Such a beautiful hike! Great mix of old growth forest, a pretty lake, and sweeping meadows with stunning views of Rainier.
The directions are straightforward, but be prepared to spend a good 30-40 minutes on the forest road. The first bit was fine, but it soon became pretty potholed, and then closer to the trailhead the gravel was replaced by jagged rocks that required careful driving. We made it up and down unscathed in a mid-2000s 4WD sedan, though. There's room for about six cars in the mini "lot" by the trailhead, but there are at least a few spots along the side of the road if you continue onwards. On a Friday morning just after 10:00 am, there were five other cars. No pit toilet here—stop at the one just after the forest road turnoff if you need one before hiking.
Trail is in fantastic shape with no blowdowns or other obstacles of note. I only noticed one true switchback, though the elevation gain was pretty gradual until just before the second meadow is reached. While this section was a little dusty, I was comfortable going up and down without poles. Aside from a ton of grasshoppers and butterflies in the meadows, there were not too many bugs. Saw evidence of bears but no bears themselves.
Views of Rainier are amazing on a clear day! Not many wildflowers right now, but the views of the mountain more than made up for that.
Comments
slo go on Grand Park via Lake Eleanor
I have that exact shot on my screensaver slideshow. It is a right in your face shot. Very nice. Next time, take the trail across Grand Park to the Northern Loop Trail/less than a mile/and go right. Great view point about 1/4 mile down the trail. You will know it when you get to it.
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slo go on Aug 12, 2023 10:22 AM