, we clocked 6 miles round trip starting and ending at Longmire. Our elevation recorded 1600 feet RT. It’s a bit challenging but the snow is very minimal right now and if you are lucky enough to find another sunny winter day, this trail was worth the climb for the views. It would also be a nice one in summer as you will be in shade for most of the route.
Enjoy!
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