Lakes Loop — Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009

Mount Rainier Area > SW - Longmire/Paradise

We took the shuttle from Ashford to Paradise. Parking on top is extremely limited! The first photo shows the lower parking lot and the cars parked all the way down the Paradise Valley Rd. The trail is in good condition with one log bridge broken. The snow has melted off the top of Mazama Ridge with the trail clear and the flowers stunning all along the ridge top and meadows. Biting flies come out in the forested areas and near the lakes. Long pants and shirts are helpful. The masses of people thin out once you get away from the parking areas. The return trip to Ashford on the shuttle was lengthy with the waits for the buses. The bus patrons were pleasant and cheerful. There is one bus that circles the Paradise Valley Road to transfer people back and forth from Paradise and the second bus that will return you to Longmire with a transfer to Ashford. It took us one and one-half hours to get from Paradise to Ashford.