Berkeley Park — Sunday, Jul. 31, 2016

Mount Rainier Area > NE - Sunrise/White River

Berkeley Park is in peak bloom right now and worth a stopover. The flowers are putting on a gorgeous display as you descend into the campground. There's an abundance of lupine, magenta paint brush, bear grass and anemone, to name a few. There are a couple of muddy spots along the creek. To avoid erosion, try to stay on the trail instead of walking around the mud. The bugs weren't too bad until you approach the creek. Wear protective clothing or be prepared to smoother yourself in DEET. Bring plenty of water too. The trail is exposed with only a few shade patches as you descend below the treeline. In the heat, you'll easily work up a sweat as you ascend on the return hike. From the campground, we continued to Grand Park which is a 2.5 mile (mostly) uphill hike through the woods. There weren't many blossoms at the park and the bugs were worse; this destination may not be worth the extra mileage if you're hoping to see wildflowers. Best to check the park website or contact the rangers for the latest flower updates. TIP: If you need to top off your bottle/reservoir on the way to Berkeley Park, the Sunrise visitor center has a water refill station inside the cafe.